It’s been 103 years since a hurricane made landfall in the Tampa Bay area. That statistic could end this week.
Hurricane Milton was upgraded to a Category 5 storm, and is projected to hit the Tampa Bay area as a devastating Category 3 storm. We’re here to give you the best resources for staying informed.
The need-to-know info
First and foremost, Milton is expected to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast late Wednesday.
Forecasters warn the Tampa Bay area could see “life-threatening storm surge” of 10 to 15 ft. As of Monday at 6 p.m., Milton was pushing east-southeast at 10 mph with sustained wind speeds of 180 mph.
Keep your eyes peeled for updates from the National Hurricane Center. The NHC releases new info every six hours, at 5 a.m., 11 a.m., 5 p.m., and 11 p.m. That’s when you’ll see more about the potential path of the storm, and nearer the time, you’ll get even more specific path and effect predictions, plus more frequent updates.
We also recommend signing up for Alert Tampa, the city’s emergency alerts system — and Alert Pinellas if you’re in Pinellas County — for updates on evacuation orders being lifted, shelters, and storm debris pickups.
Don’t know what flood zone you’re in? Look up your address in Hillsborough County, and here’s the equivalent Pinellas resource.
If you’re told to evacuate, follow the order. As the storm gets closer, first responders may not be able to reach you due to treacherous conditions, other calls + massive amounts of debris piled along the streets.
Those in evacuation zones can check into a shelter, stay with a friend in a non-evacuation zone, or book a hotel room further inland (though we know gas is hard to come by now).
If you do stay home, you can prepare by turning your breaker off to prevent a potential electrical fire during flooding, put water bottles in your freezer to keep it colder longer, and keep food and your kit in an easily accessible area.
Once the storm passes, what’s next?
Run from water, hide from wind. Stay inside until the storm passes and the storm surge flows back to the Gulf. Driving on flooded streets can cause your car to stall out or even catch on fire.
Better safe than sorry. Don’t try to walk four-legged friends down flooded streets. Power lines, snakes, and other dangerous debris can hide under sitting water. To report a downed power line, call Tampa Electric at 888-223-0800 or Duke Energy at 800-228-8485.
Strong winds and heavy rain are likely to leave your yard in sorry shape. To prevent sitting debris from killing your lawn, collect tree limbs, leaves, and fallen flowers for Tampa or St. Pete pickup.
Looking for a local meteorologist? ABC Action News’ Denis Phillips offer sage advice and decades of expertise on Instagram + Facebook.
Once you’ve traveled back home, or got your bearings, cleanup begins. We’ll be here to share how to get rid of debris, apply for FEMA, and other helpful info.
Stay safe, TBAY.
