Hurricane Milton, downgraded to a Category 4, is set to impact Florida, with some areas more severely affected than others. Many residents have already evacuated from zones projected to experience the worst conditions. “Now is the time to rush to complete all preparations to protect life and property in accordance with your emergency plan. Ensure you are in a safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weather warnings,” the National Hurricane Center announced on Wednesday, October 9, at 9:01 a.m. EST on X.
Milton follows closely after Hurricane Helene, which recently affected parts of Florida. To learn more about Hurricane Milton and the evacuation zones, continue reading.
10AM EDT #Milton Position Update: Ensure you are in your safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding. Stay up to date at https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ pic.twitter.com/3SL0QH9V8H
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 9, 2024
When Will Milton Hit Florida?
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall early Thursday, October 10, between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. EST.
What Are the Mandatory Evacuation Zones?
According to NBC 4 New York, mandatory evacuation zones include Charlotte County, Citrus County, Hernando County, Hillsborough County, Lee County, Levy County, Manatee County, Marion County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, Sarasota County, St. Johns County, and Volusia County.
Is Orlando in the Path of Milton?
Based on multiple storm tracking maps, Orlando is in the path of Hurricane Milton. However, as Orlando is located in Orange County, it is not under mandatory evacuation orders.
Additionally, Orlando’s theme parks, such as Universal and Disney World, have announced closures. Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will close at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9, while Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney Springs will close at 2:00 p.m. Disney World stated it is “We continue to closely monitor the path of Hurricane Milton. Based on the latest projection, we are making additional operational adjustments for the safety of our Guests and Cast Members beginning Wednesday, October 9.”
They added, “The Walt Disney World Emergency Operations Center is connected to weather experts and community leaders. Please know these adjustments have been made in order to leave plenty of time for our Guests and Cast Members to return to their Resort hotels or homes safely hours before higher winds are expected to reach Central Florida.”
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