Tracking Hurricane Milton: Canadian travel advisory issued, Florida governor warns ‘time is running out’

U.S. forecasters are warning of destructive waves, devastating winds and flash flooding through the week as Hurricane Milton makes its way from the Yucatan Peninsula towards Florida.

Milton is expected to grow in size and reach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, with wind speeds between 180-210 km/h.

“This is an extremely life-threatening situation,” reads the U.S. National Hurricane Center’s Tuesday morning advisory.

Follow along for live updates throughout the day.

12:45 p.m. EDT: Time-lapse from space

Matthew Dominick, an astronaut aboard SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavour, recorded a time-lapse video from the spacecraft’s window while flying over Hurricane Milton.

“That’s frightening,” replied one X user. “We’re locked into our beloved bubble at the mercy of the wills of nature.”

11:50 a.m. EDT: Canada weather unaffected

Milton won’t affect weather in Canada, according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre, which released its own modelling Tuesday morning.

The same goes for Hurricane Leslie, which is churning in the Atlantic. That storm is expected to travel northwest until Thursday morning, when it’s forecast to make a sharp right turn and continue northeast until Sunday.

This map shows the forecast paths of hurricanes Milton and Leslie (Source: ECCC)

11:15 a.m. EDT: Milton forecast changes

Milton is now expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida on Wednesday night, U.S. national forecasters say, rather than Wednesday morning. Despite this, authorities say there likely won’t be enough time to evacuate on Wednesday.

While the storm is expected to drift ashore midway up the coast, it’s too soon to say exactly where it will land. Once it reaches the west coast of Florida, the storm is likely to cross over the peninsula and enter Atlantic waters on Thursday.

Milton’s high winds are forecast to expand as it approaches land, and nearly double in size by the time it makes landfall.

“Damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge, and heavy rainfall will extend well outside the forecast cone,” reads the U.S. National Hurricane Center’s 11 a.m. EDT update.

“Evacuations and other preparations should be completed today. Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.” 

9:35 a.m. EDT: Canada issues travel advisory

Travellers should avoid non-essential travel to Florida’s coasts, the Canadian government has warned.

Hurricane Milton could disrupt transportation systems, electricity availability, water and food supply, telecommunications, emergency services and medical care, according to the travel advisory.

The advisory extends from the west coast — from Chokoloskee to the mouth of the Suwanee River, including Tampa Bay – to the area between St. Lucie/Indian River County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach, on the east coast.

If you are near the affected areas, be cautious, monitor local news and weather reports, and follow instructions from authorities, reads the advisory. 

This map, produced by Florida’s emergency management division, shows areas expected to be affected by storm surges.

8:30 a.m. EDT: ‘Time is running out’

In a news conference Tuesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged people to leave their homes as soon as they can if they are in a disaster zone.

Traffic is expected to be heavy toward relief areas on Tuesday, because “there are only so many places you can go,” he said. He reiterated there are shelter areas available tens of miles away, and that residents don’t need to drive for hours to evade the storm.

Traffic ramped up by 150 per cent above normal on the interstate Monday evening, and similar congestion is expected on Tuesday. At its peak last night, traffic on Interstate 25 averaged around 20 mph (40 km/h), according to the governor.

A view of a stretch of the I-75 where northbound traffic is slowed due to residents trying to evacuate flood zones. (Sources: Google Maps, FL511.com)

Power outages are expected when Milton makes landfall. Residents in affected areas should ensure their devices are charged. Uber is also offering free rides to and from shelters in affected areas with the promocode “MiltonRelief.”

DeSantis said the Helene disaster relief fund, which accepts private donations from individuals and corporations, has raised US$4 million. The fund will remain open to help pay for damage caused by Milton.

“We can rebuild homes, we can rebuild businesses,” he said. “You do have time to get to a shelter, but that time is running out.” 

7:35 a.m. EDT: Airlines affected

Tampa International Airport will suspend flights at 9 a.m. EDT Tuesday, staff wrote on social media.

“TPA is not a shelter for people or vehicles,” reads the post. Parking lots will be closed.

Peter O. Knight, Tampa Executive and Plant City airports, all of which are operated by the Hillsborough County authority, will close around the same time.

Orlando International Airport will close at 8 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.

Those closures are expected to affect scheduled flights to and from Canadian airports.

Toronto Pearson said it’s monitoring the situation closely. 

7 a.m. EDT: Satellite captures churning storm

Colorado State University’s Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere has released overnight satellite imagery of Milton moving east. 

6:35 a.m. EDT: Evacuations underway

Traffic data from Google Maps shows some congestion northbound on Interstate 75 north of Tampa. We saw images of heavy traffic on the highway late Monday as people moved out of flood zones.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier that the state has suspended tolls and opened roadway shoulders to allow for increased volumes.

“You do not need to travel hundreds of miles from home to evacuate safely—every county has pet-friendly shelters, special needs shelters, and other options that are safe from storm surge,” he said in a social media post.

Thirty-thousand hydro workers are being relocated from elsewhere in the U.S. to restore power in the storm’s wake, he added. 

Heavy traffic flows northbound on Interstate-75 as people evacuate the Tampa Bay area ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival late Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Ocala, Fla. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

6 a.m. EDT: Florida still cleaning up Helene

Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida in the Tampa Bay area, which is home to more than 3 million people.

The state’s emergency management department has ordered evacuations across the west coast. 

Many are still cleaning up from Helene, the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. At least 230 people have been reported dead. On Florida’s Gulf Coast, it destroyed homes, tore down trees and flooded communities. 

5:15 a.m. EDT: Hurricane Milton path map

Federal forecasters say “damaging hurricane-force winds and a life-threatening storm surge” are expected across the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday.

In its 4 a.m. CDT (5 a.m. EDT) advisory, the National Hurricane Center located the eye of the storm northeast of Progreso, Mexico. 

(Source: NOAA)

With files from The Associated Press