Milton was downgraded to Category 4 early Tuesday but remained on its path towards Florida, threatening an unsafe storm surge in Tampa Bay. This led to evacuation orders, and increased urgency for the cleanup after Hurricane Helene which flooded the same stretch coastline less than two week ago.
Residents and tourists on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula braced themselves as Hurricane Milton strengthened rapidly in the Gulf of Mexico. It became a Category 5 hurricane on Monday, on a course toward Florida.
As people evacuate the Tampa Bay Area ahead of Hurricane Milton arriving late Monday, October 7, 2024 in Ocala (AP Photo/Julio Cortez), heavy traffic flows northbound along Interstate-75.