"This is it, folks," said Cathie Perkins, emergency management director in Pinellas County, which sits on the peninsula that forms Tampa Bay.

"Those of you who were punched during Hurricane Helene, this is going to be a knockout. You need to get out, and you need to get out now."

Milton has fluctuated in intensity as it approaches Florida but was a strong Category 4 hurricane at midday Wednesday and was expected to remain a major storm when its center hits land and then plow across the center of the state, forecasters said.

Tampa Bay, near the top of a long stretch of coastline that could be in the bull's-eye, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane in more than a century.'

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Move it or lose it!

Hurricane Milton 2024 Live Stream - Live Webcams

The Littlest Gov is doing all he can for Florida Hurricane Protection:

"Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill that strikes climate change from state law
May 16, 2024"

90 mins north of Tampa where I am is prolly only a bit of rain and 35 mph winds... the potential problem is tornadoes spun off by Uncle Milt. That's a totally different story!

You can bet that some in Tampa to Ft Myers drove an hour or two or three straight north to the major forests out there and will spend the night in their vehicles.

'

Apropos of nothing while Waiting for Milton...

(@ around 10pm in oh, say Bradenton, just S of Tampa, unless there is a major wobble in what should be a Cat 3 by then)

I noticed a vid someone has posted this AM:

"Naples Beach Walking Tour
Florida 4K - posted 7 hours ago"

15:12, lol

You should be OK over there... prolly a nice bit of surf.

My daughter is in the Keys, and they don't mind missing this one.