Live coverage: Tracking Hurricane Milton. Supplies, forecast, helpful links (2024)

Support local journalismwith adigital subscriptionfor as low as $1 a monthfor the first 12 months.

Note: This is Sunday's live coverage and updates for Hurricane Milton headed toward Lee County. For the latest Monday updates, go here.

Lee County is bracing for any impact from Hurricane Milton. Milton strengthened into a hurricane Sunday afternoon. Landfall somewhere along Florida's west coast, although it is too early to tell if that will mean SW FL or elsewhere. The expectations are significant storm surge in coastal areas, wind, rain and along with it flooding and power outages in the region.

This is continues to be developing story and our reporters and photographers are providing coverage from different locations in Lee County again today, contributing the latest updates on flooding, damage, power outages, and what you need to know.

WATCHING THE TROPICS: Here's the latest information on Hurricane Milton's track

Helpful links

GoHEREfor Lee County weather watches, warnings and advisories.

GoHEREfor latest forecast from AccuWeather.

POWER OUTAGES:LCEC power map isHERE.

POWER OUTAGES:FPL's tracker isHERE.

POWER OUTAGES:HEREfor United States power outage tracker

AIRPORT:RSW's flight trackerfor delays, cancellations

FGCU students told to evacuate dorms by Tuesday

From reporter Laura Layden:

FGCU students received an email Sunday afternoon saying all residence halls must be evacuated by 2 p.m. Tuesday. Students will not be allowed to return to their rooms "until further notice." The university urged students to return home, go to an off-campus location, if possible, or to "evacuate to Alico Arena."

Photos: Supplies running thin at Target in Estero

Fort Myer Beach Council to residents: Time to evacuate

From reporter Amy Williams:

Fort Myers Beach announced evacuations and declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Milton bore down on Estero Island. It’s the fifth such order since 2022 when Hurricane Ian smashed the town, which is still in recovery mode.

Councilors met Sunday afternoon to discuss the storm, which is expected to arrive as a dangerous Category 3. In cooperation with Lee County, said Town Manager Andy Hyatt, residents should be off the island by 3 p.m. Monday.

Sandbags will be available for Estero Island residents only until Monday afternoon at a pile across from town hall.

But once properties are buttoned up, people should leave, he said. “This storm has a lot of unknowns … right now the cone is still the entire west coast of Florida (and) we don’t know what we don’t know.”

FGCU announces Hurricane Milton plan

FGCU will move to remote operations Monday. FGCU will be closed (all events and classes) Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sanibel declares 'local state of emergency' for Milton

Amy Williams reports that Sanibel Mayor Richard Johnson placed Sanibel under a local state of emergency in addition to one already in place for Hurricane Ian, and another issued Saturday by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.”

City Manager Dana Souza said the storm’s current track has it making landfall “somewhere near or north of Sanibel (with) 6-8 inches or more of rainfall.”

The island also will see tropical storm-force wind and storm surge “The severity … will be affected by the tide level and wind-driven rains,” Souza said, but he urged residents to be ready for conditions as bad or worse than Helene.

City has been moving water as fast as it can, but Sunday’s steady rain has been a challenge.

Souza anticipates power and cell service outages if the storm hits the island, and once tropical storm-force winds arrive, first responders can’t answer calls for help, he said, so residents should consider a “plan to evacuate the island if you’re in a low-lying area or concerned about (your) personal safety.”

Sand and sandbags will be available Monday at the fire station via the Library Way entrance and city offices will be open Monday, then closed Tuesday-Thursday.

Read the full story HERE.

Lee County schools closed through Thursday

The Lee County School District announced that all schools and before- and after-school program and activities are canceled through Thursday.

However, principals, additional administrators, building supervisors, and other critical personnel as outlined in the District’s Hurricane Preparedness Plan, are expected to report to their school location on Monday to make the appropriate preparations for the incoming storm.

Read the full story HERE.

Sandbags: Where to get them in Lee, Collier county

Reporter Kate Cimini filed this report on where sandbags remain available in Lee and Collier counities.

Photos: Lee County residents preparing for Tropical Storm Milton

What's the latest on sandbags ahead of Tropical Storm Milton

As sand and bag supplies dwindle in Southwest Florida, people are coming to Pine Island from Fort Myers and Napes to fill up. Doesn’t matter if they’re islanders, “We’re not turning anybody away,” said Shane Oake at Station 1 in Pine Island Center.

Though there’s a 20-bag limit, “We’ve already filled thousands and thousands of bags,” Oake said.

All three of the island’s stations are still supplied, thanks to Steve Honc, of Honc Industries, who’s been trucking in sand.

For as long as it lasts, sand is at Station 1: 5700 Pine Island Road

Bokeelia; Station 2, 5015 Stringfellow Road, St. James City and Station 3, 14861 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia.

Lee County's message to residents

Now is the time to prepare, Lee County Public Safety Director Ben Abes said at a Tropical Storm Milton briefing Sunday. There aren’t any evacuation orders yet, but that may well change, he said. And while general population shelters aren’t open yet either, special needs shelters begin opening Monday afternoon. Crews have been clearing ditches, creeks and waterways and sandbags are available at area fire stations. Regular waste pickup will continue “as long as conditions allow,” but please, no Helene debris, he said.

What's happening around Lee County today with storm prep, messaging

• Gov. Ron DeSantis declared astate of emergencySaturday that includes Lee, Collier Hendry and Charlotte counties. Lee and Collier counties are under a flood watch through Thursday morning.
• Lee County officials is hosting alive Facebook meetingat noon on the storm;Sanibel's isat 1:30 p.m. andFort Myers Beachis expected to declare a local state of emergency at 4 p.m.
• In a 5 a.m. bulletin Sunday, theNational Hurricane Centersaid the storm "is forecast to move across the Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek." What that means for Southwest Florida, which is stillrecovering from Hurricane Helene, remains to be seen.
• In recent days, residents have been filling sandbags, buying gas and provisioning for another storm, this one predicted to be very wet.

Tropical Storm Milton: What to know

• Tropical Storm Milton formed Saturday afternoon in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and was forecast to rapidly intensify as it moves eastward to northeastward through the Gulf.
• It could become a hurricane by early Monday, according to theNational Hurricane Center, and possibly reach major hurricane strength — Category 3, 4 or 5 — by the time it hits Florida's west coast mid-week.
• Weather company AccuWeatherpredicts heavy rainfall and gusty winds along much of Florida's peninsula. There's also the potential for dangerous storm surge.
• Even a few inches of rain could have a big impact for people still recovering from flooding caused by Hurricane Helene and its aftermath.

More: Tropical Storm Milton prep: Gas, water, groceries, sand. There's a run on supplies in SW FL

Photos from Hurricane Helene