Hurricane Milton updates: Tracker shows dangerous path of Category 4 storm as Florida residents are warned to ‘get out now’

Residents have been preparing for the incoming deluge, which forecasters have warned could bring up to 15 inches of rain, by protecting their homes from flooding.

Sandbags can be seen lining many properties in Sarasota, while debris from Hurricane Helene that devastated the area two weeks ago is still visible on the same streets.

The incoming Category 4 hurricane is expected to hit many of the same areas hit by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.

Residents barely had time to recover from the latest storm, which killed 230 people across the United States, before evacuating or sheltering in place for a second time.

Helene was the deadliest hurricane since Katrina in 2005, which killed more than 1,800 people, and forecasters have warned that Milton is expected to be even worse.

Tampa International Airport has announced it will close due to the hurricane.

“We will suspend flight operations at 9 a.m. Tuesday and reopen when it is safe to do so,” the airport said Monday morning.

Milton is expected to make landfall in Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

“Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions,” the theme park said in a Sunday announcement.

“We are closely monitoring the projected storm track as we continue to prioritize the safety of our guests and cast members.”

Disney has a history of only closing under the most extreme conditions.

While forecast models vary widely, the most likely trajectory suggests Milton could make landfall on Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and will remain a hurricane as it moves through central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean.

The latest model from the National Weather Service shows Milton making landfall in Tampa Bay on Wednesday afternoon.

Attorney General Ashley Moody asked residents who refuse to evacuate to take steps to help first responders identify them if they die in the hurricane.

“You probably need to write your name in permanent marker on your arm so people know who you are when they contact you later,” he warned at a news conference.

The National Hurricane Center upgraded Milton to a Category 4 hurricane early Monday.

This means Milton is expected to cause “catastrophic damage,” with winds of up to 156 mph and storm surge of up to nine feet.

“Most trees will be uprooted or uprooted and power poles downed,” the National Hurricane Center said.

‘Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks or possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

The center issued a hurricane watch for Florida’s Gulf Coast from Chokoloskee to the mouth of the Suwanee River, including Tampa Bay, as well as for the Dry Tortugas.

Meanwhile, a storm surge watch covers the Gulf Coast from Flamingo north to the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.

Florida residents have rushed to stock up on grocery supplies in preparation for the coming deluge.

Shelves were left empty at a Walmart in the Gulf Coast city of Sarasota, one of the first places expected to be hit by the hurricane on Wednesday.