Hurricane Milton has strengthened back into a Category 5 storm and continues to be headed for Tampa Bay, Florida. We spoke with people still in the area to ride it out, as well as some who’ve evacuated but still feel nervous for what they’ve left behind.
For people living in Florida with ties to Boston, the last few days have been extremely stressful — some have gone to great lengths to come back to Massachusetts, but others are deciding to ride out the extremely dangerous and looming Hurricane Milton.
Kelli Sweeting was doing everything she could on Tuesday to get ready for the arrival of the Category 5 storm at her home in Sarasota, where she'll be with her family. The Boston University graduate said her biggest worry is that debris recently strewn around the Tampa Bay area by Hurricane Helene won't be cleaned up, then turn into "missiles" when the intense winds from Milton arrive.
"People are worried, there is a lot of anxiety and a lot of fear about what it looks like after," Sweeting said.
The house is boarded up, she's collected drinking water and candles, there's a charcoal-powered grill at the ready. The house is 20 feet above sea level, above the 10-15 feet that the National Hurricane Center is forecasting will arrive in the area.
Why not leave now, as experts and Gov. Ron DeSantis are imploring residents to do? Despite the anxiety about what it would be like to stay, Sweeting said she's also worried about the shortage of gasoline and the chance of getting stranded on the highway, where massive traffic jams have been seen amid Florida's largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017.
"To sit on [Interstate] 75 north and try and go anywhere, my fear in that situation is that we are stuck with no gas," Sweeting said.
Still, Sweeting said she has a Plan B if Milton looks like it is headed straight for her home. And she and her family are doing best to stay positive amid their second hurricane in as many weeks.
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"We are really hoping this is the last one and we can have a big party afterwards and just be done with it," Sweeting said.
Stories of people who evacuated Florida before Hurricane Milton's arrival
As the hurricane bears down on Florida, some of the last flights have left the state's major airports, closing in preparation for the storm. Some evacuees are seeking shelter in New England.
Paula Williams, who flew from Fort Myers to Boston Tuesday, may have a deeper understanding of the threats from the 2024 hurricane season than most.
“We got lucky. We got very, very lucky. And I feel very fortunate,” she said.
Like many others, Williams had changed her flight at the last minute, learning about Hurricane Milton on Saturday and deciding to leave before conditions worsened.
“We got the notification that it was coming our way, so I called Delta and changed my flight to today,” she said.
Some travelers had already booked tickets before the hurricane hit, turning their vacation plans into last-minute evacuation escapes.
Many are no strangers to the devastation hurricanes can cause, and that includes Williams. She lived through Hurricane Ian a few years ago, which leveled much of southwest Florida, and is still heartbroken over the damage done by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, where she is from.
“I don’t have any family in those hills, but they are all part of my family because I was raised there,” she said.
Despite the uncertainty, Williams said she is grateful for her connection to the people and places she's had to leave behind.
Jay Rosenthal, a Revere native living in Tampa, also got out, packing up his father's Purple Heart among his important items and racing to Fort Lauderdale, then flying to Boston for a stay in Newton.
He's worried about when he'll be able to return to Tampa, and what it might look like when he does.
"I guess sick would be a good word to define it," he said, adding, "I was never one to worry about hurricanes."
One former New Englander living just outside the evacuation zone in Florida is bracing for the storm and trying to arrange help for those impacted.
Pilot Jeremy Goncalves lives seven or eight miles from the coast in North Port with his wife and four children.
Goncalves says his family has food, a generator and fuel, and his storm shutters are up.
He also has two planes, but they're in Rhode Island. He's offering to lend the aircraft to anyone who can fly them south to help.
"I'm volunteering the planes, if anybody is a pilot, and can fly those particular kinds of airplanes," Goncalves said.
The planes are located at North Central Airport. He says he has heard from some pilots who would be willing to fly them down once the storm dissipates, but he is waiting to hear if there will be flight restrictions in effect.
How to help victims of hurricanes, Helene and Milton
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is encouraging anyone who wants to help people affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton to support established organizations like the American Red Cross, which already has teams on the ground.
Kelly Isenor, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross of Massachusetts, said help is critical, as extreme weather events continue to hit populated areas: “Unfortunately, with a climate crisis, that’s something happening all over the country. The Red Cross is in a state of continuous response.”
The organization anticipates the recovery effort will take months and is ready to train volunteers to assist.
Aid organizations stress that donations will be the fastest and most effective way to help.
“It’s very flexible and allows us to purchase what we need for people where they need it,” said Jeff Hall, also of the Red Cross.
Another pressing need is temporary housing. Airbnb is offering a program that allows hosts to provide free accommodations to those affected by Hurricane Helene. The United Way and Florida’s 211 help centers are among the groups that will identify those in need, and all fees for hosts and guests are waived.
How to help the victims of hurricanes Helene and Milton
Red Cross resources
FEMA resources
Florida Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)
Tracking Hurricane Milton: Live updates
