Hurricane Milton Live Updates: Hurricane Milton makes landfall, winds, heavy rain batter Florida

Airlines began cancelling hundreds of flights and closing airports in Florida on Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival, prompting President Joe Biden to urge companies not to exploit the situation by engaging in price gouging. He called on airlines to provide as much service as possible for those evacuating the storm's path. Over 700 US flights had been cancelled by Tuesday afternoon, with Tampa International Airport experiencing the majority of disruptions. As travelers scrambled to escape, reports emerged of skyrocketing ticket prices, with one mother stating her one-way fare had surged from $200 to $750 in seconds due to the airline's website issues.

While major airlines defended their pricing, claiming they implemented fare caps, social media users accused them of price gouging. United Airlines faced backlash after one traveler highlighted exorbitant ticket prices for flights out of Tampa, reaching over $2,300 for some itineraries. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted that the department was monitoring flight prices in the affected areas. Amid the chaos, many travelers expressed frustration over high fares, cancelled flights, and poor customer service, with one passenger lamenting that his experience had been "the worst vacation of my life" after struggling to secure a way home.

Milton regained strength Tuesday and was upgraded again to a Category 5 hurricane on its path toward Florida, threatening to engulf the populous Tampa Bay region with towering storm surges.

Milton intensified quickly Monday, then weakened slightly before being upgraded again. It had maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (265 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

Milton’s center could come ashore Wednesday night in the Tampa Bay area, which has a population of more than 3.3 million people. Evacuations had been ordered or urged around the region.

Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane within a day, largely due to record warm ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, as reported by the New York Times. This significant warming, attributed to climate change and the burning of fossil fuels, extends not only to the surface but also to deeper ocean layers, providing more energy for the storm's development. Meteorologist John Morales expressed concern over the extreme heat in the seas, highlighting the connection between global warming and hurricane activity. Milton later downgraded to a Category 4 storm but remains a significant threat.

Despite the downgrade, Hurricane Milton's wind field is expected to double in size, which raises concerns about widespread damage from powerful winds, rainfall, and storm surges, particularly in the Tampa, Florida, area. Experts predict that storm surge will be the primary cause of damage along the coast. Additionally, studies indicate that tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico are increasingly likely to undergo rapid intensification during marine heatwaves, which are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Milton is the 13th named storm of the season, with predictions for a busy hurricane season ahead.

Walt Disney World will close its theme parks and Disney Springs on Wednesday, October 9, due to Hurricane Milton. The closures will occur in phases, with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom closing at 1 pm and Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney Springs at 2 pm. It is expected that the parks will remain closed on Thursday, October 10, though Disney Springs may reopen in the late afternoon with limited offerings.

According to PEOPLE, Disney announced the closure of its rustic accommodations, including Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Copper Creek Cabins at Wilderness Lodge, and Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs Resort, starting at 11 am on October 9. Fort Wilderness and the Treehouse Villas are likely to remain closed until Sunday, October 13, while the Copper Creek Cabins are expected to reopen on Friday, October 11.

Panic-buying swept across Florida on Tuesday as residents prepared for Hurricane Milton, prompting many gasoline retailers to display empty signs. Although the hurricane was downgraded to a Category 4 storm, it prompted over 1 million people to evacuate, with parts of Florida still recovering from the recent Hurricane Helene. By 11.10am Eastern Time, approximately 15.8% of the state’s gasoline stations had run out of fuel, compared to almost no outages the previous morning. Analysts expect demand for gasoline to surge rapidly as the storm approaches, causing significant concern for major fuel distribution networks.

As Hurricane Milton threatens the Gulf Coast, Florida's fuel supply faces potential disruption. All ports in the state, including Tampa, were closed to vessel traffic, while Kinder Morgan and CITGO Petroleum announced shutdowns of their fuel delivery terminals. The Central Florida Pipeline system, which connects Tampa and Orlando, was also halted. The wholesale distributor Mansfield indicated that delivery trucks would struggle to operate safely once wind speeds exceeded 35 miles per hour, leading to a near-complete halt of fuel deliveries. Experts warn that Milton could cause lasting issues for Florida's gasoline supply, possibly rivaling the disruptions seen during Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

European healthcare company, Fresenius is exploring options to expedite new production lines for medical equipment at its North Carolina facility in response to potential shortages caused by hurricane damage to rival Baxter's site. The company is collaborating with the US Food and Drug Administration to assess capacity needs. Fresenius Kabi, the healthcare group’s generic hospital drugs unit, has recently begun producing intravenous (IV) solutions at a new facility in Wilson, North Carolina.

Hurricane Helene caused significant destruction across southeastern US states, impacting Baxter's North Cove site due to flooding. Baxter is working with government agencies to assess damage and expedite recovery efforts while managing existing inventory to support allocations.

The American Hurricane Center has forecasted rainfall amounts ranging from 5 to 12 inches across central to northern areas of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday, with isolated totals reaching up to 18 inches. "Life-threatening" flooding is also a possibility.

During an appearance on CNN on Monday, October 7, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, issued a stark warning around 48 hours before Hurricane Milton is anticipated to make landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast.

Earlier that day, Milton had “rapidly intensified” into a Category 5 storm, boasting maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, although it has since weakened to a Category 4. On the broadcast, Castor urged residents in the Tampa area to evacuate while they still have the opportunity, emphasising that those who choose to remain will face severe danger.

“I can say without any dramatization whatsoever. If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die,” Castor warned host Kaitlan Collins on Monday.

“This one is gonna be different, and that’s why I called the governor about what Florida has received in terms of impact,” Vice President Kamala Harris told “The View” on Tuesday morning.

US President Joe Biden urged individuals under evacuation orders to "evacuate now" ahead of Hurricane Milton's anticipated landfall in Florida, emphasising that it is a matter of life and death.

"This could potentially be the worst storm to strike Florida in over a century, and, God willing, it won't be, but the outlook suggests otherwise," Biden remarked. He also announced that he had approved pre-landfall emergency declarations for Florida and urged airlines to assist with evacuations while refraining from price-gouging practices.

FLSERT (Florida Division of Emergency Management) is actively addressing resource requests from communities likely to be affected by the storm. We have deployed thousands of guardsmen and numerous search and rescue aircraft to assist with operations. Additionally, over 300 ambulances have been dispatched, along with more than 11,000 feet of flood protection barriers. An extra 1.2 million gallons of fuel is on its way to Central Florida. Furthermore, more than 37,000 linemen are prepared to restore power quickly and safely once the storm has passed, according to the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis.

Airports in Tampa, Orlando, and St. Petersburg are shutting down operations, while several counties in the Tampa Bay area are under mandatory evacuation orders. In addition, schools across the state are announcing closures in response to the impending hurricane, according to The Weather Channel.

The storm is anticipated to generate a storm surge of up to 15 feet in Tampa Bay, affecting cities like Tampa and St. Petersburg. With a metropolitan population exceeding 3 million, the potential impact is significant.

"I urge anyone under an evacuation order to leave immediately," said Kevin Guthrie, the state's Emergency Management Director. "Drowning deaths from storm surge are entirely preventable if you evacuate."

Tampa mayor Jane Castor delivered an even more direct warning. "I can assure you, without any exaggeration: If you decide to remain in an evacuation zone, you are putting your life at risk," she told CNN on Monday evening.

Residents are expressing their fears as well. "We are terrified. This is unlike anything we've faced before," said Morgan Blackburn, who works at the Centre of AMI in the barrier island town of Holmes Beach. "We're just hoping our island can withstand the storm."

Hurricane Milton is forecast to reach peak strength overnight as it gains latitude in the southern Gulf of Mexico and heads towards Florida. The storm is expected to expand in size overnight and continue growing throughout Tuesday. For residents in Tampa Bay, Tuesday marks the final opportunity to complete preparations and evacuations. It will be the last relatively calm day across Florida, as winds, rising water levels, and rainfall are set to increase steadily. By Wednesday, much of the state will experience a sharp deterioration in conditions.

US President Joe Biden has delayed his planned visit to Germany and Angola to manage preparations as the formidable Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, the White House announced on Tuesday, as reported by AFP news agency.

"Due to the anticipated path and intensity of Hurricane Milton, President Biden is postponing his scheduled trip to Germany and Angola to oversee both the preparations and response efforts," said Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement.