Hurricane Milton – Update #3 – 10/7/24

University of Florida officials are actively monitoring Hurricane Milton, which is expected to affect the west coast of Florida by midweek. While the storm’s exact path remains unclear, here is what we know today:

The majority of the Florida Gulf Coast was placed under a Hurricane Watch or Warning by the National Hurricane Center as of its 5 a.m. advisory on Monday.

The Hurricane Watch extends from the mouth of the Suwanee River, which is about 10 miles north of Cedar Key, to Chokoloskee in Collier County. This includes the Tampa Bay area.

No warnings or watches have been issued for Alachua County, which includes Gainesville, as of the 5 a.m. advisory.

While Milton’s center had “nudged a little southward” in the latest track, forecasters said “significant differences” remained regarding the storm’s projected landfall and arrival time. The latest forecast track projects Hurricane Milton will strike the west coast of Florida sometime during the next 60 to 72 hours.

Conditions in the Gulf of Mexico will lead to a rapid intensification of Hurricane Milton, which could reach the strength of a catastrophic Category 4 storm. Milton is expected to weaken slightly as it approaches Florida. However, it will still likely be a “large and powerful hurricane” come landfall.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Jacksonville expect weather conditions to deteriorate in North Central Florida from Tuesday night through Thursday morning. Hurricane Milton is expected to bring heavy rainfall to the Gainesville area, ranging between 4 and 8 inches.

All UF units statewide – especially in the west coast of Florida – should continue to closely monitor forecasts and follow guidance from local officials. Online students who live in the path of the storm beyond Alachua County should immediately contact their instructors to discuss whether special accommodations can be made.

Additionally, students, faculty and staff should prepare for the storm and review their emergency kit. Additional preparedness information is available at https://emergency.ufl.edu/get-ready.

No operational changes have been announced for the UF campus in Gainesville as of Monday morning. UF will continue to monitor and update all on expected impacts or operational changes as information becomes available.

Regularly check the UF homepage for updates. Any announcements regarding operational changes will be made through official UF channels, including the UF Alert Emergency Notification System.

For additional information, please visit the National Hurricane Center.

Additional information:
Here’s how to prepare for hurricane season
Pre-storm preparation for students in UF housing
UF/IFAS Disaster Preparation & Recovery

This update was posted on Oct. 7 at 6:45 a.m.