Gov. DeSantis calls State of Emergency for 35 counties as Milton approaches Florida’s West Coast.

Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia counties are all in a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Milton approaches Florida.

Landfall is expected mid-week, and while projections vary as to eventual landfall, timing of landfall, and strength of storm, impacts will be felt far and wide in the same areas strafed by Hurricane Helene’s storm surge last month, along with areas to the east of the landfall, potentially ranging toward the Atlantic Coast.

The Executive Order notes that “heavy rainfall, flooding, and gusty winds will cause power outages due to downed trees and powerlines due to the already vulnerable state of Florida’s vegetation and coastal infrastructure, and that “the consequences of these impacts could damage the operational capability of critical infrastructure including major interstates and roadways, bridges, airports, schools, hospitals, power grids, in addition to prolonging recovery efforts from Major Hurricane Helene.”

https://x.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1842673423107121209