British tourists have been warned to stay at home by furious Florida residents as Hurricane Milton threatens to wage ‘catastrophic’ destruction on the US.Desperate locals have branded travelers ‘selfish’ amid ‘flee or die’ warnings that have forced them to evacuate their homes – with the tempest expected to deal a once-in-a-century hit on Tampa and St Petersburg.And even as Brits try to escape the impending devastation major UK airlines have axed flights, while airports in Tampa, St Petersburg and Orlando have already started shutting down.Drivers have been left in standstill traffic, with the major escape routes clogged with miles-long lines of cars seeking shelter out-of-state.Others have decided it is too dangerous to brave the roads as local gas stations threaten to run dry – despite Governor Ron DeSantis declaring there’s enough fuel to get people out of the storm.Within the state stores have been stripped of bottled water, toilet paper and other essentials as those who have decided to hunker down have panic bought supplies.  I-75 northbound lanes near mile marker 354 as of 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, October 8 Forecasters warn Milton is ‘expected to grow in size’ and remain ‘an extremely dangerous hurricane’ when it makes landfall in the US tomorrow One couple from Essex, who say they ‘love anything Disney and Universal’, said that they were going to brave the ‘worrying’ flight from Heathrow during a hurricane. They added that they had ‘taken all cautions that needed to be taken’ But Floridians reacted in fury towards Dan and Terry, who said they would be vlogging their 16-day adventure In groups for fans of Disney’s Florida resort, Brits were advised on how to prep for a hurricane while others spoke of their horror as they struggled to get home Kim Farrier from Birmingham, desperately asked for advice from a Disney fan group as they struggled to get home Clara Chapman, a longtime resident, prepares to evacuate from her home ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida Sandra White prepares to evacuate from her home with her partner Scott Pepperman, and their dog Buoy ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida Scott Pepperman (L), and his son Cobi move a trailer while preparing to evacuate from their home ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida Cobi Pepperman helps his father load belongings in a U-Haul truck while preparing to evacuate from their home ahead of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida Residents have been warned to ‘flee or die’ as Hurricane Milton closes in What flights between the UK and Florida have been cancelled so far?  BRITISH AIRWAYS Tuesday, October 8BA 2167 from London Gatwick to TampaWednesday, October 9BA 2167 from London Gatwick to TampaBA 2037 from London Gatwick to OrlandoBA 2039 from London Gatwick to OrlandoTUI Tuesday, October 8 TOM070 from London Gatwick Airport to Melbourne Orlando International AirportVIRGIN ATLANTIC Tuesday, October 8 VS129 – London Heathrow to TampaVS130 – Tampa to London HeathrowWednesday, October 9 VS129 – London Heathrow to TampaVS130 – Tampa to London HeathrowVS074 – Orlando to ManchesterVS075 – Manchester to OrlandoVS076 – Orlando to ManchesterVS091 – London Heathrow to OrlandoVS092 – Orlando to London HeathrowVS135 – London Heathrow to OrlandoVS136 – Orlando to London HeathrowVS225 – Edinburgh to Orlando has been delayed by 23 hours and will now operate on Thursday 10th October.Thursday 10 October 2024VS091 – London Heathrow to Orlando Milton was so strong overnight that experts called for it to be given unprecedented Category 6 status, however the hurricane was downgraded to a Category 4 early this morning. Forecasters warn Milton is ‘expected to grow in size’ and remain ‘an extremely dangerous hurricane’ when it makes landfall tomorrow.The storm center is expected to come ashore tomorrow in the Tampa Bay area, which has not endured a direct hit by a major hurricane in more than a century. Mayor Jane Castor issued a stark warning to residents yesterday that if they don’t evacuate, ‘you are going to die’.  With a state of emergency declared in the state, flights from the UK are being called off to avoid British citizens from becoming caught in the chaos. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has urged Brits to flee, as they say they are monitoring the weather system. An spokesperson said: ‘We are closely monitoring the development of Hurricane Milton towards the United States. We urge all British nationals in Florida or travelling to the region to follow travel advice and guidance from local authorities.’ Florida is a popular destination for UK tourists, with over a million typically travelling there annual for attractions including Disney World. Universal’s Orlando Resort has cancelled a number of events over the coming week – with Volcano Bay closed tomorrow and on Thursday, alongside the Halloween Horror Nights. Their hotels intend to remain fully operational. One couple from Essex, who say they ‘love anything Disney and Universal’, said that they were going to brave the ‘worrying’ flight from Heathrow during a hurricane. They added that they had ‘taken all cautions that needed to be taken’.But Floridians reacted in fury towards Dan and Terry, who said they would be vlogging their 16-day adventure.Caley Kennedy, said: ‘I would not recommend coming right now. We’ve got our own people to worry about.’Another, Erin Dowding, replied in capitals – saying: ‘DO NOT COME.’She continued: Why would you come into a devastating hurricane that is going to do so much damage in our state and expect us to shelter tourists and then accommodate them after.”Just wait a week and see if it’s ok to come. Selfish.’And a third, Amy Michelle, said: ‘Are people really that dumb? Flying into a hurricane? Stay at home! At least until the weekend when everything passes.’Dan and Terry – who are parents to six cats – later posted a photo from the plane, with the caption ‘We’re off’.In groups for fans of Disney’s Florida resort, Brits were advised on how to prep for a hurricane while others spoke of their horror as they struggled to get home. One, Kim Farrier from Birmingham, desperately asked for advice, saying: ‘Due to fly out of MLB Thursday. Hotel won’t let me extend my stay and tui are telling me to stay put. We feel a little lost.’  But as Brits attempt to flee the oncoming tempest, they have seen their escape lines cut off as airlines call off their flights. As of Tuesday afternoon, 1,311 flights within, into, or out of the United States were delayed, and 701 were canceled, with that number expected to rise as more than 1,500 flights scheduled for Wednesday have already been canceled, according to flight tracking data provider FlightAware. Virgin Atlantic has cancelled the most flights so far, with more than a dozen called off. British Airways has cancelled one flight today and three tomorrow, while TUI said that it was monitoring the situation as of 5pm BST. In a statement on its website, Virgin Atlantic told customers: ‘Due to adverse weather conditions expected to be caused by Hurricane Milton, a state of emergency has been declared in Florida.’Unfortunately, this has impacted Virgin Atlantic’s flying schedule, and services to and from Orlando and Tampa are subject to cancellations and delays.’A spokesperson from British Airways said: ‘Safety is always our highest priority, and we continue to monitor the situation closely. Other British tourists, already in the state, shared their plans to try and make the best of the hurricane as they brave the storm in their accommodation Again, Floridians brought holiday-goers quickly down to earth, telling them that even being inside will be ‘scary’ – as the hurricane shakes the walls and the wind screams around the building Michael Mims boards up his home in advance of Hurricane Milton in Fort Myers, Florida The Aquatics Division of the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department with about 20 volunteers and local community members served over 2,000 sandbags to over 200 Tampa residents ahead of Hurricane Milton Debris from Hurricane Helene sits on the roadside as residents evacuate before the arrival of Hurricane Milton, in New Port Richey, Florida Hurricane Milton, currently a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane with winds of 155 mph, continues to churn across the Gulf of Mexico heading for Florida, shown on the GOES-East satellite at 10:09 GMT, October 8, 2024’As with other airlines, we are adjusting our flight schedules where airport closures occur and providing any affected customers.’ TUI said it was ‘closely monitoring the situation and will update customers as soon as possible’.Florida is a popular destination for UK tourists, with over a million typically travelling there annual for attractions including Disney World. Universal’s Orlando Resort has cancelled a number of events over the coming week – with Volcano Bay closed tomorrow and on Thursday, alongside the Halloween Horror Nights. Their hotels intend to remain fully operational. SeaWorld Orlando also said it would close on Wednesday and Thursday.The theme parks join Orlando International Airport, which said it would cease operations Wednesday morning. The airport is the nation’s seventh busiest and Florida’s most trafficked.Meanwhile, Walt Disney World said it was operating under normal conditions and planned, for now, only to close its campgrounds and rental cabins in wooded areas. The theme park said it would continue monitoring the weather and adjust accordingly.The only indication at Disney Springs that a hurricane was coming was the closure of a hot air balloon ride. ‘Closed due to hurricane,’ an electronic sign read. ‘Stay safe.’All the other stores and restaurants in the outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex inside the resort were open and doing brisk business.The Orlando area is the most visited destination in the United States due to Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and other theme parks, attracting 74 million tourists last year alone.October is also among the busier times for theme parks because of Halloween-related celebrations, which have become major money generators over the past couple decades. Universal Orlando hosts ‘Halloween Horror Nights,’ with ghoulish haunted houses based on slasher films and other pop culture horror, and Disney has its tamer ‘Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.’
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Contractors haul away debris left by Hurricane Helene along the roadside, as residents in New Port Richey prepare to evacuate ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, Florida Milton is creeping towards Florida, sucking energy from the Gulf of Mexico’s warm water A woman carrying a child walks through floodwaters after Hurricane Milton brought heavy rain to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on its way to Florida Boats are secured in the overflow of a river after Hurricane Milton hit Celestun, Mexico with heavy rain on its way to Florida Vehicles fill the road as they drive to the East on I-75 from the West coast of Florida before the arrival of Hurricane MiltonWhile Disney rarely shuts its doors – save for dangerous hurricanes in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Sept. 11 attacks – its hotels are often havens for coastal residents fleeing impending storms. A check of Disney World’s online reservation system on Tuesday morning showed no vacancies.Those lucky enough to get a hotel reservation have gotten unexpected treats during past storms. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, guests at a hotel on Disney property found themselves stranded with actress Kristen Bell, who voiced the role of Anna in the beloved Disney film, ‘Frozen.’ While in Orlando, the actress found time to sing songs for evacuees at a nearby hurricane shelter.Once a hurricane passes, the theme parks try to return operations to normal as quickly as possible. After Hurricane Charley charted a devastating path through Orlando in 2004, Disney World had utility vehicles picking up downed tree limbs and clearing roads on its property within an hour in the pitch-dark night.Milton expanded this morning as it hurtled over the Gulf of Mexico towards Tampa – making it potentially ‘one of the most destructive hurricanes on record’ for west-central Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.The hurricane’s 155mph winds are becoming more wide-reaching from the center of the storm – vastly increasing its capacity to cause widespread destruction.Other British tourists, already in the state, shared their plans to try and make the best of the hurricane as they brave the storm in their accommodation. One suggested camping and entertaining children with picnics and board games.Again, Floridians brought holiday-goers quickly down to earth, telling them that even being inside will be ‘scary’ – as the hurricane shakes the walls and the wind screams around the building.Lissette McNair, who runs a holiday home rental in Florida, said: ‘[I’ve been seeing a lot of posts from tourists asking what indoor activities to go do if the parks close or where to grab ponchos for the rain with the hurricane approaching, and I feel like I need to share a bit of a reality check.’She continued: ‘We are looking at the possibility of 100mph winds. Let me be clear – if we get hit with winds like that, you won’t be able to just head outside. You physically can’t stand in that kind of wind without risking serious injury. People evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected mid-week landfall in Sanford, Florida Destroyed furniture and personal items from Hurricane Helene flooding sit piled outside mobile homes in the Sandpiper Resort Co-op A stretch of Bradenton Beach, Fla, that is still recovering from flooding and damage from Hurricane Helene is seen ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton on Anna Maria Island
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‘At those speeds, objects like road signs, siding and even outdoor furniture can become dangerous projectiles. ‘So if you’re wondering ‘what indoor activities can we go do during the storm’ the honest answer is likely none unless it’s right where you’re staying.’Even being inside during a hurricane is scary,. The wind is incredibly loud and the whole house shakes. You’ll want to be in an interior room, away from windows and outside walls, especially when the storm is at its peak.’ She added that even after the storm has passed, the area will take a long time to go back to normal – with tap water not safe to drink and roads blocked by debris. Milton’s gales extended around 80 miles from the eye of the storm through Monday, and this increased to just over 100 miles by Wednesday morning.’Milton is still a relatively compact hurricane, but the wind field is expected to continue to grow in size as it approaches Florida,’ the National Hurricane Center said.’In fact, the official forecast shows the hurricane and tropical-storm-force winds roughly doubling in size by the time it makes landfall.’One British woman, who is among the thousands of tourists caught up in Hurricane Miltonn, told her 94,000 followers she and her partner stocked up on water at Target as residents are urged to find shelter or evacuate.TikTok user scouseblu said it was ‘absolutely manic’ in Home Depot as they tried to find other essentials, adding that ended up leaving with the store set to close early. Torches were already in short supply when they went.’The shelves were a little bit empty… a lot of people are stocking up on water,’ she found.Locals have taken to social media, detailing their fears as they struggle to evacuate from communities located in Milton’s expected direct path. scouseblu told followers that shelves have been stripped bare ahead of Milton’s arrival Shelves in Target were completely empty by the time they arrived She said some hotels were handing out supplies but others had left guests ‘on their own’ David Jalving throws outdoor furniture in his father’s pool in advance of Hurricane Milton in Fort Myers, Florida. The house was damaged during Hurricane Ian and flooded recently during Hurricane Helene Almost the entirety of Florida’s west coast is under hurricane warning this morning as Milton and its 155mph winds creep toward the state Milton is creeping towards Florida, sucking energy from the Gulf of Mexico’s warm water  A contractor walks by debris left by Hurricane Helene along the roadside, as residents prepare to evacuate ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida  A closed business is seen after Hurricane Helene ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival in Treasure Island, Florida What causes a hurricane?  Hurricanes often start as tropical waves that combine with warm ocean waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They may also be fueled by thunderstorms. The weather system moves west as warm ocean air rises into it, and that creates a low pressure area underneath it, NOAA said. Air rises and cools, and that forms clouds and thunderstorms.Hurricanes have maximum sustained winds – the highest one-minute average wind speed at a particular point in time – of 74 mph (120 kph) or higher. If a tropical cyclone has maximum sustained winds between 39 and 73 mph (63 kph to 120 kph), it’s called a tropical storm. If maximum sustained winds are less than 39 mph (63 kph), it’s called a tropical depression.Hurricanes typically occur during hurricane season, which in the Atlantic basin occurs each year from June 1 to Nov. 30. Sharing drone footage of clogged traffic along I-75 between Morris Bridge and Bruce B Downs on Monday, one X user said: ‘This is why a lot of people are staying behind, at a certain point traffic is so bad you cannot get out of Florida, or there’s no gas. So you’re stuck outside of Gainesville.’One woman, whose son lives in Hernando County, said that he is trapped.’Everywhere is out of gas and roads are too backed up for him to [evacuate],’ she tweeted. ‘He has family in Georgia but can’t get there. This is scary. He is scared. I am terrified for him.’The concerned mother added that her son’s community was also among those flooded by Hurricane Helene last week. She said: ‘Now Milton is heading for them.’But DeSantis tried to ease fears this morning, saying during a press conference: ‘There is no fuel shortage. Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida.’ Despite the long lines at gas stations, DeSantis said officials are working with fuel companies to continue bringing in gasoline.’You do not have to get on the interstate and go far away,’ he added. ‘You can evacuate tens of miles; you do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles away. You do have options.’He added that Florida has helped evacuate more than 200 health care facilities in Milton’s path and that 36 county-run shelters are open.Still, multiple people have also shared anecdotes on X detailing their fears and claiming they are unable to afford the cost of either driving or flying their way out of the state.  Lightening strikes over Cancun as Hurricane Milton rolls through Mexico today Residents were seen at Costco in Orlando stocking up on bottled water, paper towels, toilet paper and other essentials ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival Floridians have posted ‘fuel updates’ on social media, alerting their neighbors where gas is still available in the community. A resident this morning revealed that in Port Charlotte, Florida, ‘some gas stations are out of fuel’ but that they were able to get gas at Wawa’I’ve had two people in the last HOUR tell me they can’t afford to evacuate for Hurricane Milton. Never tell me low wages aren’t violent ever again,’ one user on X posted.A Sarasota resident also claimed they were struggling to get out of the storm’s way.’I live in Sarasota, which is in the direct path of Hurricane Milton. They are evacuating my town, but there is no gas left to evacuate, and traffic is so bad that it could be more dangerous to try and evacuate at this point. What would you do if you were me?’DeSantis said the state would activate 8,000 National Guard members and is positioning truckloads of supplies and equipment near the area where the storm is expected to make landfall.Meanwhile, the Fort Myers/Naples/Cape Coral area of Florida on the I-75 towards Miami was almost at a standstill Tuesday morning as people tried to flee. Similar scenes are also playing out on the I-4 towards Orlando and the NB I-75 out of Tampa.Tampa’s airport closed indefinitely from 9am, meaning residents can no longer evacuate by plane. The airport posted on X that it is not a shelter for people or their cars.St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport said it is in a mandatory evacuation zone and will close after the last flight leaves today.
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Southwest Airlines employees cover the ticket counters with plastic wrap on Tuesday just before Tampa International Airport was closed due to the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton A passenger sleeps at Tampa International Airport Tuesday after most flights were cancelled due to the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton John Fedor, of New Jersey, waits for transportation help to get to a shelter after his flight out of Tampa was cancelled Delta Air Lines ran out of flights from Tampa to Atlanta at 10.30am Monday, with customers having to pay more than $800 for a roundabout flight to Washington DC instead.Meanwhile, American Airlines was selling flights from Tampa to Atlanta yesterday for between $641 and $2,400, with only a couple of seats remaining on each plane.Tampa Bay has not been hit directly by a major hurricane since 1921, and authorities fear luck is about to run out for the region and its 3.3 million residents.’This is the real deal here with Milton,’ Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told a Monday news conference. ‘If you want to take on Mother Nature, she wins 100 per cent of the time.’President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida, and US Rep. Kathy Castor said 7,000 federal workers were mobilized to help in one of the largest mobilizations of federal personnel in history.FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell says the agency is moving staff and supplies into place in advance of Milton.Biden also postponed a trip to Germany and Angola – he had been due to leave Thursday – to oversee the federal response, as storm relief efforts have become a political battleground ahead of the presidential election on November 5.Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the change was necessary ‘given the projected trajectory and strength’ of the storm. It wasn’t clear when the trip might be rescheduled. Biden had promised to go to Africa during his term in office, which ends in January. A message board at the Tampa International Airport shows all American Airlines departing flight canceled Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla., due to the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton Traffic was at a standstill along I-75 in Tampa this morning as Hurricane Milton barrels towards Florida Shelves at a grocery store in St Petersburg were empty of bottled water Monday as Hurricane Milton churns in the Gulf of MexicoRepublican candidate Donald Trump has tapped into frustration about the emergency response after Helene and fueled it with disinformation, falsely claiming disaster money had been spent instead on migrants.His Democratic rival Kamala Harris criticized Trump as ‘extraordinarily irresponsible.’As of Tuesday morning, Milton was generating maximum sustained winds of 145mph and the threat of as much as 15 feet of storm surge, the National Hurricane Centre said, calling it an ‘extremely dangerous’ storm, and urging people to heed evacuation orders.The Category 4 hurricane was to move just north of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula on Tuesday, it said.After weakening from a maximum Category 5 overnight, it is forecast to make landfall Wednesday night on the coast of Florida and remain powerful as it churns across the state.Tampa is especially vulnerable to the destructive impacts of hurricanes, meaning Milton could be catastrophic, according to Dr Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards in Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences.