Manasota Key residents scramble ahead of Hurricane Milton‘We’re getting the heck out of here’ 416,000 in mandatory evacuation zone in Lee Co.
ENGLEWOOD Manasota Key residents scramble ahead of Hurricane Milton Parts of Manasota Key are already unrecognizable from the damage Helene caused, and now, with Milton on the way, people are heartbroken and wondering what the future holds.
FORT MYERS SHORES ‘We’re getting the heck out of here’ 416,000 in mandatory evacuation zone in Lee Co. Around 416,000 residents in Lee County are under a mandatory evacuation order that went into effect Monday at noon because of Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers businesses prepare for Hurricane Milton Business owners in downtown Fort Myers are getting their businesses ready for whatever Hurricane Milton will bring.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral isn’t offering sandbags, but one Cape Coral local is One Cape Coral resident saw a need during Hurricane Milton and decided to do something about it.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach braces for Hurricane Milton after Helene WINK News’ team coverage brings us to Fort Myers Beach, an area prone to storm surge and still recovering from Helene.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral holds press conference; here are 10 takeaways Cape Coral held a press conference Monday morning to discuss Hurricane Milton. Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter says storm surge is the biggest threat of Hurricane Milton to the city. His message to his neighbors Monday morning is to make a plan and execute it now.
NORTH FORT MYERS Charlotte County man prepares what he can ahead of Milton Hurricane Helene ravaged many homes in Charlotte County, and now locals are getting ready for a potentially stronger Hurricane Milton.
SWFL Florida evacuation orders ahead of Milton There are now mandatory evacuation orders for some barrier islands in Southwest Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton.
What’s open and closed as Hurricane Milton looms As Hurricane Milton strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico, services and businesses in Southwest Florida are adjusting their hours or closing temporarily.
Punta Gorda residents, businesses brace for Hurricane Milton With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall somewhere along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, some Punta Gorda hotels stopped taking reservations, flight disruptions are expected and residents and business owners spent Oct. 7 prepping.
Lee County coastal businesses evacuate merchandise as Hurricane Milton approaches As Hurricane Milton began making its way across the Gulf of Mexico to a precise destination yet unknown on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Lee County business owners on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and other coastal areas weren’t waiting around to find out.
WINK NEWS List of shelters in SWFL ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, shelters are opening across Southwest Florida to provide safety and refuge for residents.
Know your zone: Evacuation zones ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, get familiar with your evacuation zone.
SWFL schools affected due to Milton Southwest Florida schools are responding ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival.
ENGLEWOOD Manasota Key residents scramble ahead of Hurricane Milton Parts of Manasota Key are already unrecognizable from the damage Helene caused, and now, with Milton on the way, people are heartbroken and wondering what the future holds.
FORT MYERS SHORES ‘We’re getting the heck out of here’ 416,000 in mandatory evacuation zone in Lee Co. Around 416,000 residents in Lee County are under a mandatory evacuation order that went into effect Monday at noon because of Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers businesses prepare for Hurricane Milton Business owners in downtown Fort Myers are getting their businesses ready for whatever Hurricane Milton will bring.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral isn’t offering sandbags, but one Cape Coral local is One Cape Coral resident saw a need during Hurricane Milton and decided to do something about it.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach braces for Hurricane Milton after Helene WINK News’ team coverage brings us to Fort Myers Beach, an area prone to storm surge and still recovering from Helene.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral holds press conference; here are 10 takeaways Cape Coral held a press conference Monday morning to discuss Hurricane Milton. Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter says storm surge is the biggest threat of Hurricane Milton to the city. His message to his neighbors Monday morning is to make a plan and execute it now.
NORTH FORT MYERS Charlotte County man prepares what he can ahead of Milton Hurricane Helene ravaged many homes in Charlotte County, and now locals are getting ready for a potentially stronger Hurricane Milton.
SWFL Florida evacuation orders ahead of Milton There are now mandatory evacuation orders for some barrier islands in Southwest Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton.
What’s open and closed as Hurricane Milton looms As Hurricane Milton strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico, services and businesses in Southwest Florida are adjusting their hours or closing temporarily.
Punta Gorda residents, businesses brace for Hurricane Milton With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall somewhere along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, some Punta Gorda hotels stopped taking reservations, flight disruptions are expected and residents and business owners spent Oct. 7 prepping.
Lee County coastal businesses evacuate merchandise as Hurricane Milton approaches As Hurricane Milton began making its way across the Gulf of Mexico to a precise destination yet unknown on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Lee County business owners on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and other coastal areas weren’t waiting around to find out.
WINK NEWS List of shelters in SWFL ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, shelters are opening across Southwest Florida to provide safety and refuge for residents.
Know your zone: Evacuation zones ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, get familiar with your evacuation zone.
SWFL schools affected due to Milton Southwest Florida schools are responding ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival.
Cape Coral held a press conference Monday morning to discuss Hurricane Milton. Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter says storm surge is the biggest threat of Hurricane Milton to the city. His message to his neighbors Monday morning is to make a plan and execute it now. Cape Coral has 400 miles of canals, meaning there’s lots of water. When water fills the canals, it has nowhere else to go besides residential neighborhoods which is why it is best to prepare now. “Make sure that your residence is secure. Put your storm shutters on, make sure all the loose debris around the house, your patio furniture, get that all secured,” Gunter said. WINK News Reporter Olivia Jean has compiled 10 takeaways from the press conference Monday morning. One: Stay with family and friends. The shelters will get crowded. The only shelter in Cape Coral is Island Coast High School. It is currently open. Two: Use the cape coral hurricane guide. “The Cape Coral Hurricane Guide has many resources that are available, and that’s available on our city website, and that provides a number of resources that are in there and helps build that plan, or helps fill in some of those gaps in your plan,” said Ryan Lamb, the Cape Coral Fire Chief & Emergency Management Director. Three: Know your zone. Zones A and B are being told to evacuate, which cover some significant land in Cape Coral. Four: Put your hurricane shutters up. Five: Trash will not be collected on Tuesday and Wednesday. Trash may resume on Thursday if it is safe. Six: public works has been hard at work and cleared the storm drains. “As far as the canal systems, we do lower the weirs. We pull the grate so as much water can go out as possible to increase that capacity, but we don’t have the ability to block off canals to do anything else,” said Lamb. “Again, a lot of them are directly connected to the Gulf of Mexico, so we’re contingent upon the tides and the other things that they’re affected those canal heights.” Seven: Bring Hurricane Helene debris inside. Eight: if communication or power goes down, City Hall or the fire stations will be open as information stations. Nine: secure your boat and don’t stay on it. Ten: the City of Cape Coral will not provide sandbags, stating research shows they aren’t effective. “There’s several commercial devices, some of them shaped like an “L”, that bolt to the openings, doors and windows. Some of them are water-filled, things called the tiger dams, or there’s other barriers that exist. I’ve seen other people use silicone tape to try and seal those openings,” said Lamb. You can find some of those alternatives at Lowes and Home Depot.