Milton strengthens to Category 5, winds at 165 mphSanibel evacuates as flooding and storm surge threaten island
SANIBEL Sanibel evacuates as flooding and storm surge threaten island Sanibel is already dealing with flooding from the heavy rain we’ve seen over the past few days, and Milton is expected to bring 10 feet of storm surge to the island.
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.
SANIBEL Sanibel evacuates as flooding and storm surge threaten island Sanibel is already dealing with flooding from the heavy rain we’ve seen over the past few days, and Milton is expected to bring 10 feet of storm surge to the island.
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.
Around 416,000 residents in Lee County are under a mandatory evacuation order that went into effect Monday at noon because of Hurricane Milton. The area includes neighbors living in Zones A and B, including Fort Myers Shores. Neighbors in Fort Myers Shores prepare for Hurricane Milton Public Safety Director Benjamin Abes said Monday afternoon ” zones A and B need to move to safe place by Tuesday evening. If changes happen with the track, more evacuations may be mandatory Monday night and into Tuesday morning,” Abes said. That’s all neighbors living on River Road, like Sheridan Chester and Frances Whaley, needed to hear to find other accommodations for where they plan on weathering out the storm. “We’re just going to kind of just lift everything up off the floor and put it on tables and stuff and get the heck out of here. We’re trying to pack up the house as much as possible and then leave,” Chester said. Neighbors in evacuation zones A and B for Hurricane Milton are not wasting any time. They’re not waiting until Tuesday evening to get out. They’re getting out now. “I’m going to a local church. I just went down and talked to the pastor. During Ian, there was two feet of water in the house, and I evacuated for that storm, and the same thing happened to our house. I don’t want to be in the house when that comes in,” Whaley said. Sheriff Carmine Marceno said the sheriff’s office has already deployed resources across the area. “ATVs, the shallow water boats, the high-water rescue vehicles, everything is already deployed,” Sheriff Marceno said. Some neighbors like Mauro Pizano said they’ll brace out the storm in their house; they said they only lost power during Ian. So, even though they’re in a mandatory evacuation zone, they feel safe. “We already passed a couple hurricanes. Nothing happened to our house, we only we lost power couple days. So, we’ll see what happens,” Pizano said. The county is doing things to help neighbors who choose to evacuate. They’ve opened 3 shelters, Island Coast High School in Cape Coral, Dunbar High School in Fort Myers, and Estero Recreation Center in Estero. Lee Tran is waiving all fees to get to the shelters. You can go to any stop and ask to be dropped off at the shelter. The county’s special needs shelter is also open, but you have to register, and registration closes once we’re in the 5-day forecast.