The Latest Hurricane Milton Travel Updates

09.10.2024 - 05:49 / cntraveler.com

With Hurricane Milton barreling down on Florida, residents across the state are racing to evacuate their homes and prepare for the powerful storm, which is projected to make landfall on the state’s west coast late on Wednesday night, according to the National Hurricane Center. In addition to putting residents and property at risk, the historic storm is also set to impact travel plans throughout Florida and the Gulf region at large.

Milton was declared a Category 4 hurricane on Tuesday morning by the National Hurricane Center with maximum sustained winds near 145 mph.

Although Milton has weakened slightly since Monday night, when it was a Category 5 storm, the highest level on the hurricane scale, the storm is still expected to have a devastating impact across many parts of Florida. “While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida,” the NHC’s bulletin stated early Tuesday. Storm surges are expected to cause “life-threatening inundations” with water levels of up to 15 feet in some areas, including Tampa and Englewood, Florida.

Early on Tuesday, the hurricane was moving away from Mexico, across the Gulf, and toward Tampa at about 12 mph, the NHC’s bulletin said. Evacuations are underway in many areas across Florida, with mandatory orders in several of the state’s western coastal counties.

From a travel perspective, many parts of the state will be shutting down to visitors. It all means that travelers with plans to visit Florida this week or in the near future should be modifying itineraries, requesting refunds, and monitoring email and texts for alerts from travel providers.

Don’t forget that travel insurance policies could also be helpful when changing or canceling plans, depending on what type of coverage you purchased. “Most comprehensive travel insurance policies include coverage that can reimburse travelers if their trips are canceled, interrupted, or delayed by hurricanes,” says new guidance on Hurricane Milton from travel insurance provider Squaremouth. “To be eligible for coverage, a traveler must have purchased their policy prior to the date the storm was named. Hurricane Milton became a named storm on October 5, 2024. Travel insurance policies purchased on or after this date may not provide coverage for disruptions relating to the storm.”

Read on for the latest on Hurricane Milton, and what travelers should know. And remember to always double check with your travel provider (airline, hotel, cruise line, and tour company) for the most up-to-date information.

Florida airports have begun shuttering operations in preparation for the monster storm. St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport just outside of Tampa