Hurricane Milton has reached Category 5 status. Florida has issued evacuation orders and is working swiftly to remove debris left by Hurricane Helene.

BELLEAIR BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Gulf Coast of Florida is bracing for the impact of a Category 5 hurricane as cleanup efforts from Hurricane Helene, which struck two weeks prior, continue. Workers are hurriedly clearing debris while highways are congested with residents evacuating in anticipation of the approaching storm.

Hurricane Milton is projected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday, a region that has not experienced a direct hit from a major hurricane in over a century. While scientists predict that the storm may weaken slightly before reaching land, it could still maintain hurricane strength as it moves across central Florida toward the Atlantic, potentially sparing other states that were devastated by Helene, which resulted in at least 230 fatalities along its path from Florida to the Carolinas.

“This is a serious situation with Milton,” stated Tampa Mayor Jane Castor during a press briefing. “When it comes to confronting Mother Nature, she always prevails.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized the urgency of clearing debris from Helene to prevent it from becoming dangerous projectiles as Milton approaches. Over 300 vehicles were involved in debris collection efforts on Sunday.

As evacuation orders were put in place, meteorologists cautioned about a potential storm surge of 8 to 12 feet (2.4 to 3.6 meters) in Tampa Bay, marking the highest levels ever forecasted for the area and nearly double the surge experienced during Helene, according to National Hurricane Center spokesperson Maria Torres.

The storm is also expected to cause significant flooding, with rainfall estimates ranging from 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) across mainland Florida and the Keys, and some areas could see up to 15 inches (38 centimeters).

The Tampa metropolitan area is home to over 3.3 million residents.

“It’s a large population that is highly vulnerable and lacks experience with such storms, which is a concerning combination,” remarked Kerry Emanuel, a meteorology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “I have always believed that Tampa is the city most at risk.”

Much of Florida's western coastline is currently under hurricane and storm surge warnings.

It will result in airborne projectiles. 

Lifeguards in Pinellas County, located on the peninsula that forms Tampa Bay, took action by removing beach chairs and other items that could become airborne in high winds. In other areas, stoves, chairs, refrigerators, and kitchen tables were piled up, awaiting collection.

Sarah Steslicki, a resident of Belleair Beach, expressed her frustration over the delayed debris removal. 

“They’ve delayed the cleanup, and now they’re rushing to get it done,” Steslicki remarked on Monday. “If this storm makes landfall, it’s going to turn into flying projectiles. Items will be floating and soaring through the air.”

Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, mandated evacuations for regions near Tampa Bay and for all mobile and manufactured homes by Tuesday night.

President Joe Biden granted an emergency declaration for Florida, and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor noted that 7,000 federal workers were mobilized to assist in one of the largest deployments of federal personnel in history.

While many chose to evacuate, some remained hesitant. 

Milton’s actions brought back memories of Hurricane Irma in 2017, when approximately 7 million people were advised to evacuate Florida, leading to congested highways and gas stations. Some evacuees vowed never to leave again.

By Monday morning, several gas stations in the Fort Myers and Tampa regions had already run out of fuel. However, fuel supplies continued to flow into Florida, with the state accumulating hundreds of thousands of gallons of gasoline and diesel, with more on the way, according to DeSantis.

A continuous flow of vehicles moved north on Interstate 75, the primary highway on the peninsula's west side, as residents followed evacuation orders. Traffic was heavily congested in the southbound lanes for miles as others sought refuge in Fort Lauderdale and Miami on the opposite side of the state.

Candice Briggs, along with her husband, their three young children, and their dog, planned to stay at a hotel north of Jacksonville.