Florida prepares for massive evacuations as Hurricane Milton takes aim at major metro areas

Florida is gearing up for what could be a massive evacuation not seen since 2017 as Hurricane Milton strengthens over warm waters. Early Monday morning, Milton was about about 220 miles west-northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and 770 miles of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph while heading toward major Florida population centers including Tampa and Orlando. About 7 million people were urged in 2017 to evacuate Florida during Hurricane Irma. The exodus jammed freeways and led to hours-long lines at gas stations. It also left evacuees frustrated and, in some cases, vowing never to evacuate again. Building on lessons learned from previous storms, Florida is staging emergency fuel and charging stations for electric vehicles along evacuation routes.