Milton’s strongest winds and heaviest rain so far
Milton’s most intense winds are still several hours away from the Florida coast, but the state is already experiencing strong gusts and heavy rainfall. Here are the most notable reports as of 2:30 p.m.
Wind:
- Key West: 59 mph
- St. Petersburg: 59 mph
- Naples: 54 mph
- Clearwater: 52 mph
- Sarasota: 52 mph
Rainfall (since midnight):
- Sarasota: 4.04 inches
- North Fort Myers: 3.52 inches
- Sanibel Island: 3.15 inches
- St. Petersburg: 2.69 inches
- Tampa: 2.37 inches
The St. Pete Beach fire chief expresses concern that structures already damaged by Helene may collapse under the impact of Milton.
St. Pete Beach Fire Chief Jim Kilpatrick expressed concern on Wednesday that structures potentially weakened by Hurricane Helene nearly two weeks ago might collapse under the impact of Hurricane Milton.
“My concern is that we just went through another storm about 13 days ago. These structures, already battered by water and wind, are in a weakened state. I’m worried this next storm may cause collapse,” Kilpatrick told CNN’s Boris Sanchez.
Kilpatrick added that St. Pete Beach’s fire department response capabilities would be severely limited during the storm. Positioned on a barrier island west of St. Petersburg, the department must evacuate before conditions worsen. “Once we evacuate the island and our resources are gone, we’re stuck in our emergency operation center and won’t be able to perform rescues until we get the all-clear,” he said.
In an interview with Kilpatrick early in the afternoon, CNN captured footage of adults and children near a shoreline in Tampa, watching the increasingly rough waters of Tampa Bay. The fire chief urged residents to stay indoors as the storm approached.
“Those waters are dangerous. Those winds are dangerous,” Kilpatrick warned. “It’s not safe to be outside right now. You should be in a sturdy structure, hunkering down.
