Milton expected to bring heavy winds, rain and coastal flooding to Florida Keys

While the Florida Keys are not expected to take a major hit from the powerful Hurricane Milton, forecasters are telling residents and visitors to prepare for some nasty weather, including high winds, heavy rains and coastal flooding, over the course of the week.

The National Weather Service issued a Tropical Storm Warning for the entire island chain Monday night, meaning sustained winds of up to 39 mph are expected within the next 36 hours.

These high winds could start hitting the archipelago beginning Tuesday night, but more likely Wednesday morning, the Weather Service said.

Sustained winds are also likely to be accompanied by thundery squalls between 55 and 65 mph Tuesday evening through Thursday morning, forecasters said.

Forecasters also issued a coastal flood warning, meaning saltwater surges are anticipated over the same time period.

The Weather Service’s Key West bureau said to expect saltwater flooding between 1 to 3 feet above ground from the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay in low areas starting Wednesday morning and lasting into Thursday.

On the Atlantic side of the Keys, this means the shore will be susceptible to crashing waves and shore wash that could lead to neighborhood flooding, forecasters said.

Heavy rainfall between Tuesday night through Thursday could bring accumulations of between 4 to 7 inches, the Weather Service said.

While the eye of Milton is expected to stay far away from the Keys, the National Weather Service has issued a hurricane watch for the Dry Tortugas, a group of islands located about 70 miles west of Key West. A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions, including sustained winds of 74 mph or higher, are possible.

So far, the Monroe County School District has not made any decisions on whether schools will remain open this week.

Todd Stoughton, city manager for Key West, said Monday that no decisions have been made about the availability of the town’s services or closures. Those decisions could come as early as Tuesday morning during Monroe County’s Emergency Management meeting, he said.

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