Officials warn South Florida to be ready for 'ugly monster' known as Hurricane Milton

South Florida may not be getting a direct hit from Hurricane Milton, but nerves here are on edge nonetheless.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis blames it on PTSD from all the storms that have come before.

“We are not going to get the brunt of this hurricane — we’re going to get the outer edges,” he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Tuesday. “But some people are panicking from PTSD. The weather service has not been kind to us. On two occasions they predicted mild rainstorms and instead we got 1,000-year rainstorms.”

From Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach and beyond, local officials warned residents to take this storm seriously, whether it’s a Category 5 or not.

Broward County Administrator Monica Cepero referred to the latest storm bearing down on Florida as an “ugly monster” during a meeting Tuesday.

While no storm surge is projected to threaten the tri-county area, all three counties have declared a state of emergency in advance of the storm.

South Florida could see tropical-storm-force winds as soon as 8 p.m. Wednesday, Cepero warned county commissioners.

Port Everglades is now under condition “Yankee,” meaning sustained gale force winds are expected within 24 hours.

“Hurricane Milton continues to bear down on Florida, remaining a very dangerous Category 4 system,” Trantalis said during a news conference at Mills Pond Park on Tuesday. “Our thoughts are with those communities directly in the storm’s path. Thankfully, the projected impact on the greater Fort Lauderdale area continues to lessen, with Southeast Florida on its very outer reaches.

“With Milton, one thing to watch out for is if its heavy storm core spreads out further than currently. That could increase the impact to us. So, please continue to take Milton seriously.”

Power outages possible

Fort Lauderdale is expected to see winds strong enough to damage porches, awnings and carports, Trantalis said. The winds could also break large tree limbs and cause scattered power outages.

Fort Lauderdale residents looking to safeguard their cars from flooding can park them free of charge at the following city garages through Friday at 5 p.m.: the Riverwalk Center Garage at 150 SE Second St. on levels 6 and 7 and the Las Olas Garage at 200 Las Olas Circle on levels 3, 4 and 5. Parking regulations will continue to be enforced at all other locations.

State bridges across Fort Lauderdale have been locked down and closed to marine traffic because of the possibility of high winds, Trantalis said. The bridges are located at SE 17th Street, Davie Boulevard, Las Olas Boulevard, Sunrise Boulevard, Oakland Park Boulevard and Commercial Boulevard.

Starting at 11 p.m. Tuesday, Broward County planned to close its three drawbridges along the New River at Third Avenue, Andrews Avenue and Southwest Seventh Avenue.

In Palm Beach County, people living in manufactured homes, mobile homes, flood-prone areas and homes with “substandard construction” have been urged to evacuate ahead of the storm.

County operations — including parks, beaches, libraries and Palm Tran service — will close at noon Wednesday and remain closed through Thursday.

Schools in both Broward and Palm Beach counties will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, with the hope of returning to normal by Friday.

“They will resume, God willing, on Friday unless conditions change,” Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs said during a news conference on Tuesday.

‘This is serious’

For Palm Beach County, forecasters were expecting sustained winds of up to 40 mph with occasional gusts of up to 60 mph from Wednesday evening through Thursday.

“This is huge,” Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia Baker said during the news conference. “This is serious, and we all need to take it seriously.”

Five of Palm Beach County’s general population shelters along with a pet-friendly shelter and a special-needs shelter will open at noon Wednesday.

Shelters will provide basic hydration and food, but people must bring their own bedding and other necessities, including medication.

Broward County currently has no plans to open its emergency shelters.

“We don’t feel the need to open any shelters at this time,” Cepero said.

Once last-minute preparation and evacuations are complete, residents should settle in place and avoid driving as much as possible, said Palm Beach County Emergency Management Director Mary Blakeney.

“We’re going to experience periods of heavy rainfall, potential for tornadoes and sustained tropical-storm-force winds,” she said. “All of these could lead to power outages, which could then impact traffic signals. Our grounds have already been saturated to this point. We’ve already received 2 to 4 inches of rainfall, and some areas have received as much as 6 to 7 inches of rainfall already. We’re expecting an additional 2 to 4 inches of rainfall.”

Jyothi Gunta, director of the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, warned of the danger of driving in flooded areas.

“Drowning is the leading cause of storm-related death,” Gunta said. “Floodwaters can be contaminated, so avoid skin contact with floodwaters, especially if you have open cuts and wounds. Water can contain harmful bacteria and viruses.”

Gunta also urged residents to pay attention to any boil-water notices.

Palm Beach County residents with storm-related questions can reach out to the county’s emergency management department at 561-712-6400.

“Palm Beach County, stay prepared. Palm Beach County, we will stay safe,” Sachs said.

‘A bit more on edge’

In Hallandale Beach, Mayor Joy Cooper says she was busy reminding residents that they were not getting a direct hit from Milton.

“People do seem a bit more on edge,” she said. “People do have PTSD from flooding caused by previous storms. Many people lost homes. They lost cars. And they are truly traumatized by their losses. While we can’t control the rain, we can do everything in our power to be prepared for the rain. It’s the new normal.”

Like other cities, Hallandale Beach has been giving out sandbags to residents.

Beyond Milton, Cooper turned her attention to future storms.

“I’m more worried about tidal surge from future storms than I am about the wind,” Cooper said. “Winds in high category storms can damage property. But flooding can kill people. We can’t just think wind. We need to worry about flooding.

In Dania Beach, Mayor A.J. Ryan said the town had already given out or delivered 5,000 sandbags to residents getting ready for the storm.

“Right now, it seems like everybody is preparing for the storm,” he said. “We’re making sure our storm drains are clear. We have high-water vehicles now. We’ve deployed those. I feel like we’re as ready as we can be. We’re Broward County’s first city. We’ve been through many, many storms. And we’ll get through this together. The best thing to do is be calm.”

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