South Florida may not take a direct hit from Hurricane Milton, but nerves are still tense here.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis blames PTSD on all the storms that preceded it.
“We are not going to bear the brunt of this hurricane, the outer edges are going to bear the brunt,” he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Tuesday. “But some people panic because of PTSD. The weather service hasn’t been kind to us. On two occasions they predicted mild rain showers and instead we got 1,000-year rain showers.”
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 called the latest storm to hit Florida an “ugly monster” during a meeting Tuesday.
Although there is no storm surge expected to threaten the tri-county area, all three provinces declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm.
South Florida could see tropical storm force winds as early as 8 p.m. Wednesday, Cepero warned county commissioners.
Port Everglades is now in a “Yankee” condition, meaning sustained gale force winds are expected within 24 hours.
“Hurricane Milton continues to impact Florida and remains a very dangerous Category 4 system,” Trantalis said during a news conference Tuesday at Mills Pond Park. “Our thoughts are with the communities directly in the path of the storm. Fortunately, the projected impact on the greater Fort Lauderdale area continues to diminish, with Southeast Florida at the far end.
“At Milton it is one thing to pay attention to whether the core of the severe storm spreads further than it currently does. That could increase the impact for us. So please continue to take Milton seriously.”
Power outages possible
In Fort Lauderdale, winds are expected to be strong enough to damage porches, awnings and carports, Trantalis said. The wind can also break large tree limbs and cause widespread power outages.
Fort Lauderdale residents who want to protect their cars from flooding can park them for free 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 rules remain enforced at all other locations.
State bridges over Fort Lauderdale are closed and closed to boat traffic due to 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.
As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, Broward County planned to close the 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 of “substandard construction” have been urged to evacuate ahead of the storm.
County activities – including parks, beaches, libraries and Palm Tran service – will close at noon Wednesday and remain closed through Thursday.
Schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, hoping to return to normal by Friday.
“They will resume, God willing, on Friday unless circumstances change,” Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs said during a news conference Tuesday.
‘This is serious’
For Palm Beach County, forecasters expected sustained winds of up to 60 km/h with isolated gusts of up to 100 km/h from Wednesday evening through Thursday.
“This is huge,” Palm Beach County Executive Verdenia Baker said during the news conference. “This is serious and we all have 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 Wednesday at noon.
Shelters provide basic hydration and food, but people should bring their own bedding and other supplies, including medications.
Broward County currently has no plans to open its emergency shelters.
“We do not feel the need to open shelters at this time,” Cepero said.
Once last-minute preparations and evacuations are complete, residents should shelter in place and avoid driving as much as possible, said Palm Beach County Emergency Management Director Mary Blakeney.
“We will experience periods of heavy rainfall, with the potential for tornadoes and sustained tropical storm force winds,” she said. “All this can lead to power outages, which can then affect traffic signals. Our soils are already saturated so far. We have already received 2 to 4 inches of rainfall, and some areas have already received 6 to 6 inches of rainfall. We expect another 2 to 4 inches of rain.”
Jyothi Gunta, director of the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, warned of the dangers of driving in flooded areas.
“Drowning is the leading cause of death from storms,” Gunta said. “Flood water can be contaminated, so avoid skin contact with flood water, especially if you have open cuts and wounds. Water can contain harmful bacteria and viruses.”
Gunta also urged residents to heed warnings about boiling water.
Palm Beach County residents with storm-related questions can contact 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 little more on edge’
In Hallandale Beach, Mayor Joy Cooper says she was busy reminding residents that they didn’t get a direct hit from Milton.
“People seem a little more tense,” she said. “People have PTSD from flooding caused by previous storms. Many people lost homes. They lost cars. And they are truly traumatized by their losses. Although we cannot control the rain, we can do everything we can to be prepared for the rain. It’s the new normal.”
Like other towns, Hallandale Beach hands out sandbags to residents.
Outside Milton, Cooper turned her attention to future storms.
“I’m more concerned about the tidal surge of future storms than I am about the winds,” Cooper said. “Winds from high category storms can damage property. But floods can kill people. We can’t just think about wind. We have to worry about flooding.
In Dania Beach, Mayor AJ Ryan said the city had already distributed or delivered 5,000 sandbags to residents preparing for the storm.
“Right now it seems like everyone is preparing for the storm,” he said. “We make sure our storm drains are clean. We now have high water vehicles. We deployed that. I feel like we’re as ready as we can be. We are Broward County’s first city. We’ve been through a lot of storms. And together we will get through this. The best thing you can do is stay calm.”
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan
