Hurricane Milton live updates: Palm Beach County orders evacuation for Zone A, opens shelters (2024)

(This story will be updated.)

Palm Beach County leaders issued evacuation orders Tuesday for residents living in Zone A — a zone made up of low-lying inland areas not necessarily on the coast — as the state braces for the landfall of Hurricane Milton on Wednesday.

Residents can check their evacuation zones on the county's emergency preparedness website.

"New residents, as well as seasonal residents, who have never experienced a storm, should take proactive measures to be prepared," county officials said in a media briefing Tuesday. "By now, general needs supplies on should be on hand. While the landfall of Hurricane Milton will be the West Coast of Florida, the storm effects — winds, high surf, rip currents, flooding, tornados and peak tides — are possible."

Hurricane Milton, now a Category 4 storm, is expected to make landfall near Tampa on Wednesday night, producing storm surge of up to 15 feet between Cape Coral and Yankeetown. All of South Florida, including Palm Beach County, is under a tropical storm warning through Thursday.

A Tuesday advisory from the National Hurricane Center in Miami urged Palm Beach County residents to prepare for significant wind damage and secure lightweight objects, which could become projectiles during the storm. With winds forecasted between 58 and 73 mph, residents may expect to see mobile homes damaged, trees uprooted and roads made impassable by large debris.

Here are Tuesday's updates on closures, evacuations and storm responses across Palm Beach County.

Hurricane Milton updates Wednesday:Tornado watch issued for Palm Beach County

Buses, Tri-Rail and Brightline trains on hold Wednesday, Thursday

Tri-Rail will suspend service Wednesday and Thursday, agency spokesman Victor Garcia said Tuesday. The publicly funded passenger train hopes to run again Thursday evening. If sustained wind speeds are 39 miles per hour or faster, it won't.

Brightlinealso will not run trains betweenWest Palm Beach and Orlandoon Wednesday and Thursday, the company announced Monday on X, formerly Twitter.

All Palm Tran services, including fixed-route bus service, Connection, Go Glades, and the BusLink pilot program, will stop operating by noon on Wednesday and will stay off the road through the end of the day Thursday.

Palm Beach County issues evacuation order for residents in Zone A, including mobile homes, flood-prone areas

Palm Beach County is issuing evacuations for residents in zone A, which includes low-lying inland areas. Residents also need to evacuate if they live in a manufactured home, a mobile home or a residence of "substandard construction," or if they live in a flood-prone area, according to county officials.

Check your evacuation zone on the county's emergency management website.

Five schools opening as shelters starting at noon Wednesday

The county will open five shelters for the general population, a pet-friendly shelter and the special needs shelter on Wednesday at noon.

Five following general population shelters will be opened Wednesday:

  • Palm Beach Gardens High School at 4245 Holly Drive in Palm Beach Gardens.
  • Palm Beach Central High School at 8499 W. Forest Hill Blvd in Wellington.
  • Forest Hill High School at 6901 Parker Ave in West Palm Beach.
  • Park Vista High School at 7900 Jog Road in suburban Boynton Beach.
  • Lake Shore Middle School at 425 W Canal St. N. in Belle Glade.

The pet-friendly shelter at West Boynton Recreation Center will be open at noon on Wednesday. People are asked to arrive before tropical storm force winds are expected Wednesday evening.

The special needs shelter, which is at the South Florida Fairgrounds, will begin receiving preregistered residents at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Individuals can preregister online. Caregivers must accompany patients to the special needs shelter.

County offices and services to close

County operations and services will close at noon on Wednesday and remain closed Thursday, according to Mayor Maria Sachs, Emergency Manager Mary Blakeney and County Administrator Verdenia Baker.

This includes county parks and beaches, libraries, Palm Tran service and senior activities. Solid Waste Authority disposal facilities will operate on normal business hours Wednesday and close Thursday. There will be no waste collection service in unincorporated Palm Beach County on Thursday.

The Palm Beach County courthouse is also closed all day Wednesday and Thursday. Anyone needing to pay a traffic ticket, file court documents, purchase certified copies of records or make child-support or alimony payments should use the Clerk’s online services while the offices are closed.

Plane departing from West Palm Beach evacuates 65 pets displaced by Hurricane Milton

A plane carrying 65 animals departed from West Palm Beach on Tuesday afternoon, en route to Alaqua Animal Refuge in the Florida Panhandle city of Freeport. Its four-legged passengers came from Okeechobee County Animal Control, Seminole Tribe of Florida Animal Control, Highlands County Animal Services and Suncoast Humane Society.

“With Hurricane Milton barreling toward Florida so soon after Hurricane Helene, we are deeply concerned for the people and animals in its path,” said Jessica Johnson, senior director of the Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Rescue Team.

Palm Beach County drawbridges close to boat traffic

The Florida Department of Transportation began locking down Palm Beach County's drawbridges at noon Tuesday.

The bridges, including those that connect Palm Beach to West Palm Beach, will be closed to boat traffic once the lockdowns are complete, which is expected to be by the end of the day, the town said ina statement on its website.

The bridges will remain closed for the duration of severe weather and until the drawbridges and waterways can be assessed for damages, the FDOT said.

Read more:FDOT to lock down Palm Beach County drawbridges starting at noon Tuesday

Palm Beach County needs people to foster homeless pets during storm

Anticipating an influx of animals displaced by the storm, Palm Beach County's Animal Care and Control is seeking people to foster a dog or cat for two to three weeks, with a minimum of 14 days.

In a news release Tuesday, the agency said its facility has enough kennels to comfortably house 144 dogs and 100 cats at a time but has recently had over 200 dogs and 150 cats in its care. It expects even more in the wake of the storm.

"Fostering a pet saves two lives," a spokesperson said Tuesday. "The one that goes to a foster home, and the one that is placed in the open kennel spot."

Fostering with Animal Care and Control is free. The shelter will provide all of the supplies fosters need; all the foster needs to do is provide the necessary care and love that allows the pet to feel safe and secure.

To learn more about fostering a dog or cat this storm season, please call (561) 233-1281 or emailaccfoster@pbc.gov.The shelter is located at7100 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach, FL, 33411.

West Palm Beach officials urge residents to act now, ahead of landfall

The tropical storm-force winds forecast for Palm Beach County will make it unsafe for residents to drive or be outside. City officials encouraged people Tuesday to finish their storm preparations before the storm arrives.

This includes removing debris from swales, the low areas between homes that help collect excess rainwater and prevent flooding. Rather than sweeping yard waste into storm drains, they recommended composting it or collecting it in bags to dispose of after the storm, so as to prevent drain blockages.

They also recommended covering piles of dirt or mulch, which, if unsecured, can become mobile during flooding and block drains.

Palm Beach County elementary, middle and high schools open Tuesday, closed Wednesday and Thursday

All Palm Beach County schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. After-school activities, including athletic practices and games, will also be canceled both days. The school district expects to reopen schools Friday.

Schools are open Tuesday, and after-school care for elementary and middle school students will go on as planned. After-school activities and sports are canceled on Tuesday.

Hurricane Milton live updates: Palm Beach County orders evacuation for Zone A, opens shelters (7)

FAU, PBA and other colleges close ahead of storm

Florida Atlantic University's classes and on-campus activities will be canceled starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday until Thursday. Online classes are also canceled. Updates will be posted on fau.edu/advisory and fau.edu.

Palm Beach Atlantic University's campus, including its residence halls and dining services, will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Classes at PBA will be held remotely all week. The university said it only expects campus to be closed on Wednesday but that it will reevaluate as the week continues. For further updates, monitor PBA’s storm updatespage.

Palm Beach State College will be closed Tuesday through Thursday in anticipation of the storm. Online classes are also canceled. Tuesday's professional development day for the Palm Beach State College staff will be rescheduled. Updates will be posted on www.pbsc.edu.

Wellington mayor declares local state of emergency

Wellington Mayor Michael Napoleone declared a local state of emergency Tuesday morning, allowing the village to direct more resources toward storm preparation. These efforts have included boarding up memorials, removing screens from parks and tennis courts and pumping water out of canals.

Wellington has received more than 6 inches of rain since Thursday and is expected to receive up to 2 inches more each day through Thursday.

PBIA still open as Hurricane Milton approaches

Palm Beach International Airport will remain open for commercial passengers as Hurricane Milton approaches, the airport said Tuesday.

Almost every flight on Tuesday was scheduled to land or depart on time, except for a handful of JetBlue trips. Airport officials said they are monitoring the forecast for Hurricane Milton and will announce any change in operations on social media and on their website atpbia.org.

Travelers are encouraged to check with their airline for the latest flight information.

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary closing Wednesday, Thursday

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter Farms will close to the public Wednesday and Thursday and will stop accepting patients to the their rehabilitation center at noon Wednesday. People are advised to check the sanctuary's social media for when they will reopen for possible patient intake on Thursday.

Cox Science Center and Aquarium closing Wednesday

The center will be closed on Wednesday.

Palm Beach Zoo may close Tuesday

The zoo anticipates closing Tuesday through the end of the storm. For now, their Rainy Day Guarantee is in effect. That means visitors forced to cut their trip short due to the weather will receive a pass to return to the zoo over the next 30 days. Passes will be provided at the front gate upon entry.

Hurricane Milton live updates: Palm Beach County orders evacuation for Zone A, opens shelters (11)

Lake Worth Beach Pier closed

The City of Lake Worth Beach closedthe Lake Worth Beach Pier, also known as theWilliam O. Lockhart Municipal Pier, Monday at 10 a.m. Once the inclement weather has subsided, their staff will assess any damage and reopen the pier when it is safe to do so.

Clematis by Night in downtown West Palm Beach canceled

Due to Hurricane Milton, Clematis by Night featuring the band Slip and the Spinouts is canceled for Thursday.

Publix supermarkets in Palm Beach County operating normally

While all stores in the storm's current path are open, that could change. Nearly all Publix Supermarkets in Milton's cone of uncertainty across Florida have modified hours, according to the Publix website. All in Palm Beach County were operating under normal hours, as of 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Click here to see specific store hours for your location.

Kristina Webb, a journalist for the Palm Beach Daily News contributed to this report.

Hurricane Milton live updates: Palm Beach County orders evacuation for Zone A, opens shelters (2024)
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