Meteorologists at Florida’s WFTV Severe Weather Center 9 are tracking Hurricane Milton as it passes through the state.
At 12:36 a.m. EST Thursday, several emergency crews were working to reopen the Orlando International Airport and Orlando Executive Airport after closing.
At 2:45 p.m., Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference in Sarasota to share updates. DeSantis was joined by Kevin Guthrie, Florida Division of Emergency Management director; Deanne Criswell, FEMA administrator; and Major General John D. Haas, general of Florida.
Officials said both airports were impacted by powerful wind gusts and rain overnight.
Both airports remained closed Thursday to commercial and private passenger operations. Airport leaders said they are working to determine when both airports can reopen. Passengers should not come to the airport. All curbs will be blocked until the airport officially opens.
See WFTV 9’s live updates, video footage and photos here.
In addition, according to BBC News, after tearing across Florida’s peninsula, Hurricane Milton has weakened into a Category 1 storm and its center has moved away from the state into the Atlantic Ocean. But forecasters have warned that hurricane-force winds and rain are continuing in the eastern parts of the state.
At its strongest over the Gulf of Mexico, Milton was a Category 5.
“It weakened a little before it made landfall on the west coast of Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, and then weakened further to a Category 1 as it whirled over land – but it still exited the east coast of Florida with hurricane force.
By contrast, Hurricane Helene a few weeks ago weakened on an inland track across Georgia and the Carolinas – a huge landmass,” said Elizabeth Rizzini for BBC Weather.
See BBC’s live reporting on Milton here.
