ROCKVILLE, Md. — We are continuing to track Hurricane Milton as it moves closer to Florida. Tuesday marked the last chance for millions of people in the Tampa metro area to prepare for lethal storm surges, ferocious winds and possible tornadoes in a place that has narrowly avoided a head-on blow from a major storm for generations.
Fluctuations in the storm’s intensity are likely while Milton moves across the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said, but it is expected to be a dangerous storm when it reaches Florida.
Milton’s forecasted trajectory also wobbled slightly Tuesday, which means it could make landfall Wednesday in the less populated areas a bit south of Tampa Bay, according to the center.
Still, the whole region is expected to get slammed by the storm.
Emergency crews from across the D.C. region are sending help. It's been a juggling act for these crews, who have already been helping those impacted by Helene.
Maryland Task Force 1 teams have been in North Carolina for two weeks. Utility companies Pepco and BGE have also been providing help in Georgia, restoring power to impacted areas there.
Now, they are all having to relieve crews responding to Helene to send help to Florida for yet another huge storm.
WUSA9 met up with Maryland Task Force 1 in Rockville on Tuesday, as they were getting ready to send another crew to North Carolina to relieve the ones who have been helping with Helene relief. We are told they are making a seven-hour drive to Asheville Wednesday morning.
The next team is made up of 45 men and women and two dogs. It includes police, medical staff and structural engineers from Frederick, Prince George's, Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, as well as D.C.
Assistant Task Force Leader Jon Bender said their mission is search and rescue. That means they will do structural evaluations, water rescues, rope rescues, and work with search dog specialists.
"They’ll be taking a look at different hurricane conditions – winds, water, they’re prepared for all that. All the equipment is already in place in north Carolina with the teams down there, so the boats, tractor trailers, all the rescue equipment is already down there. So when the team gets down they’ll switch out, they’ll take possession of that equipment, and the team that’s down there for Helene is going to come back," Bender said.
Meanwhile the Virginia National Guard has already sent teams to Florida ahead of Milton, and the Red Cross has evacuation centers set up in the state already. They are continuing to send members to the state as the storm moves closer to landfall.
Hundreds are still dealing with the aftermath of Helene in North Carolina and Georgia. The Red Cross has said that so far they have provided more than 35,000 overnight stays, and more than 479,000 meals and snacks to impacted communities.