Editor’s Note: The information in this story is as of our press deadline midday Tuesday. For updated information or to check on any changes in the storm’s path, go to AroundOsceola.com, or the National Hurricane Center (hurricanes.gov).
Prep for the worst. Hope for the best.
Never have truer words been spoken as Osceola County buttons up this week to weather Hurricane Milton, a rare storm to traverse the entire Gulf of Mexico from west to east and make a direct hit on the Tampa-area coast as a major hurricane.
There are a lot of impressive figures and stats for Milton, which will be bringing an area of significant impacts—5 to 8 inches of rain, potentially hurricane force winds—sustained winds of 75 mph and gusts up to 100 mph—and power outages over the course of Thursday.
Impressive was the storm’s intensification: going from a tropical storm Saturday, to a Category 1 hurricane when we went to bed Sunday night, to a Category 2 when we woke up Monday, a Category 3 when we got to work, and a Category 5 by lunchtime. Only hurricanes Wilma (2005) and Felix (2017) intensified faster over a shorter period of time in recorded hurricane history, which goes back to 1851 (and reliably to the 1960s when satellites tracked them).
It was absolutely taken seriously by residents, who filled and took home some 200,000 sandbags from Osceola Heritage Park and the Celebration Athletic and Recreation Complex Sunday through Tuesday—less than two weeks after some people already got some when Hurricane Helene threatened the area on the way to the Big Bend. Operations went through noon on Tuesday.
“Osceola is going to have significant impacts that will be unprecedented since Charley,” Osceola County Emergency Management Director Bill Litton said at a Monday press conference, referencing the 2004 storm that opened many people’s eyes to prepping for a strong hurricane. “I’m grateful to hear people are taking it seriously.”
Storm prep items like bottled water and canned goods flew off of store shelves, and drivers lined up for gas at stations— until the pumps ran dry. (Subtle hint: check out GasBuddy.com for real-time lists of stations with supply and power.)
Litton said lake, creek, and retention pond levels are sufficiently low enough to handle expected to prevent flooding seen from Hurricane Ian in 2022. That includes oft-flooded Good Samaritan Village, as Shingle Creek is at a manageable level. Both the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud have pumps and high-water vehicles ready to go.
He said the state of Florida was moving resources, like extra line crews—Kissimmee Utility Authority has already contracted with nearly 70 linemen from Minnesota and Wisconsin, who are already here—into place to assist the aftermath. Some FEMA resources are in northern Georgia and western Carolina helping those areas recover from historic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in the Big Bend area exactly two weeks ago.
Sheriff Lopez reminds drivers that, should power be out at intersections and traffic lights are dark, treat those intersections as four-way stops—and be patient going through them.
In order to ease evacuation traffic, the Governor’s Office suspended tolls for much of the state, including on Florida’s Turnpike, Osceola Parkway, Poinciana Parkway and State Road 417.
Trash will not be collected Wednesday and Thursday around the county. Since those trucks will not be on the roads, Litton and Sheriff Marcos Lopez ask you not to be on the roads Wednesday into Thursday—in fact, be in your safe place by noon on Wednesday, and stay through Thursday afternoon, when storm impacts should be easing.
Here are resources for storm updates: Osceola County Emergency Management: https://www.osceola.org/ agenciesdepartments/emergencymanagement/hurricane-center/
School updates: www. OsceolaSchools.net. School is canceled through Thursday, and check back for updates on beyond. At least one local high school game, Osceola at Viera, scheduled for Friday, has been postponed.
Information from Waste Management regarding post-storm debris: https://www. \wmfloridastorm.com/. Keep in mind, there will be no trash pickup in the county on Wednesday or Thursday.
To receive real-time SMS alerts, text ‘AlertOsceola’ to 888777.
To get information from county staff, the Citizen’s Information Hotline—407-742-0000—will be manned 24 hours a day beginning Wednesday.
Here’s how to report a power outage to the county’s three utility servers:
KUA: Kissimmee utility says the fastest way to report an outage is by texting “Out” to 877-582-7700 and follow the prompts to have your outage recorded. You will receive a confirmation of your message, a link to the outage map and updates when the issue has been resolved.
OUC: Use your mobile device to text OUT to 69682 (myOUC) or use the 24-hour outage reporting line by calling 407-423-9018.
Duke Energy: Text: Text “OUT” to 57801, Call 800-2288485, or if possible report the outage online at duke-energy. com/outagealerts.
