The latest: Hurricane and tropical storm watches are in effect as Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) prepares for Milton - a major hurricane expected to make landfall on Florida’s west coast. It’s forecast to remain a hurricane as it crosses the peninsula and exits the state’s east coast. Milton has the potential to cause widespread, prolonged power outages – customers need to prepare.
Why it matters: If the current path holds, Milton will be the second major hurricane to make landfall in Florida in a matter of weeks. The storm will bring significant winds, heavy rains and flooding to much of Florida’s peninsula and dangerous storm surge to the west coast.
A word from FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel: “If Milton continues on its path, we are looking at back-to-back major hurricanes hitting Florida. We are prepared to respond, but customers need to be ready for the very real potential of widespread, extended outages.”
Keep in mind: Heavy rain across the state over the last few weeks has saturated the ground ahead of Milton’s projected landfall. This makes trees and other vegetation susceptible to falling and damaging powerlines - even in areas forecast to get little to no wind from the storm. This will magnify Milton’s impact, particularly in places that still have wet conditions and storm debris from Hurricane Helene.
What FPL is doing:
- Securing additional restoration personnel from across the U.S.
- Strategically pre-positioning our restoration workforce, equipment and supplies.
- Setting up staging sites in the areas most likely to be impacted by the storm.
- Coordinating with state and county emergency operations centers and utilities across the state.
- Communicating with customers in multiple ways, including automated calls and text messages.
What customers should do before the storm:
- Safety is always FPL’s first priority. Customers should make it their top priority as they finalize their personal preparations.
- Don’t trim trees at this point – high winds can turn branches into dangerous, flying debris.
- Follow the advice of federal, state and local authorities. This is especially important for people living in low-lying areas and manufactured homes who may face additional challenges during a severe weather event.
- Customers dependent on electric-powered, life-sustaining medical equipment should finalize their family emergency plan for backup power.
- Quickly download the FPL app for on-the-go, instant and secure access to your account by texting the word “App” to MyFPL (69375).
- For more safety tips, visit FPL.com/Storm.
Visuals to download: FPL Newsroom Digital Library
How to reach us:
- 561-694-4442
- Media.relations@fpl.com
- @FPL_Newsroom
Additional resources
A state of emergency is in effect for 51 counties. FPL is preparing for a projected Hurricane Milton landfall along Florida's West Coast.