The National Hurricane Center has been carefully monitoring an area of interest in the Gulf of Mexico, and as of October 6th, the NHC declared it a tropical storm, then upgraded it to a hurricane shortly after.

Cloudy Main Street, U.S.A.

Hurricane Milton is forecasted to hit Florida and the Orlando area at or near major hurricane status later this week. Now, as it becomes evident that preparations need to be on the way for Florida residents, Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a State of Emergency.

Governor DeSantis recently issued a State of Emergency prior to Hurricane Helene hitting the Big Bend area of Florida just last week. Now, as of October 5th, a new State of Emergency has been declared for 35 Florida counties including the counties Disney World falls within.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

According to the NHC, “there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the West Coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday.” Those who live in this area should have a hurricane plan in place and begin making preparations.

©NHC

According to Eric Burris at WESH news, the model and forecasting trends have been VERY consistent with the track still heading directly over the Orlando area.

The forecast from last night at 11pm in orange to 5am this morning in red has been VERY consistent. A subtle nudge south by about 10 miles is it.

Remember, in models and forecasting- trends are your friends:

Recon is in the storm now, and that data should help the models… pic.twitter.com/iUv3sQxgsO

— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) October 6, 2024

Heavy rainfall is anticipated to hit Florida ahead of the the potential major hurricane. This comes as residents are still continuing efforts to recover from recent Hurricane Helene. The State of Emergency sites this along with the prediction of four to eight inches likely across the Florida Peninsula and eight to twelve inches possible in some areas. Several other factors including flash flooding due to soil saturation and more are included in the State of Emergency issued by DeSantis.

Cinderella Castle during Hurricane Helene

Disney World released a statement, noting, “To ensure you have a magical visit to Walt Disney World Resort, we encourage you to prepare for the local climate and check the weather forecast for Central Florida.” Disney added that as of October 6th, “Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions. We are closely monitoring the path of the projected storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members.” We will continue to check for updates.

©Disney

If you’re planning to be in Disney World this week, October 8th through the 10th, be prepared for heavy rains, high winds, and a potential hurricane. Be on the lookout for notifications from Disney World in case closures are announced. You will likely find information on the My Disney Experience app or the Disney World website as the storm gets closer. Don’t forget to pack your rain gear! Disney World has procedures in place for hurricanes, so rely on Cast Members as the week continues.

For more updates, keep following DFB.

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