Hurricane Milton: Mandatory evacuations begin in Tampa Bay Area

TAMPA, Fla. - As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, many Tampa Bay Area residents are preparing to evacuate.

Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday. The NHC says the risk of life-threatening impacts is increasing for parts of the west coast.

READ: Tropical Storm Milton: Bay Area schools close due to storm

Some models are showing that the storm could directly hit the Bay Area. However, FOX 13 meteorologists say it is still too early to tell what the exact track will be.

Manatee County

Manatee County officials said mandatory evacuations of zones A & B will begin at 2 p.m. Monday. This includes mobile homes.

Anna Maria Island

The City of Anna Maria says a mandatory evacuation of the island will be ordered at 12 p.m. tomorrow. City Hall is open on Sunday until 4 p.m. for re-entry tags.

Pasco County

Pasco County is under an order of local state emergency. Mandatory evacuations for zones A and B and residents in mobile homes, low-lying areas and flood prone areas go into effect on Monday at 10 a.m., according to officials. Residents in zone C are under a voluntary evacuation.

Pinellas County

Pinellas County is issuing a mandatory evacuation order for long term care health facilities, assisted living facilities and hospitals in evacuation zones A, B and C.

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