As Hurricane Milton advances towards Florida, prompting significant evacuation orders, many Michiganders find themselves cutting short their stays or preparing for the impact. Michiganders in Florida, whether on vacation or relocated, are facing a different beast compared to the snowstorms back home. WWJ Newsradio 950's Jackie Paige described a flood of emergency alerts on her phone and stark differences between a Detroit weather forecast and the imminent threat unfolding in Florida. "I mean, this is a big, big storm, and it gives me the chills to talk about it," Paige told WWJ Newsradio.
In preparation for the impact, residents like Lisa Haiss, who aren't in direct flood zones, are also evacuating due to fears of falling trees and insufficient communications from the state. "I think that there's not enough communication from the city or from the state. I think it's a little bit lacking," Haiss expressed her concerns, as reported by CBS News Detroit. This sentiment is echoed by others who moved from Michigan, like Kathy and Lee Morris, who find some solace in the lead time provided before hurricanes as compared to sudden Michigan storms.
DTE Energy is positioning crews in anticipation of the aftermath, with Brian Calka stating, "Right now, I think there's an appetite for all 600 of those resources to head down there." This effort is a response to Florida utilities requesting tens of thousands of linemen in preparation for the hurricane's landfall. CBS News Detroit details the strategic moves to assist in the eventual recovery process.
Many Michigan travelers made it back before the more severe travel restrictions kicked in, while others, as per Mike Wilder's experience, cut it close with flight delays imminent. "The TV down there this morning was just inundated with the governor talking about making your plans," Wilder told FOX 2 Detroit. The urgency of the situation is clear as airports, including Orlando International, prepare to halt operations with the hurricane's approach.
