CCTV Installation Company in Polk City, FL

Ledger staff and USA Today Network-Florida

Hurricane Milton made landfall at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near Siesta Key, a barrier island off of South Sarasota.

The storm had gradually dropped in intensity to a Category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds at 120 mph, Wednesday, according to the 8 p.m. update from the National Weather Service. But it was still expected to bring hurricane winds to Polk County as it meanders east-northeast across the state. It's latest track predicted it would travel through Highland City and Winter Haven.

Milton had already brought tons of rain to Polk County on Wednesday. Much of the county was under tornado warnings and flash flood warnings by early Wednesday afternoon, and the rain continued, unrelenting, through the night.

On the coast, forecasters' biggest concern is storm surge, which could hit 10 to 15 feet in several areas.

"The storm surge anticipated in some communities will be to the level of one- and two-story buildings and can reach that level with tremendous force in a matter of a few minutes," AccuWeather warned.

"Milton will be a surge event unlike any hurricane in living memory for west-central Florida, with only major hurricane strikes in 1848 and 1921 comparable in scope and height of the coastal flooding," said Dr. Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist with WeatherTiger. Truchelut is a Florida meteorologist who works with the USA TODAY Network.

Polk County's forecast

Polk County can expect hurricane force winds late Wednesday night or early Thursday.

Austen Flannery, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay, said Wednesday morning that despite some continued "wobbles," Hurricane Milton remained on track to cross Polk County.

"You're still looking at a very significant impacts, the storm will have a large wind field that will expand as it approaches the coast with very strong winds over the Lakeland area," Flannery said.

A tornado watch was in effect Wednesday morning, and by Wednesday afternoon, much of the county was under a tornado watch as heavy storm cells ripped through the area, showing some rotation in the clouds.

Tropical storm force winds started arriving in Polk as early as 2 p.m. Wednesday, but Flannery said residents needed to be prepared for sustained winds of at least 75 mph, and more likely over 110 mph with higher wind gusts overnight.

The storm is expected to bring total rainfall as high as 12 inches, with up to 18 inches of rain in some isolated area. The county remains under a flood watch through Thursday morning, and on Wednesday afternoon, a flash flood watch was issued as rains battered the area.

Power outages start across Polk County - 8:08 p.m.

As Milton approaches Florida's west coast, strong winds and heavy rain in advance of the storm have already created patches of power outages across Polk County. As of approximately 8 p.m., the electric companies are reporting the following power outages:

Polk Emergency Management 5:10 p.m. update

"The message is the impacts of the storm are here," said Paul Womble, Director of Polk County’s Emergency Management during a 5:10 p.m. Wednesday update from the Emergency Operations Center in Bartow.

“Now is the time to hunker down,” he added. “It’s not safe, and the strongest part of the storm is not here.” He expected the worse rainfall amounts and winds to occur after dark.

Several places in the county have experienced downed power lines, and because of significant rain, flash flood warnings are active and have been verified, Womble said.

“There are several places with water across the roads,” he said.

There were numerous tornado warnings in Polk County Wednesday afternoon but no confirmed touchdown of a funnel cloud, he said. Highlands County just to Polk’s south did have a confirmed tornado touchdown.

The shelters are now holding about 5,500 people and remained open, Womble said.

Citrus Connection had been transporting people to special needs shelters since 6 a.m. Wednesday but planned to stop once winds reach 45 mph. All the shelters will accept people until the weather conditions become too dangerous to open the doors.

Still, Womble said it is best to stay hunkered down for now until it’s safer tomorrow.

A message from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd to looters

Overturned camper blocking lanes on Polk Parkway - 4:45 p.m.

The Florida Highway patrol reported an overturned camper and pickup truck was blocking the two eastbound lanes of the Polk Parkway at mile marker 17, which is near U.S. 92.

No injuries were reported.

Sheriff's Office warns of two flooded roads - 4:40 p.m.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said two roads are impassible because of torrential rains from Hurricane Milton.

In Lakeland, Reynolds Road is flooded at Maine Avenue. And in Winter Haven, 42nd Street Northwest at Avenue Q is also flooded.

"Please avoid these areas, and do not attempt to drive through flooded streets," the Sheriff's Office said.

Flash flood warning for Polk County until 3:15 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Tampa issued a flash flood warning for Polk County through 3:15 p.m. as torrential rain from Hurricane Milton lashed the area.

"At 312 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen," the alert said. "Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly."

Scenes from around Lakeland as Milton approaches

Tornado warning issued for northwest Polk County - 3:09 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Ruskin has issued a tornado warning for northwest Polk County. It is in effect until 3:15 p.m.

At 2:42 p.m., the NWS detected a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado over Winter Haven, moving northwest at 25 mph. Radar indicated rotation inside the storm, the NWS said in an update.

The agency warned of potential flying debris. If a tornado forms, mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed, the NWS said. Damage to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur, and tree damage is likely.

The storm presents a danger to Polk City, Inwood, Lake Alfred, the Winter Haven Airport, Kathleen, Gibsonia, Eagle Lake, Cypress Gardens and Lake Hamilton, the NWS said.

Weather Service issued tornado warning in southeast Polk

Two areas with radar indicated possible tornado activity was reported Wednesday with possible 80 mph winds and hail moving south of Dundee, Lake Wales, Frostproof and Davenport, the TV News Channel 2 in Orlando reported.

Some of the rotation lasted in the atmosphere for up to 20 minutes, the report said.

Further, the NWS has issued a tornado warning at 1:48 p.m. Wednesday until 9 p.m. for Polk County and nine other southern and southwestern Florida moving north.

Polk County offices closed until Monday

Polk County Government offices will be closed from Wednesday through Friday with plans to reopen to the public on Monday, a press release issued on Wednesday said.

The Polk Commission’s agenda review scheduled for Friday has been canceled and rescheduled for Monday in room 407 of the Polk County Government Administration Building, 330 W. Church St., Bartow.

Avelo Airlines cancels its Thursday flight

Avelo Airlines made the decision to cancel its 7:30 p.m. Thursday outbound flight to Tweed Airport in New Haven, Connecticut, according to Airport Director Kris Hallstrand.

'Shelter of last resort' in Lakeland - 11:16 a.m.

During a news conference Wednesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that the LifeScience Logistics warehouse at 310 N. Galloway Road in Lakeland is one of several "shelters of last resort" the state will make available to residents fleeing Hurricane Milton. DeSantis did not offer additional details.

The facility opened in 2021. The company that operates the 100,000-square-foot warehouse has been awarded a state contract to manage the supply of drugs imported from Canada.

Bartow can expect major flooding

The NWS has revised its forecast for the Peace River at State Road 60 in Bartow since Tuesday. It now predicts major flooding in Bartow by Sunday.

By 2 p.m. Wednesday, the NWS said the Peace River at SR 60 in Bartow water level is expected to reach 7 feet, still below minor flood levels.

After Hurricane Milton has dumped at least a foot of rain in some areas of Central Florida, the NWS forecast tells a different story.

On Thursday, the Peace River is expected reach action stage and then on Friday it will rise to moderate flooding levels, according NWS forecasts. By Sunday at 2 a.m. the river will reach 10.1 feet, which is considered a major flood level.

By comparison, the historic record high watermark in Bartow was 11.1 feet.

Sam Cerra moved to Polk City to escape the “hustle and bustle” of the county’s largest cities.

So he was among at least 10 city residents who attended the City Commission meeting Tuesday to express opposition to a proposal to allow 61 homes on 15.5 acres next to the Sandy Pointe subdivision.

For now, Cerra and his fellow residents fought city hall and won. The commission denied a zoning change to allow a developer to build more housing units than currently allowed.

Cerra said the “main tone” of the many complaints by the residents was about saving Polk City from overdevelopment and traffic woes.

“You know, we live in Polk City because we wanted to be out of some of the hustle bustle, you know, zero lot lines, all that kind of stuff,” he said. “And you know, so we tried to appeal to the commissioners that way.”

Their decision comes weeks after the city’s planning and zoning commission declined to recommend the housing project by a 3-1 vote during that board’s Feb. 5 meeting.

City documents show the plans on two parcels at the southwest corner of the Sandy Pointe subdivision. The acreage is between Berkely Road (CR 655) and Bayberry Drive. The parcels also border Lakeview Drive and Crape Myrtle Lane.

The zoning change request came from the Boyd D. Stephens and Laura J. Stephens Revocable Trusts, which could have changed a single-family residential land use designation to more homes per acre in a planned unit development.

An attorney from Davenport had presented the case to the commission. The developer was not named in city or county records.

Cerra, 57, said the current zoning permits 39 homes, but that could increase by more than two-thirds on land designated as a PUD.

He had several reasons to oppose the change. Where he lives in phase one of Sandy Pointe, the minimum size of lots is 15,000 square feet and the houses must be at least 1,900 square feet.

But had the PUD zoning change been approved, the lot sizes could have shrunk to 5,500 square feet (about the area of a basketball court) with houses at only 1,300 square feet in size.

“That was one of our big oppositions,” Cerra said.

And, he said the plans showed new residents in phase two would drive through the same entrance as existing residents in Sandy Pointe to get to their homes.

“This is just what this developer wanted to do,” he said. He added that the existing Sandy Pointe residents were worried that apartments might come if the land should be sold sometime in the future with a PUD land use designation.

Attempts were unsuccessful to reach the mayor and vice mayor to comment on the reason for the board’s denial of the zoning change.

If the commission had approved the developer's plans, the ordinance would have been read for a second time at a future meeting. But with the denial, the proposal is dead for now.

Originally from Ohio, Cerra has been a Polk County resident since 1993 with former residences in Lakeland and Winter Haven, he said. He had hoped to find a more peaceful environment in Polk City since moving there.

“We were trying to get out of some of the traffic,” he said. “But unfortunately, it found us.”