Brevard County is waking up Thursday to extreme winds, vast power outages and flooding throughout the Space Coast courtesy of Hurricane Milton. A probable tornado touched down in Cocoa Beach on Wednesday.
The storm was a Category 1 when it reached Brevard in the early hours Thursday headed through Cape Canaveral to the Atlantic. It made landfall at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near Siesta Key as a powerful Category 3 hurricane. By 11 a.m. Thursday, Brevard County was downgraded to a tropical storm warning.
The night was a rough one for Brevard County beginning Wednesday evening when a possible tornado blew through Cocoa Beach destroying several homes and buildings. The roof of a Wells Fargo was blown off, a Supercuts was destroyed and the mayor's home also sustained damage.
Investigators from the National Weather Service need to conduct an investigation before it is officially ruled a tornado.
Reports of flooding came in from across the county. A hotel in Grant flooded and had to be evacuated. Streets were underwater from Satellite Beach to Rockledge. Rainfall in northern Brevard was projected to be so significant that a fourth shelter was opened.
Where is Hurricane Milton
As of the 2 p.m. advisory, Milton was about 200 miles east northeast of Cape Canaveral.
It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and was moving east northeast at 21 mph.
The eye of the storm passed somewhere between Titusville and Kennedy Space Center early Thursday morning. Milton moved offshore about 4 a.m. Brevard continued to get pounded by the backside of the storm hours after.
"We’ll still see tropical storm to hurricane gusts throughout the morning," Brendan Schaper, meteorologist at the National Weather Center in Melbourne said early Thursday morning. "Eventually by tonight we'll see a decrease in winds."
City by city damage in Brevard from Hurricane Milton
FLORIDA TODAY has a team of reporters and photographers roaming the county to survey damage, and talking to city officials. Here’s the latest city by city.
Canaveral Groves
Like most of Brevard, the rural parts of the county north of Cocoa were quiet Thursday afternoon. Damage appeared to be minimal. Wind and water-logged soil toppled some trees, fences and mailboxes in Canaveral Groves.
Many front yards were underwater, but the water didn't appear to reach any homes. Ducks, horses and goats splashed happily in the puddles as homeowners began raking leaves and dragging fallen branches to the road.
--Eric Rogers
Cocoa
North Indian River Drive between City Point Road and Blacks Road in Cocoa will be closed to through traffic due to flooding from Hurricane Milton. The road will reopen when the roadway is deemed safe to travel.
Access to residential driveways will be maintained at all times. Traffic control signs will be installed to assist the motoring public. A detour route will be in place during the road closure.
If additional information is required, please contact Brevard County Traffic Operations Program Office at 321-633-2077.
-- Jim Waymer
Cocoa Mayor Mike Blake said in a late-morning update that there were powerlines down in some places around the city, and asked people to stay off the roads until they could be cleared.
"I would like for all residents to avoid roadways while they are being inspected for damage to ensure the safety of our employees, and also the public," he said.
Blake said as of Thursday morning there had been no reported issues with the City of Cocoa water, which serves about 90,000 customers in Central and North Brevard, according to the city's website.
Customers at the Lake Poinsett Lodge in the flood-prone neighborhoods around Lake Poinsett west of Cocoa were doing well Thursday."Better now the bar's open!" one patron said happily, with a gesture toward the darkened barroom.Owner Michelle Miles said this was the first storm where the bar had lost power in recent memory, but that didn't stop a handful of regulars from taking advantage of the breezy Thursday afternoon.Flooding was minimal in the area around the lake. Some roads and front yards were under about three inches of water. The lake is fed from the nearby St. John's River,which often overflows after storms."It takes a few days though, because of the runoff," Miles said. Maybe a week before the water level would peak, she said.There was no damage to the bar or her home in Cocoa, she said. A palm tree near the bar snapped and tumbled under the wind, but that was the extent, she said.
-- Eric Rogers
Melbourne
Spotted Fawn Way, located in Melbourne, will be closed to through traffic due to flooding from Hurricane Milton.
The road will reopen when the roadway is deemed safe to travel. Access to residential driveways will be maintained at all times.
Traffic control signs will be installed to assist the motoring public. A detour route will be in place
during the road closure.
If additional information is required, please contact Brevard County Traffic Operations Program
Office at 321-633-2077.
-- Jim Waymer
Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey said the city appears to have avoided major damage from Hurricane Milton.
"As city crews assess the damage, it appears Melbourne was only slightly impacted from Hurricane Milton," Alfrey said. "There are reports of power outages (including myself), but, overall, we are absolutely blessed, with minimal damage or storm surge."
Alfrey credits work the city has done to shore up its infrastructure, coupled with the cleaning of storm drains before the hurricane, with helping to keepdamage to a minimal.
Among the things Alfrey noted during his drive through the city Thursday morning were numerous damaged business signs and some boats submerged in local waterways.
"My thoughts and prayers go out to those severely impacted throughout Florida," Alfrey added.
-- Dave Berman
Mims
Hatbill Road south of Baxter Road, located in Mims, will be closed to through traffic due to flooding from Hurricane Milton. The road will reopen when the roadway is deemed safe to travel.
Access to residential driveways will be maintained at all times. Traffic control signs will be installed to assist the motoring public. A detour route will be in place during the road closure.
If additional information is required, please contact Brevard County Traffic Operations Program Office at 321-633-2077.
-- Jim Waymer
Rockledge
Rockledge Drive between McIver Lane to US 1, located in Rockledge, will be closed to through traffic due to flooding from Hurricane Milton.
The road will reopen when the roadway is deemed safe to travel. Access to residential driveways will be maintained at all times.
Traffic control signs will be installed to assist the motoring public. A detour route will be in place during the road closure.
If additional information is required, please contact Brevard County Traffic Operations Program Office at 321-633-2077.
-- Jim Waymer
Major roadways and most side streets in Rockledge were clear of debris Thursday afternoon. On Barton Boulevard, at least one traffic light was out.
A line was down at the corner of Barton and Baldwin Street, where a tree snapped and took out the sign for Community Discount Pharmacy.
Pharmacy owner Raj Patel was on his phone, surveying the damage.
"I don't know if it was struck by lightning or what," he said.
He said there was no damage or flooding inside the shop, and his home and family in Orlando were safe.
"We came out okay," he said.
-- Eric Rogers
Satellite Beach
Satellite Beach Mayor, Steve Omer said, “The city staff, along with the help of our residents, prepared our community for what we thought would be much worse than we received. We are extremely thankful and even though we have residents without power- we know FPL is doing their best to get it restored. Our staff was amazing throughout the storm and our thoughts and prayers are with the west coast of Florida and others who were affected by Milton.”
-- Amber Olesen
Titusville
Windover Way in the vicinity Deer Trail, located in Titusville, will be closed to through traffic due to downed power lines and trees from Hurricane Milton.
The road will reopen when the roadway is deemed safe to travel. Access to residential driveways will be maintained at all times.
Traffic control signs will be installed to assist the motoring public. A detour route will be in place during the road closure.
If additional information is required, please contact Brevard County Traffic Operations Program Office at 321-633-2077.
-- Jim Waymer
Titusville police announced the northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. 1 (North Washington Ave) are closed and blocked near the Norwood Avenue intersection because of downed power lines.
Northbound traffic can detour via eastbound Garden Street, while southbound traffic can detour via Norwood Avenue. Police ask motorists to avoid the area.
-- Rick Neale
Viera
The streets were somewhat quiet Thursday morning, but plenty of people were getting on with their regular activities. A handful of people were out jogging when FLORIDA TODAY checked out the area.
Common sights observed in Hurricane Milton’s aftermath included trees snapped in two, a toppled streetlight, flooded roads and torn patio screens. Flooding appeared worse in north Rockledge, versus Viera. The Wawa on Stadium Parkway and Viera Boulevard is already reopened, with cars at the pumps, drivers filling up their tanks.
-- Sara Paulson
West Melbourne
West Melbourne City crews were evaluating and cleaning up "minor storm damage" Thursday afternoon, according to a memo from the city.
"We dodged a bullet, and the eye stayed north of the city, which put the heavy rain north of West Melbourne," the memo said.
The memo reported trees and fences down in some parts of the city, advising residents that the building department will be driving the streets to document damage through Friday.
No significant damage was reported in West Melbourne as of Thursday morning, according to police.
The city saw some trees and powerlines down, but the damage from the storm wasn't significant and was not causing traffic to be rerouted in any area.
However, a house fire broke out off South Drive around 9:38 a.m. likely due to a generator being placed too closer to some shrubs, police said. While the fire initially caused traffic to be diverted, it was put out by 11:44 a.m., and there were no injuries reported, police said.
-- Finch Walker
4:30 p.m.: Storm shelters now closed
Brevard County announced that all its storm shelters were now closed.
3:20 p.m.: Big waves, dangerous rip current on Brevard's beaches
Surfers rode the waves off Brevard County's beaches Thursday despite a warning from the National Weather Service about "dangerous strong, life-threatening rip currents."
"Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water," according to the message from the NWS.
Some beachgoers walked with large trash bags picking up debris littering the sand following Hurricane Milton.
3:05 p.m.: Port Canaveral undergoing assessment after Hurricane Milton
Port Canaveral is undergoing an assessment of its shipping channel for debris and shoaling, as a preliminary step for possible resumption of cruise and cargo operations.
The port's waterside operations cannot resume without that assessment and subsequent approval from the U.S.Coast Guard.
These cruise ship schedules have been impacted at Port Canaveral:
- Was scheduled for Thursday arrival and departure:MSC Seashore.
- Was scheduled for Friday arrival and departure:Carnival Glory, Disney Wish, Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas and Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas.
The port's Jetty Park campgrounds and boat ramps remain closed.
Meanwhile, the port's landside operations, including restaurants, have reopened, although the port's Cove district was experiencing power outages Thursday afternoon.
-- Dave Berman
2:45 p.m.: Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando reopening Friday
Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando will reopen Friday after being closed two days for Hurricane Milton.
2:30 p.m.: Waste Management's post-Hurricane Milton collection schedule for unincorporated Brevard County
For Friday residential service, Waste Managementwill collect carted garbage, carted recycleand carted/containerized yard waste only, for those residents with regular Friday service. No loose vegetative debris or bulky waste will be collected on Friday.
Commercial service will follow its normal schedule.
Thursday residential garbage customers will be serviced Monday. Thursday residential recycle and carted/containerized yard waste customers will be serviced Thursday.
Residents can go to www.WMFloridaStorm.com for real-time service updates.
County and municipal officials are conducting damage assessments to determine if storm debris contractors will collect large, loose vegetative debris and bulky waste. The county will provide an update when these decisions are finalized.
-- Dave Berman
2:05 p.m.: High school football games in Brevard rescheduled from Hurricane Milton
With schools being canceled around the county and Hurricane Milton walloping the state of Florida, no football games will be played Friday night.
Instead, Week 8 football games will be played at different times over the course of the rest of the month for Brevard County teams. Current schedules are tentative, depending on storm damage.
Week 8 games will resume as early as Monday with Heritage set to host its game against Ft. Pierce Westwood on Oct. 14. Merritt Island will go to Eau Gallie for a Monday night game.
Find the schedule for games here.
-- Chasite Banks
1:55 p.m.: Brevard Government offices opening Friday
Brevard County Government offices will reopen and resume normal operations effective Friday.
County offices closed Wednesday and Thursday to prepare and coordinate response efforts for Hurricane Milton.Also resuming Friday are Space Coast Area Transit services. All regular routes will be available.
Solid Waste landfills – Central Disposal Facility in Cocoa, Sarno Transfer Station in Melbourne, and Titusville/Mockingbird Transfer Station – will reopen at 7:30 a.m. and close at 5:30 p.m.
1:50 p.m: Parrish Medical Center in Titusville resumes normal operations following Hurricane Milton
Public access to the hospital has resumed. This includes patient visitors. General visiting hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For individuals seeking emergency medical attention, enter through the main Emergency Department entrance.
Other Parrish facilities plan to resume normal operations Friday. This includes The Children’s Center, Parrish Medical Group (all locations), the Parrish Wound Healing Center, Parrish Health & Wellness Center, Parrish Healthcare Center Titus Landing and the Jess Parrish Medical Foundation Office.
-- Dave Berman
1 p.m.: Update on water/sewage disruptions in Brevard
"There were no disruptions to customers during the storm," said Cheryl Mall, the city of Melbourne's spokeswoman. "There is a water main break on Burns Boulevard near Francis Joseph Jr. Ave. in Satellite Beach. The water crew is still in process of isolating the main. It should be repaired today as long as parts are available. No one is out of water yet, but there is low pressure in the area."
There have been no interruptions to sewer service, Mall added.
"Also, there werepower disruptions at some lift stations.Crews were deployed to send portable generators to the stations until power is restored. There was no interruption to wastewater service," she said.
12:40 p.m.: Damage on your property or home from Hurricane Milton?
County officials are asking if your home or property suffered damage from Hurricane Milton to complete a damage report.
This includes any water damage, roof or structural issues. The report is not an application for assistance. It will help Brevard County Emergency Management make decisions that will best serve the community during recover efforts.
You will need to fill provide:
- Address of the damaged property
- Your name
- Photos of the damage
12:30 p.m.: Lockdown lifted on three Health First hospitals
A lockdown has been lifted at Holmes Regional, Palm Bay and Viera Hospitals as of 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
Cape Canaveral Hospital remained closed until safety assessments are complete. It's anticipated all outpatient services will reopen by noon Friday.
Health First evacuated 28 patients from Cape Canaveral Hospital prior to Hurricane Milton on Tuesday afternoon.
12 p.m.: Restaurants/Publix open in Brevard after Hurricane Milton
Restaurants in Brevard County started opening Thursday now that Hurricane Milton has passed.
Here's a list of where you can get food.
Publix locations are opening Thursday by 3 p.m., depending on the location.
-- Amber Olesen
10:50 a.m. Titusville mayor: We are blessed
“Just left the EOC and did my tour of our city. I think we are blessed here as we have normal post hurricane flooding,” Titusville Mayor Dan Diesel said in a text message. “A few shed type structures strewn around. We got between 6 and 8 inches of rain. And it appears that Daytona got 15 inches (north of the eye can get that)."
Titusville police also tweeted post-storm information for residents.
“We are receiving multiple calls asking how community members can help with storm recovery. When it is safe, the weather permitting and during daylight hours, the best way to help is to assist with clearing roadway debris within your neighborhood, so first responders and city restoration and recovery crews can navigate through neighborhood streets. Please use caution, stay away from down powerlines and standing water, as there may be unseen hazards below the surface. Do NOT attempt to clear major roadways or highways.STAY SAFE TITUSVILLE!”
-- Rick Neale
10:45 a.m.: Brevard fared well as far as beach erosion from Milton
"I’ve just completed preliminary inspection of our most narrow beaches in the South Beaches and Mid Reach," said Mike McGarry, Brevard County's beach renourishment coordinator said about 10:30 a.m. Thursday. "So far, much like Helene, we have fared very well with erosion limited to the eastern beach where it can largely recover naturally. That said, we are not out of the woods yet."
Wind and seas will remain high much of day, he added, so he planned to complete another inspection after today's 2 p.m. high tide. "That will tell more," he said.
-- Jim Waymer
10:40 a.m.: NWS: Don't be deceived by clear skies
"Just because skies are clear, doesn’t mean the hazards have ended! Strong wind gusts across east central Florida and flooding concerns near and north of the 1-4 corridor continue, there are also a number of beach hazards present. If possible, avoid venturing outside,” according to a statement by the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
Isolated showers and storms are possible throughout the day. Wind gusts could be up to 50 to 70-plus mph in some spots, and diminishing as the day goes on.
10:20 a.m.: Rockledge deputy police chief: city "doing pretty well"
Rockledge was "doing pretty well" Thursday morning, Deputy Police Chief Donna Seyferth said."We're still assessing for power outages, and there is debris in the streets, so we would rather people not be out driving around doing the looky-loo thing," Seyferth said.She said there were some lines down around the city, but it wasn't immediately clear if they were power lines. She advised residents to stay off the roads to avoid hazards.
She did not report any major flooding, but said the status could evolve throughout the day as city workers took stock of any damage.
-- Eric Rogers
10:15 a.m.: County will consolidate shelters over the next several days
County crews will be assessing the damage across Brevard to get an accurate idea of Milton's impact, a process that could take days, said Don Walker, spokesman for the county.As of now, those who used the county's shelters are not being asked to leave while they determine if their homes fared the storm in livable condition.
Walker said shelters may be consolidated over the next day as many head for home after Milton's exit Thursday.
-- Tyler Vazquez
10:03 a.m.: No reported sewage spills associated with Hurricane Milton
As of 10 a.m. Thursday, there were no reported sewage spills associated with Hurricane Milton in Brevard County.
At about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, a subcontractor bored through a 6-inch sewer main in Palm Bay, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. City utility staff were able to stop the spill, recover 1,500 gallons of spilled material, and wash down and disinfect the area. An estimated 2,250 gallons were spilled, DEP said.
-- Jim Waymer
9:55 a.m.: Cocoa mayor: We fared well
Cocoa Mayor Mike Blake said Thursday morning there were some power outages, flooding around the city and other minor issues, "but overall, we fared well," he said."Right now, our city police officers are out there canvassing the city and myself, the city manager and our team are working together to find and address any problems," Blake said.
-- Eric Rogers
9:45 a.m.: Sheriff: No loss of life, no injuries from tornado
In a morning press briefing broadcast from the Emergency Operations Center in Rockledge, Sheriff Wayne Ivey and emergency management director John Scott said the storm had left over 92,000 homes without power.That number could continue to rise.
Despite street flooding and some damage to buildings, there was not widespread major damage.
"Our big concern of having tornados and that became a reality when one touched down in Cocoa Beach," Ivey said.
There was no loss of life and nobody injured as a result of that tornado, Ivey said.
Scott said there was between 6-9 inches of rain around the county.
Sheriff Ivey said he and members of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office would be heading to Hillsborough County to help with hurricane response closer to its greatest impact.
-- Tyler Vasquez
9:33 a.m.: Updated power outages in Brevard
Florida Power & Light Co. is reporting that more than 1.6 million customer accounts in its service territory experienced power outages from Hurricane Milton.
That includes 117,990in Brevard County, or more than one out of every three customers.
Here are the latest numbers:
Brevard County
- 92,540 without power
- 25,450 had been without power, but power was restored
- 117,990total affected (34.2% of all customers)
- 345,490 total customer accounts
Company wide
- 1,176,914 without power
- 444,450 had been without power, but power was restored
- 1,616,300 total affected (30.1% of all customers)
- 5,367,298 total customer accounts
A number of counties in FPL's service territory had more than 50% of customers affected by outages, including Charlotte, DeSoto, Flagler, Hendry, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Okeechobee, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia.
FPL deployed a workforce of nearly 17,000 to help restore power, including mutual assistance from other companies from 40 states across the United States.
-- Dave Berman
9:28 a.m.: More than 550 people/65 pets at Brevard shelters
A total of 554 people and 65 pets used Brevard County four shelters during Hurricane Milton, according to Don Walker. The county will begin consolidating shelters later this morning as damage from the storm is assessed.
9 a.m.: Parrish Medical Center in Titusville remains in partial lockdown
Parrish Medical Center in Titusville in recovery phase following Hurricane Milton.
The hospital is in partial lockdown "until further notice." That means public access to the hospital will be limited to persons requiring emergency medical attention.
All entrances into the hospital will be locked with the exception of the Emergency Department.
"In the interest of public safety, general visiting hours are expected to resume after thecity officials have issued the 'all clear,'" according to a press release from Parrish.
8:48: Live damage report throughout Brevard
Keep track of storm damage in Brevard County and throughout Florida with this website.
8:40 a.m.: Navigating intersections with non-operational traffic lights
Hurricane Milton resulted in many traffic lights at intersections being non-operational.
If you are driving (after conditions become safe to travel), and you reach an intersection with a non-operational light, here is what to do, courtesy of an advisory from the city of Cocoa:
- Flashing red signal light: Treat it like a stop sign.
- Flashing yellow signal lights: Drivers should proceed with caution (slow down and/or yield).
- No signal lights: Treat it like a four-way stop sign.
-- Dave Berman
8:33 a.m.: No flooding at Lamplighter Village in Melbourne area of unincorporated Brevard
There were no reports of flooding in Lamplighter Village, Don Walker, a spokesperson for the county said Thursday morning.
Since Tropical Storm Fay, the county has undertaken a variety of flood mitigation projects, with Lamplighter Village being an area of focus with its tendency to flood during major storms. Four new four-foot diameter pipes were installed under Interstate 95, with an additional pipe under Eau Gallie Boulevard, Walker said.
The county also constructed new channels and improved existing channels, increased culvert sizes upstream and downstream of the neighborhood and installed several gates to reduce the amount of water able to flow east from the St. Johns River under I-95.
-- Finch Walker
8:10 a.m.: Space Coast still getting wind gusts around 90 mph Thursday morning
The National Weather Service in Melbourne, in its local storm reports, is continuing to report high winds along the Space Coast this morning.
For example, readings taken at a U.S. Space Force wind sensorthree miles southeast of Kennedy Space Center registered a wind gust coming from the north of 87 mph at 6:50 a.m. One caveat is that the sensor elevation is 54 feet high.
Five minutes later, a different 54-foot tall U.S. Space Force wind sensor located two miles west-southwest of Playalinda Beach registered an even-higher gust — 92 mph.
At Melbourne Orlando International Airport, meanwhile, a wind reading at around the same time showed sustained winds of 43 mph with gusts of 78 mph.
-- Dave Berman
7: 58 a.m.: Titusville mayor: We feel blessed
Though Titusville City Hall officials have yet to fan out and fully assess potential damages from Hurricane Milton, Mayor Dan Diesel is optimistic that his city escaped significant damages.
“In my communication with city today this morning, I would say we feel blessed. No major issues. I think it's going to be one of our typical hurricanes, with the downed power lines in some places, perhaps some local flooding,” he said.
Diesel chatted with FLORIDA TODAY while driving to Titusville’s emergency operations center at the fire department headquarters. He said the back end of Milton brought the fiercest winds just before sunrise – and “my power made it until the ninth inning” before his home lost electricity.
City spokesperson Amy Matthews said she did not have specific information available yet on Titusville storm damages, but personnel were heading out after the winds died down.
-- Rick Neale
7:51 a.m.: When will Publix open?
Wondering when Publix will reopen after Hurricane Milton?
The company set up this website to check on your local Publix location.
7: 47 a.m.: Palm Bay police report "numerous" traffic lights out
Palm Bay Police were assessing the city's roads early Thursday morning, where "numerous" traffic lights were out, according to a post on their Facebook page.
They urged residents to stay off roads until the storm has completely passed. The traffic lights not working just after 5:30 a.m. included those at these intersections:
- Fallon Boulevard/Babcock Street
- DeGroodt Boulevard/Bayside Lakes Boulevard
- DeGroodt Boulevard/Jupiter Boulevard
- Jupiter Boulevard/Malabar Road
- Bayside Lakes Boulevard/Cogan Drive
- Emerson Drive/Waco Boulevard
- San Filippo Drive/Waco Boulevard
-- Finch Walker
7:41 a.m.: NOAA: St. Johns River has reached "major flood stage"
The St. Johns River, west of Scottsmoor, has reached major flood stage, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The river, above Lake Harney, reached 10.5 feet, the level at which major flooding is expected.
NOAA says flood impacts will include water covering State Road 46 making it likely impassable near Jungle Road and Prevatt Road.
"Standing water on secondary roads near the river deepens to more than three feet in some areas," NOAA's National Water Prediction Service's website says. "Flooding becomes more significant to structures and marinas from above Lake Harney to the Lake Jesup area."
-- Jim Waymer
7:38 a.m.: Melbourne officials: Conserve water to prevent sewage overflow
The city of Melbourne is advising Space Coast residents to conserve water wherever possible to prevent sewage overflows:
These are some of the tips it provided:
- Wait a day or two to do laundry.
- Don't run your dishwasher.
- Ensure lawn sprinkler systems are off.
- Take quick showers.
- Keep wet wipes, hygiene productsand "flushable" wipes out of the toilet to prevent backups.
-- Dave Berman
7:25 a.m.: 30-foot hole in Melbourne airport caused by Hurricane Milton
Melbourne Orlando International Airport now has a 30-foot hole in the roof due to Hurricane Milton.
The storm's strong winds and powerful force left a hole in the roof about 30 feet by 40 feet, according to Greg Donovan, executive director of Melbourne Orlando International Airport.
"We had a large section of our skylight, technically called a caul wall, come down in the center of the terminal," Donovan said. "The large section crashed down causing a very big gap, a wide-open gap, in our roof. The other fortunate element in this is it's been really dry since that initial wave so we haven't had a lot of water intrusion. The focus right now is mobilizing crews to get up there to patch that up, and to limit the amount of damage and water intrusion into the building."
-- Jeffrey Meesey and Jennifer Sangalang
7:17 a.m.: Cocoa officials issue flood alert for certain areas
The city of Cocoa issued a flood alert for the following areas due to heavy rain from Hurricane Milton:
- 1151 Indian River Drive to Dixon Boulevard
- Clearlake Road from Lake Drive to State Road 520
- Corner of Riveredge Boulevard and Harrison Street
"Do not drive or walk through flood waters, as it is very hazardous," the city advised. "Stop and turn around. Please take these warnings seriously."
-- Dave Berman
7:15 a.m.: Melbourne officials: Stay off the roads
The city of Melbourne is urging people to stay off the roads as city crews begin damage assessments.
"We urge everyone stay off the roads until public safety officials deem it is safe to travel," the city's website says. "Several traffic lights are out, there are some downed powerlines, and some street flooding remains. Please keep roadways clear to allow crews to restore services as quickly as possible."
-- Jim Waymer
6:55 a.m.: County officials: Cocoa Beach damage only report of major destruction so far
Aside from heavy tornado damage to several buildings caused by Hurricane Milton on Wednesday in Cocoa Beach, there have been no reports of major destruction from the storm, said Don Walker, spokesman for Brevard County.Florida Power & Light employees and county officials are working to restore power to nearly 85,500 residents. Outages increased rapidly through the night as hurricane-force winds damaged lines and other electricity infrastructure around the Space Coast.Street and yard flooding remain a hazard as do downed power lines. Standing water should be avoided.
-- Tyler Vasquez
6:40 a.m.: Additional shelter opened in Brevard County
Brevard County officials opened a fourth shelter late Wednesday at the Port St. John Community Center, 6650 Corto Road, Cocoa.
The shelter was activated from a stand-by list "out of an abundance of caution." It's open to the general public as well as pets. Nearly 200 people filled Brevard's three other shelters Wednesday.
Here are all four shelters in the county:
- South Mainland Community Center, 3700 Allen Ave., Micco, FL 32976
- Walter Butler Community Center, 4201 N Cocoa Blvd, Cocoa, FL 32927
- Wickham Park Community Center, 2815 Leisure Way, Melbourne, FL 32935
- Port St. John Community Center, 6650 Corto Road, Cocoa
The shelters are pet friendly. Space Coast Area Transit will provide transportation to the shelters for registered special needs clients.To request transportation to a special needs shelter call 2-1-1.
Residents going to shelters will need to take their own supplies, including bedding, folding chairs, or sleeping bags. It's also recommended to bring any needed medications, multiple changes of clothing, personal hygiene items and entertainment items, like games, cards, books or magazines.
6:25 a.m.: Power outages in Brevard from Hurricane Milton
There were 85,430 power outages reported in Brevard (24.1% of total accounts) shortly after 6 a.m.
-- Jim Waymer
6:10 a.m.: Flash flood warning for NW Brevard County
A flash flood warning was issued for northwestern Brevard County until 9 a.m. Thursday.
Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 4 and 7 inches of rain have fallen, according to the National Weather Service. Additional rainfall amounts of2 to 4 inches are possible in the warned area.
Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at MSpitzer@Floridatoday.com.
