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Palm Beach is preparing for a tropical storm warning for Milton

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Palm Beach is preparing for a tropical storm warning for Milton

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A flood and tropical storm warning is in effect for Palm Beach as city officials monitor the potential impact of Hurricane Milton on the island, just two weeks after Hurricane Helene swept past leaving minimal damage.

The biggest threat to Palm Beach from the storm, which reached Category 5 with winds of about 180 mph as of 5 p.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service, is the possibility of severe flooding in the coming days, said Robert Garcia, a senior Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.

Milton will be a major hurricane when it makes landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday, forecasters said. The tropical storm warning issued Monday evening for Palm Beach County means tropical storm-force winds are possible within the next 48 hours, city officials said in a news release Monday evening.

City operations will continue as usual on Tuesday and the City Council meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the city said in a press release on Monday. A decision on the City Council's Development Review Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday will be made Tuesday, the city said.

More: Street next to Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach to reopen before Milton

“Residents and businesses should closely monitor the storm’s track and prepare for the possibility of heavy rainfall and damaging winds,” the city said.

Officials also reopened South Ocean Boulevard near former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club ahead of the storm.

Palm Beach will send notifications about city services based on Milton's forecast history, the city said. To sign up for alerts, go to townofpalmbeach.com and click the “Stay Connected” button under “Resident Services.”

Several days of heavy rains earlier in the week have already soaked the ground – so much so that two trees fell in Palm Beach on Monday morning, said Capt. Will Rothrock, Palm Beach police spokesman.

Between 2 and 4 inches of rain fell over the weekend, with even more in some places, and another 2 to 4 inches or more was possible by midweek, the National Weather Service said.

Palm Beach could experience sustained tropical storm-force winds with speeds between 58 and 73 miles per hour, Garcia said. “People should take appropriate precautions,” he said.

There is a risk of tornadoes through Thursday, Garcia added, and forecasters are keeping an eye on the possibility of a storm surge. “We cannot rule out coastal flooding, particularly at high tide,” he said.

Garcia urged residents to keep an eye on the forecast as it will continue to change over the next few days. “It’s a good time to make sure your hurricane plan is implemented,” he said. For updates, visit weather.gov/miami.

The Palm Beach Public Works Department ensured that all storm stations were operational and all emergency generators were fueled, Department Director Paul Brazil said in an email.

The city's concern is not necessarily the amount of rainfall, but the intensity, he said. “A hypothetical 6 inches of rain in 24 hours will impact us very differently than 6 inches in two hours,” Brazil said.

Crews were on standby to clear storm drains if necessary, and city sanitation crews worked extra Monday and Tuesday to collect any debris left behind by landscapers before the storm, he said. Crews would return to the island after the storm to clear any debris, Brazil said.

The public works team is also inspecting city facilities and train stations after the storm to begin any necessary repairs immediately, he said.

Palm Beach police, along with other city agencies, are keeping a close eye on Milton, and officers are monitoring areas known to be flooded, Rothrock said. The department is also preparing for possible checkpoints that need to be set up after severe weather, he said.

This story has been updated to add new information.

Kristina Webb is a reporter for the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at [email protected]. Subscribe today to support our journalism.

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