GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A tropical storm watch has been issued for Alachua County ahead of Milton.
The University of Florida will close its offices and cancel classes, including online classes, beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday and continuing through Thursday because of Hurricane Milton.
All academic and student-related activities, including online classes and exams, will also be canceled during that time.
Notices of any other scheduling changes can be found on the UF home page and through official channels. Visit UF’s emergency updates page for additional details and information.
Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthened into a major hurricane as it made its way toward Florida’s west coast. Neighbors should prepare themselves, their families and their property as this storm is expected to bring 4-8 inches of rain to the Gainesville area.
Alachua County
Impacts from Milton are expected to start in Alachua County as early as 7 p.m. tonight, but they are more likely to occur very late tonight into early morning Thursday. The most likely departure time is approximately 9 a.m. on Thursday.
The overall forecast for Alachua County has improved. However, tropical storm-force winds and rainfall rates are still expected to range from 2 to 8 inches. Winds and rain will be more severe the farther south you are.
In preparation for Hurricane Milton, Alachua County has self-service sandbags (10 bags per vehicle) at Alachua County’s Wayside Park (11855 NW U.S. 441) while they last. Folks should bring their own shovels.
Directions to Wayside Park
Northbound on U.S. 441 (from Gainesville): Turn right onto County Road 237 (at Dollar General), then right onto Northwest 126th Avenue, and right again onto Northwest 59th Terrace to access Wayside Park (located at the Mobile convenience store).
Southbound on U.S. 441 (from Alachua): Turn left onto County Road 237 (at Dollar General), then right onto Northwest 126th Avenue, and right again onto Northwest 59th Terrace to access Wayside Park (located at the Mobile convenience store).
Other locations
The City of Gainesville has sand, but people need to supply their own bags and shovels at Citizens Field (1000 NE Waldo Rd.). Please access the site from NE 12th Avenue via Waldo Road or travel south on NE 15th Street via NE 16th Avenue.
The City of Waldo has sandbags available self-serve at 14750 Weeks Street, Waldo. Folks should bring their own shovels.
The City of Newberry has sandbags available self-serve at Newberry Public Works at 120 NW 260th St, Newberry. Folks should bring their own shovels.
The City of Archer has self-service sandbags at the City of Archer Public Works (17156 Southwest Archer Road, Archer). Folks should bring their own shovels. It’s open 24/7.
The City of Hawthorne has self-serve sandbags at 23016 SE 65th Ln, Hawthorne. Folks should bring their own shovels.
Micanopy Town Hall has self-serve sandbags at 706 NE Cholokka Blvd, Micanopy (behind the Town Hall building). Bring your own shovel.
Waldo at 14750 Weeks Street, Waldo, FL, bring your own shovel.
Shelters
Meadowbrook Elementary School (11525 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville) is now the sole open general population/pet-friendly emergency shelter. Both the MLK Center and the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex shelters are full.The shelter at the MLK Center is full.
The Easton-Newberry Sports Complex shelters are full.
Those needing a special needs shelter should go to the Alachua County Senior Recreation Center (5701 NW 34th Blvd., Gainesville).
We encourage residents impacted by the storm to seek alternative housing with friends, family, or short-term rentals. Shelters are intended as a last resort.
Please note that general population shelters do not provide cots or beds. Residents are advised to bring their own bedding and essential supplies, including:
- Special dietary foods, baby food, diapers, and other child necessities
- Prescription medications (with a small cooler for refrigeration if needed)
- Spare clothing, personal hygiene items, and spare eyeglasses or contacts
Residents with pets should bring:
- Basic pet supplies (collars, leashes, crates, carriers, towels, blankets, medications, food)
- Veterinary records indicating vaccinations (animals without such records will be vaccinated upon intake)
Alachua County Animal Resources will have supplemental supplies on hand. For everyone’s safety, animals must remain properly restrained throughout their stay.
Special needs shelters will provide one cot per patient, though we cannot guarantee cots for caregivers. Residents should bring their own bedding, prescription medications, dietary foods, spare clothing, personal care items, and identification. For transportation assistance to the special needs shelter, please call 352-955-2575.
Free Uber Rides to Shelters:
Alachua County has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to and from shelters, ensuring no resident is left behind due to transportation challenges. To access this service:
- Open the Uber app
- Go to the account tab and tap “Wallet”
- Add promo code: rYb19PkolMp
- (Up to $55 each way to/from Alachua County shelters and Grace Marketplace)
Alternatively, visit Uber Ride Promo to redeem your free ride.
Government Offices
All Alachua County government offices will be closed Wednesday and Thursday.
Other County closures include:
- City of Gainesville: Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10.
- The State Department of Health in Alachua County: closing at noon on Tuesday, October 8, and all day on Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10.
- The University of Florida: Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10.
- Alachua County Public Schools and School Board: Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10.
- Alachua County Libraries: Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10.
- City of Waldo: closing noon on Wednesday, October 9, and all day on Thursday, October 10.
Special Needs Registry
Alachua County Emergency Management encourages those with special needs to register online for the Special Needs Registry Program. The Alachua County Special Needs Registry is specifically targeted at individuals who have certain physical or medical conditions and no options to shelter at home, with friends, family, or elsewhere during a disaster.
The Registry enables Alachua County Emergency Management and Alachua County Department of Health staff to coordinate needs with registrants in advance of tropical weather or other incidents requiring sheltering.
Waste collection
Due to the potential for high winds from Hurricane Milton, all Alachua County Solid Waste & Resource Recovery facilities and operations will not be open to the public on Wednesday, Oct. 9, or Thursday, Oct. 10. This includes the Leveda Brown Environmental Park and Transfer Station, the rural collection centers, the Hazardous Waste Collection Center, and the administrative offices.
Residential waste collection services including garbage, recycling, yard waste, and bulky items will not be conducted on these days. These services are expected to resume on Friday, Oct. 11 as shown below:
Wednesday’s routes will be collected on Friday.
Thursday’s routes will be collected on Saturday.
Regular collection schedules should resume the following week.
The county’s disaster debris collection contractors will continue collecting debris from Hurricane Helene until it is no longer safe to do so. They will resume collections after Hurricane Milton passes.
Please bring any waste containers or items that you have placed curbside away from the street and secure them so they will not be scattered by the wind or otherwise become a hazard. For the large portion of the community who have not yet had their yard debris from Hurricane Helene collected, that material can be brought to the Leveda Brown Environmental Park or the five rural collection centers free of charge in advance of Hurricane Milton.
For more information, contact Gus Olmos, director of Solid Waste & Resource Recovery, at 352-338-3233.
Preparing for the storm
Stay updated on real-time weather developments by texting “Alachua” to 888-777 and following the Alachua County Facebook page. The Alachua County Ready website is also a valuable resource for storm information.
Alachua County residents are urged not to underestimate the potential impact of this storm. Take precautions now to ensure the safety of your family and property. Make sure your hurricane kits and emergency plans are ready.
Important actions to take include:
- Secure loose items around your home that could be carried by strong winds.
- Protect properties in flood-prone areas.
- Trim tree limbs around windows and clear debris.
- Move vehicles away from trees.
- Ensure all family members are familiar with your emergency plan.
- Prepare for possible extended power outages.
- Refill essential prescription medications.
- Create a plan for pets.
- Check in on neighbors, particularly those with special needs.
For the latest storm track and updates, click here.
Sign up for text alerts by texting the word ALACHUA to 888-777 to stay fully informed of any disaster-related information related specifically to Alachua County.
311 line activated
To aid residents as the storm approaches, Alachua County has activated the 311 Emergency Information Line (352-264-6557 if 311 is unavailable in your area). This is for questions and rumor control. If you have an actual emergency, call 911.
Gainesville
Hurricane Milton is currently a Category 4 storm and is predicted to make landfall tonight as one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to churn in the gulf. It is expected to remain a hurricane as it crosses the Florida peninsula around midnight, and its wind field expands.
As conditions worsen today, neighbors are advised to get to where they need to be by early afternoon and then to shelter indoors away from windows. Please stay off the roads this evening and tomorrow (Oct. 10).
- Refill needed prescriptions. All health insurers, managed care organizations, and other health entities must comply with the state statute which allows for early prescription refills under the Governor’s executive order.
- Review your family emergency plan and stock your emergency preparedness kit, including nonperishable foods for your family and pets, flashlight batteries, etc. Visit ready.gov for helpful emergency supply lists.
- Now is the time to secure your property in areas that are prone to flooding, and bring inside any loose objects in your yard that could be picked up by strong winds.
Shelters
Emergency shelters filling quickly.
Two of three Alachua County emergency shelters remain open.
- Pet-friendly general population shelter: Easton-Newberry Sports Complex, 24880 NW 16th Avenue in Newberry.
- Special needs shelter: Senior Recreation Center, 5701 NW 34th Blvd.
- For transportation to the special needs shelter, please call 352-955-2575.
- Details including which items to bring to a shelter can be found here.
GRACE Marketplace, 3055 NE 28th Dr., has opened Emergency Storm Shelter operations for houseless neighbors.
Sandbags
- 21,000 sandbags have been distributed by the City of Gainesville during the past two days.
- Self-serve sandbag operations continue at Citizens Field, 1000 NE Waldo Rd., while conditions remain safe. Neighbors must bring their own bags and shovels or trowels.
Refuse collection
- Please do not place residential trash and recycling containers or other items curbside today. Today’s pick up has been suspended until Friday.
- Vegetative debris collection began last Friday, Oct. 4, and continued through noon yesterday. It’s scheduled to resume Friday morning, Oct. 11.
FEMA and USDA Resources
Keep the resources below handy by taking a screen shot or printing out this email today.
- Download the free FEMA App, available in English and Spanish, to receive real-time weather alerts and more.
- Disaster Distress Helpline: Multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 for those who are experiencing emotional distress. Call or text 1-800-985-5990.
- Farmer Mental Health – Southern Ag Exchange Network Farmer Support Hotline: 888-381-7243
- Farm Service Agency Call Center (information on USDA programs): 877-506-8364
Facilities
- City offices, facilities, parks, pools and recreation centers remain closed.
Regional Transit System (RTS)
- RTS has suspended fares today (Oct. 9) as bus service is operating on reduced service. Visit the RTS website for additional information.
Parking
- Free parking at the SW Parking Garage, 105 SW 3rd Street, is available tomorrow, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10, based on availability, for neighbors who need to store their vehicles.
- Parking restrictions are lifted tomorrow and Thursday for all parking zones.
Flood reporting
An areal flood watch remains in effect for Alachua County. This means there is potential for flooding as a result of the prolonged, heavy rainfall from H. Milton.
- Never drive, swim or walk through floodwaters. They may contain raw sewage, debris, chemicals or other pollutants.
- If you encounter any flooding in your area caused by Hurricane Milton, submit your photos on the Flood Reporter application. Stay safe and do not endanger your safety when taking photographs.
- During a storm, the status of storm-related Public Works service requests and work orders can be viewed online. Visit the emergency planning maps webpage and select the Public Works Service tile to view the online app. Neighbors can view open service requests and work orders by enter an address using the search bar.
- To report flooding, blocked streets and other issues that require prompt attention, please call 352-334-5070 use the mygnv app or visit myGNV.org.
Public meetings
- Thursday’s General Policy Committee meeting has been canceled.
- Visit the Public Meeting Calendar on the City’s website for the current list of scheduled meetings.
Additional resources
- Alachua County has activated the 311 Emergency Information Line for questions and rumor control. Neighbors can dial 311 or 352-264-6557.
- Visit GRU.com/StormCentral for a list of important phone numbers in the event of service emergencies, as well as a link to the Gainesville Regional Utilities outage map with estimated time of restoration.
- Visit www.safeGNV.org for all emergency management updates and additional preparedness tips.