Florida Keys report little damage from Hurricane Milton

According to latest reports compiled and transmitted by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council in the Florida Keys, initial damage assessments show relatively minor impacts from the outer rainbands of Hurricane Milton and the Keys are open to visitors.

Early Thursday (10th October), the National Hurricane Center discontinued a tropical storm warning for all the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys National Weather Service Office replaced the warning with a small craft advisory cautioning boaters to remain in port until rough seas subside. 

The Florida Keys Overseas Highway is fully open and both Key West International and Florida Keys Marathon Airports remained open throughout. Richard Strickland, the county’s airports director is recommending that for the next few days, passengers should check with their airlines to verify flights in case of issues with other airports around the state of Florida. 

Florida’s state parks in the Keys are to reopen Friday 11th October. Most, if not all, land-based attractions are open. Water-based fishing, dive and tour operators should be resuming service by Friday 11th or Saturday 12th October.

There are no storm-related electrical outages in the Keys according to the websites of both the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative and Keys Energy Services. Other utilities including the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority are reporting normal service.

The Keys weather office has discontinued the Coastal Flood Advisory for the Lower Keys and the Coastal Flood Warning for the Middle Keys as water levels have decreased in those areas. A Coastal Flood Warning remains in effect for the Upper Keys due to coastal saltwater flooding of about two feet in some low-lying neighbourhoods. Water levels in affected areas were expected to be subsiding gradually later Thursday, according to the Florida Keys National Weather Service.