In preparation for Hurricane Milton, Pinellas County has opened six emergency shelters as of noon today, Oct. 7. The county has also issued mandatory evacuation orders for special needs residents in evacuation zones A,

This is a live news blog tracking news and messaging from local officials as Hurricane Milton makes its way toward the west coast of Florida.

Hurricane Milton is headed for the west coast of Florida, and right now, it's not clear where it will hit ― but several evacuations in Southwest Florida have already been announced. The city of Marco Island has issued a voluntary evacuation notice in advance of Hurricane Milton,