Residents along Florida’s Gulf Coast were fleeing in droves on Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Milton’s predicted landfall.
Evacuees have faced hourslong traffic jams on highways and gas stations running out of fuel.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
>
WATCH HEREHURRICANE MILTON
On Tuesday morning, there was bumper-to-bumper traffic on Alligator Alley (Interstate 75) near Tampa. Interstate 4 in Orlando was also gridlocked as residents across the state heeded warnings to evacuate.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
>
SIGN UP
Nine counties in Florida, including some inland ones, have ordered mandatory evacuations for Milton, the strongest Gulf storm since 2005.
“You do not have to get on the interstate and go far away,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Tuesday morning news briefing, assuring residents that there would be enough gas to fuel their cars for the trip. “You can evacuate tens of miles; you do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles away. You do have options.”
