Hurricane Milton: Closings, cancellations, and resources for Northeast Florida, Southeast Georgia

As Hurricane Milton approaches, northeast Florida and southeast Georgia communities are bracing for the storm’s impact. To help residents stay informed, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the latest county-by-county closings, cancellations, and essential resources available for those affected.

The following counties are currently under a state of emergency: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, and Volusia.

Stay safe, and check this page frequently for updates as the situation unfolds.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Northeast Florida:

No evacuation orders have been issued for Northeast Florida counties at this time. However, county leaders are urging everyone to stay informed and to know their evacuation zones and shelter status.

A Storm Surge Watch for Northeast Florida is currently in effect.

Duval County | St. Johns County | Clay County | Nassau County | Putnam County

Duval County:

JEA Public Information Officer Karen McAllister is encouraging customers to visit jea.com/storm to verify that their contact information is up to date and to sign up for power restoration alerts.

• Shelters:
• Will be open for those seeking refuge from the storm, starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9:
• Arlington Middle School (8141 Lone Star Rd) – Open for the general population.
• Atlantic Coast High School (9735 R.G. Skinner Parkway) – Open for Special Medical Needs, pet-friendly.
• Chaffee Trail Elementary (11400 Sam Caruso Way) – Open to the general population.
• Landmark Middle School (101 Kernan Blvd. N) – Open for the general population, pet-friendly.
• LaVilla School of the Arts (501 N. Davis St) – Open to the general population.
• The Legends Center (5130 Soutel Dr.) – Pet–friendly for the general population and those with special Medical Needs.
• City Rescue Mission’s New Life Inn (234 W. State Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202) – Will Open on Wednesday, October 9, starting at 11:00 a.m. until the storm subsides or at the latest 4:00 p.m.
• Closures:
• The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens will be closed Tuesday, October 8 through Friday, October 11, due to Hurricane Milton.
• Duval County Public Schools will be closed from Wednesday, Oct. 9, through Friday, Oct. 11. All school activities, including athletics and after-school programs, are canceled for those days. After the storm passes and personnel begin recovery efforts, the district will announce operations for the following week.
• Waste Collection:
• Waste collection services will proceed as scheduled on Wednesday, October 9. Collections will be suspended on Thursday, October 10. Residents whose waste is normally collected on Thursday will have their service rescheduled for Saturday, October 12.
• Call Center:
• For more information, residents are asked to call 630-CITY (2489) or go to the JaxReady website.

READ: JEA urging customers to prepare before Hurricane Milton

St. Johns County:

Full essential information for St. Johns County, you can view our story HERE.

• Evacuations:
• St. Johns County officials have announced the mandatory evacuation of all residents of Zones A, B, and F.
• St. Johns County has issued an evacuation order for the entire City of St. Augustine, beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9. Emergency shelters will open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
• Free Sandbags
• St. Johns County will provide free sandbags on Monday, Oct. 7, from 12 to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as long as weather permits at the following locations
• Windswept Acres Park – 5335 SR A1A South, St. Augustine
• Solomon Calhoun Center – 1300 Duval Street, St. Augustine
• St. Johns County Equestrian Center – 8200 Smith Road, Hastings
• Mills Field – 1805 Racetrack Road, St. Augustine
• North Beach Park – 3721 Coastal Highway, Vilano Beach
• Palm Valley Bridge – East Side of Intracoastal Waterway
• The City of St. Augustine will provide free sandbags on Monday, Oct. 7, from 1 to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as long as weather permits and supplies last at the following location:
• Francis Field – 25 W. Castillo Dr, St. Augustine
• There is a maximum allocation of 20 bags per person. You must bring shovels. They are self-serve.
• Closures:
• All SJCSD schools and offices will be closed on Wednesday, October 9, Thursday, October 10, and Friday, October 11. All extracurricular activities, athletic events, and extended day programs are also canceled or closed Wednesday through Friday. Extracurricular activities and athletic events are also canceled after school hours and on the weekend.
• Register for Nixle Alerts, and text StJohnsEOC to 888777.

Clay County:

• Free Sandbags:
• Several free sandbag locations open on Monday and Tuesday from 8-6
• Eagle Harbor Sports Complex -- 4387 Lakeshore Dr., Fleming Island
• 25 Roderigo Avenue, Green Cove Springs
• Orange Park Sports and Recreational Park -- 1086 Fromhart Street, Orange Park
• Omega Park -- 4317 Co Rd 218, Middleburg
• Across from City Hall -- t 555 S. Lawrence Blvd., Keystone Heights
• Sandbags are limited to 10 per person. Bags are first come, first served and have a limited supply. The county will refill the sites as needed. You will have to fill up your own bags.
• Shovels are not provided. Residents should bring their own to fill their bags.
• Will continue to offer bags until they are gone or if it becomes unsafe for our employees to be in the conditions. The county will refill the sites as needed.
• Debris pickup:
• Disaster debris vendors will start collecting vegetative storm debris piles on Monday, October 7. A new trash company, FCC Environmental Services, will pick up bagged and containerized yard waste. We know there is a concern about debris piles in this storm. Crews will pick up storm debris for as long as conditions remain safe and will resume when it is safe to do so.
• Waste pickup:
• Will continue to work closely with FCC Environmental Services to handle the trash pickups. They will do pick-ups on Monday and Tuesday. Clay will update their community regarding delayed collections as the storm gets closer to us. Crews will pick up trash and yard waste for as long as conditions remain safe and will resume when it is safe to do so.
• Closures:
• All schools and district offices will close on Wednesday, October 9th, and Thursday, October 10th, due to the potential storm impact from Hurricane Milton. Once the storm has passed and recovery efforts begin, the district will provide an update on Friday’s operations.
• Call Center:
• The Call Center will be open starting Monday. That number is 877-252-9362 or 877-CLAYEOC.

Baker County:

• None listed at this time

Columbia County:

• None listed at this time

Putnam County:

• Free Sandbags:
• Several sandbag locations are open starting October 7 at 10:00 a.m.
• 145 West Washington St, Hawthorne
• 51 Sportsmans Dr, Welaka
• 223 Putnam County Blvd, East Palatka
• 341 Paradise Circle, San Mateo
• Jonas Rd, Crescent City
• 5226 Silver Lake Dr, Palatka
• 107 Johns Rd, Palatka
• 114 South 11th St, Palatka
• Sites are self-service. Bring your own shovel.
• Shelters:
• Putnam County will open five shelters starting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8:
• Ochwilla Elementary (299 State Road 21, Hawthorne) – Pet-friendly.
• Kelley Smith Elementary (141 Kelley Smith School Road, Palatka) – Special Needs location.
• Jenkins Elementary (251 County Road 315, San Mateo).
• Browning Pearce Elementary (100 Bear Boulevard, San Mateo).
• Middleton Burney Elementary (1020 Huntington Road, Crescent City).
• Closures:
• All PCSD schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, October 8, through Thursday, October 10. Beginning Tuesday, October 8, all after-school programs and athletic activities are cancelled. A decision will be made at a later time on Friday, October 11.
• Waste Collection:
• City residential garbage collection in Palatka will continue on Tuesday but will be suspended on Wednesday and Thursday. If conditions allow, regular residential collection will resume on Friday. Commercial collection will also continue if conditions allow.
• Residents should visit the City’s website at www.Palatka-Fl.Gov or Putnam County’s website at www.main.putnam-fl.com/

Bradford County:

• Free Sandbags:
• Self-serve sandbags remain available at the waste collection sites

Union County:

• Free Sandbags:
• Self-service sandbag operations are currently ongoing at the Union County Road Department (near the RMC West Unit and recreational complex) and at the City of Lake Butler old Wastewater Treatment Plant at 410 SE 11th St.
• Closures:
• Possible school and government closures will be announced in future updates.
• Shelters:
• Shelters will be placed in standby status but are not projected to open with the current forecast (moderate Tropical Storm winds).
• Evacuations:
• Union County officials recommend voluntary evacuation of all residents who live in mobile homes, RVs, campers, and low-lying areas.

Nassau County:

• All Nassau County School District schools will be closed on Wednesday, October 9th, and Thursday, October 10th, due to Hurricane Milton. Once the storm has passed and recovery efforts begin, the district will provide an update on Friday’s operations.
• Shelters are likely to open, and county officials are still working to determine their opening time.
• Free Sandbags:
• Two self-serve locations:
• Yulee Ballpark, 86142 Goodbread Road, Yulee
• Hilliard Road Department, 37356 Pea Farm Road, HilliardBoth sites open 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• One full-service location (bags pre-filled):
• Yulee Road Department, 86200 Gene Lasserre Blvd., Yulee, This site is open 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Southeast Georgia:

No evacuation orders have been issued for Southeast Georgia counties at this time. However, county leaders are urging everyone to stay informed and to know their evacuation zones in case orders are announced this week.

Camden County:

• None listed at this time

Glynn County:

• None listed at this time

Charlton County:

• None listed at this time

Ware County:

• None listed at this time

Pierce County:

• None listed at this time

Brantley County:

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.