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Some areas of Hutchinson Island already seeing flooding ahead of Hurricane Milton

St. Lucie County under hurricane warning
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HUTCHINSON ISLAND, Fla. — Residents who live along Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County are under a hurricane warning for Milton.

After days of heavy rain, some areas are already seeing some flooding ahead of the storm.

WPTV anchor Meghan McRoberts said when she drove onto the island Tuesday, she didn't see many people with hurricane shutters up — only condos that have been boarded up all summer.

However, you do see homes and businesses with sandbags.

Port St. Lucie resident Michelle Storey was among the residents getting sandbags at Jaycee Park in Fort Pierce on Oct. 8, 2024.
Port St. Lucie resident Michelle Storey was among the residents getting sandbags at Jaycee Park in Fort Pierce on Oct. 8, 2024.

The water in drainage ditches is spilling into roadways, and retention ponds are filling up. There is a lot more rain expected in the days to come.

WPTV found people who decided Tuesday to go ahead and get sandbags. Some of them said they weren't planning to do so. However, they started seeing the impact of days of rain ahead of Milton and don't want to take any chances.

People in Port St. Lucie came to Jaycee Park in Fort Pierce to get bags since Port St. Lucie isn't offering free sand.

"My yard is actually very, very flooded. I live in Port St Lucie, so my yard is already flooded," resident Michelle Storey said. "I decided to find some bags and ... fill up, prepare, embrace this."

Fort Pierce has five locations where people can still get free sand.

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WPTV asked county officials if there was anything they could do to try to help move the standing water on Hutchinson Island more quickly through the drainage system. However, there are no plans to put any pumps on the island.

They are reminding people who drive on Hutchinson Island to expect almost a guarantee that the road will flood to some extent as Milton approaches.

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TERMS TO KNOW

TROPICAL STORM WATCH: An announcement that tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the specified coastal area within 48 hours.

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HURRICANE WATCH: An announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are possible somewhere within the specified coastal area. A hurricane watch is issued 48 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.

HURRICANE WARNING: An announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are expected somewhere within the specified coastal area. A hurricane warning is issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.