Orange County Library System branches to close Tuesday afternoon ahead of Hurricane Milton

Orange County public libraries will be closing their doors at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, ahead of Hurricane Milton. All library branches and book drops within the Orange County Library System will be closed from Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 8, through Friday, Oct. 11. The library system tentatively plans to reopen Saturday, Oct. 12, for normal business hours, depending on weather conditions.

The hulking four-story Orlando library building downtown, in particular, has long served as a daytime refuge for unsheltered people, as a spacious building with air-conditioning, bathrooms and access to chairs, tables, and computers.

Kate Santich, director of communications for the nonprofit Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, told Orlando Weekly Tuesday that her nonprofit and other organizations across the region have deployed street outreach teams to provide information about weather conditions to unsheltered individuals across the Orange-Seminole-Osceola tri-county region, as well as information for how to access county-run emergency shelters and homeless shelters.

The Lynx bus system will provide free rides to county-run emergency shelters, which in Orange County open Tuesday beginning at 6 p.m. Buses will continue offering rides until winds reach 35 mph, according to Santich. Local advocacy groups will also continue performing outreach for unsheltered populations through Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, weather permitting, she said.

County-run emergency shelters opening for the storm are available to residents, with no ID required in Orange, whether you have housing or not. Some are also pet-friendly. You can find a list of shelters in Orange County here.

Hurricane Milton, a storm that rapidly intensified to a Category 5 storm on Monday, before weakening to a Category 4, is projected to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast, in the Tampa Bay region, late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm. It’s expected to bring winds of 111-129 mph (180-210 kph) once it makes landfall and a “potential for extreme flooding rain and high risk for flash flooding,” according to the National Weather Service.

Milton is expected to weaken to a Category 1 or 2 storm by the time it reaches the Orlando area, likely early Thursday, although strong winds and heavy rainfall could begin Wednesday. The worst weather in Orange County is expected Wednesday night through Thursday morning, according to WESH Channel 2 News.

Florida highway tolls have been suspended ahead of the storm, for those who are or plan to evacuate. For those sheltering in place, the city of Orlando will waive fees for four downtown parking garages, including the library garage, beginning early Wednesday at 6 a.m through Friday at noon if you need a safe place to store your car. Boats, campers, and other water-crafts are not permitted.

Related

Orange County opens shelters for Hurricane Milton evacuation

Ten general shelters and three other shelters for people with special needs will open Tuesday

Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | or sign up for our RSS Feed

Related Stories

Orange County opens shelters for Hurricane Milton evacuation

Ten general shelters and three other shelters for people with special needs will open Tuesday

Central Florida highway tolls suspended amid Hurricane Milton evacuations

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday afternoon there ‘is currently no fuel shortage in the state,’ though demand has increased

What will happen to Central Florida’s homeless during Hurricane Milton? Local nonprofits are on it.

Social service groups launched street outreach teams ahead of the storm to get the word out about weather conditions and local shelters.

This article appears in Fall Guide 2024.