The Tampa Bay metropolitan area is bracing for impact as Hurricane Milton
churns in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm rapidly strengthened into a hurricane on Sunday, with forecasters expecting it to make landfall later this week.

As such, ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Allegiant Air
has already decided to cancel flights from St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE). It comes just about a week after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across several regions in the Southeast, leaving a death toll of more than 200.

Wednesday & Thursday

Allegiant will operate as normal at PIE on Monday. Airport officials shared on Sunday that passengers
flying with the carrier on Tuesday should contact the airline for information. On Wednesday and Thursday, all Allegiant flights have been canceled. PIE is located within Pinellas County and is about nine miles north of downtown St. Petersberg. It is situated seven miles southeast of Clearwater, and 17 miles southwest of Tampa.

Allegiant Air Airbus A319 taking off from Los Angeles International Airport.

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

The airport is a focus city for Allegiant, as the carrier claims nearly all of its market share. It connects the airport with several destinations, such as Pittsburgh, Nashville, Memphis, Chicago/Rockford, Albany, Kansas City, Harrisburg, Greensboro, Des Moines, Cincinnati, Cedar Rapids, and many more.

Sun Country Airlines
is the only other airline that operates at PIE. The carrier offers seasonal flights from its hub at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP). PIE officials also encouraged travelers on Sunday to contact the airline directly “for information regarding cancellations and resumption of service.”

Waiting to close

Regardless of Allegiant’s planned cancelations, the airport currently remains open. However, it expects to close soon as it is in a mandatory evacuation zone. The airport said it is waiting for official guidance from county officials regarding a closure.

“The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is awaiting Pinellas County Evacuation orders to announce when the Airport Terminal will close. An announcement will be made as soon as a decision is made.”

Tampa International Airport (TPA)
said on Sunday that it was also operational, but any change in operations will be announced on its website and social media channels.

“Please check with your airline for the latest flight information,” the airport said.

The worst storm in history

Tampa Bay residents have been warned to prepare for the worst-case scenario, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Milton is reportedly forecast to hit Florida’s west coast – with Tampa in its direct path – as a “life-threatening” storm on Wednesday.

Hurricane Milton forecast model.

Photo: National Weather Service

51 counties in Florida, including Pinellas, are under a state of emergency
. As of 20:00 on Sunday, Milton was located about 250 miles northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and 780 miles southwest of Tampa. It was churning with 85 mile-per-hour (mph) maximum sustained winds and was moving east at 7 mph.

Forecasters told the Tampa Bay Times that the storm is expected to intensify even further on Monday.

“An eastward to east-northeastward motion is forecast on Monday, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Tuesday and Wednesday. Milton is forecast to intensify rapidly during the next couple of days and become a major hurricane on Monday.”

If the storm makes landfall in Tampa as a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, it will likely be ranked as the city’s worst weather disaster in history.

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