Hurricane Milton update No. 3: South Florida is under a tropical storm warning and a tornado watch
Dear members of the university community,
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall along Florida’s west coast - likely as a Category 3 storm - sometime tonight or early Thursday morning.
South Florida remains under a tropical storm warning. In addition, the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch through 9 p.m. today, Wednesday, October 9, with tornado warnings issued throughout the day, as needed.
Tornado warnings generate messages that are delivered through FIU’s emergency notification system (FIU Alert), several of which were sent early this morning. Some may have found the texts and calls disruptive. We are tweaking the frequency of messages for tonight and will reevaluate the system after this storm has passed. Our intention is always to ensure the safety of the university community, and alert systems are critical to providing lifesaving information during emergencies.
As announced on Tuesday, FIU is closed today and Thursday, October 10th.
Please look for an announcement on Thursday regarding university operations on Friday.
It is important to remain vigilant and prepare for potential flooding, rain, high winds, and storm surge.
On-campus residents may remain in their buildings, which are designed to withstand tropical storm winds. Please check your email for additional information from the housing office and dining services. Please consult the ShopFIU page for dining and retail options as well as service hours.
All vehicles that remain on campus during the storm should be relocated to one of the parking garages, which will be open to members of the university community who wish to protect their personal vehicles from debris and flooding. Please relocate your vehicles as soon as possible, before weather conditions deteriorate. Please avoid parking on the ground floor or the roof of garages. Space is limited and available on a first-come first-served basis.
Please monitor local media and pay attention to updates from the National Hurricane Center throughout the next few days.
As a member of the FIU family, become familiar with the university’s emergency procedures – which apply to all potential hazards – and be an active participant in your own safety by signing up for and staying alert to messages from university and local officials.
Your FIU email will be your source of information for all FIU hurricane-related information.
Updates also will appear on the FIU homepage and news.fiu.edu, and on the university’s social media accounts.
Local media may help disseminate information about FIU operations before and after the storm.
Thank you for your cooperation and be safe.