Gas stations run dry as Florida braces for hurricane Milton

As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, panic-buying has led to widespread fuel shortages across the state, with over 17% of gas stations running out of fuel.

The storm, downgraded to a Category 4 as it passed over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is set to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast, prompting mass evacuations of over 1 million residents.

The hurricane, expected to strike on Wednesday, could bring severe storm surges and damage, especially in areas still reeling from the recent Hurricane Helene.

By late Tuesday, around 7,912 gas stations—17.4% of Florida's total—had run out of fuel, according to data from GasBuddy, a fuel market tracker. Panic-buying spiked as residents scrambled to evacuate, clogging highways and leaving gas stations empty.

Patrick De Haan, an analyst at GasBuddy, warned that outages would continue to rise as Milton moves closer to landfall, especially in areas like Tampa Bay, a key fuel distribution hub for the state.

Florida is one of the largest consumers of gasoline in the US, but relies entirely on fuel imports due to the absence of refineries in the state.

The Tampa Bay area, which typically moves 17 million tons of petroleum and natural gas products annually, is now facing one of the biggest disruptions to its fuel supply since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

In response, major fuel pipelines and terminals in Tampa were shut down. Kinder Morgan, a leading pipeline operator, closed its Central Florida Pipeline system, which supplies refined products between Tampa and Orlando.

Other companies, including CITGO Petroleum and Buckeye Partners, have also halted operations at their Tampa facilities. Wind speeds exceeding 35 mph make it unsafe for fuel trucks to deliver supplies, potentially extending the fuel crisis for days after the storm.

The broader impact of Hurricane Milton is already being felt across Florida’s infrastructure. Major airlines, including Southwest and United Airlines, have canceled flights from Tampa and Orlando, and theme parks such as Universal Studios in Orlando are preparing for closures.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 1,311 flights in and out of the US had been delayed, with 701 cancellations.

Forecasters have warned of a deadly storm surge of up to 10 feet along Florida’s Gulf Coast. President Joe Biden has postponed his scheduled trip to oversee storm preparations, while local officials, including Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, urged residents in evacuation zones to leave immediately.

The US National Hurricane Center reported that Milton is packing winds of 160 mph, with the potential to be one of the strongest hurricanes to hit Florida’s west coast.

The storm’s rapid intensification—rising from a Category 1 to a Category 5 in less than 24 hours—has been linked to extremely warm sea temperatures, a phenomenon increasingly associated with climate change.

Climate scientists warn that rising greenhouse gas emissions are fueling these extreme weather events, making storms like Milton more frequent and dangerous.

As residents prepare for the worst, long lines and empty fuel stations are becoming a common sight across the state.

With fuel deliveries halted and storm surges imminent, Florida faces a dangerous and uncertain few days ahead.