**Buccaneers Flee Tampa Ahead of Powerful Hurricane Milton**
As Hurricane Milton bears down on the Tampa Bay area, the Buccaneers are taking no chances, opting to vacate the region early this week and set up shop in New Orleans. The team has secured accommodations in the city, allowing them to avoid a potentially grueling Saturday flight.
According to the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center, Milton has intensified into a formidable Category 4 hurricane, boasting sustained winds of 150 mph as it churns over the southern Gulf of Mexico. While its exact trajectory remains uncertain, Hillsborough County, which encompasses Tampa, has initiated mandatory evacuations for Zones A and B, as well as all mobile and manufactured homes.
Florida’s emergency management director, Kevin Guthrie, warned that the region is bracing for unprecedented evacuations, potentially surpassing those seen in 2017. Forecasts predict a devastating 8- to 12-foot storm surge in Tampa, a dire scenario that has prompted swift action from local authorities.
This marks the third time in recent years that the Buccaneers have been forced to evacuate due to a major hurricane. In 2022, the team fled to Miami ahead of Hurricane Ian, and in 2017, they chartered four planes to Charlotte, North Carolina, to escape Hurricane Irma’s wrath.
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