Credit: NOAA
The Tampa Bay Lightning have moved their practice to Raleigh, North Carolina, to avoid Hurricane Milton as they prepare for their season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. Hurricane Milton, now a Category 5 storm, is expected to hit the Tampa Bay area Wednesday night, with winds up to 165 mph and a storm surge that could reach 15 feet. Evacuations have been ordered across Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The Lightning’s home opener, also against the Hurricanes, is still scheduled for Saturday night.
Bucs Relocate for Saints Game
The NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers also decided to leave early for their game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. This is the third time in seven years that the Bucs have relocated due to severe weather. The team’s owners, the Glazer family, arranged two planes for about 350 people, including players, coaches, staff, their families, and pets. Over 200 hotel rooms were also secured in Orlando and Gainesville for employees and their families who needed to evacuate.
NBA Game Rescheduled
In other sports, an NBA preseason game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks has been rescheduled from Thursday to October 16. Miami is expected to get heavy rain and strong winds, though not the full brunt of the storm.
Tropicana Field Turns into Shelter
Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, has been designated as a staging area for first responders and emergency services. It is set up to shelter 10,000 people, with cots laid out on the field.
AAC Shifts South Florida Game
At the college level, the American Athletic Conference has rescheduled the football game between Memphis and South Florida, originally set for Friday night in Tampa, to Saturday. South Florida will relocate to Orlando as a precaution. The conference is monitoring the situation closely for further adjustments.
UCF Adjusts Sports Events
UCF’s football game against Cincinnati is still on for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Orlando. UCF has also made changes to other sporting events, including rescheduling its home volleyball match against Colorado and moving its women’s soccer game against Arizona from Orlando to Houston.
Other college events affected by the storm include a rescheduled women’s soccer match between Florida Atlantic and Rice, now set for October 17.
LPGA Postpones Q-Series
The LPGA has postponed its Q-Series qualifying event in Venice, Florida, due to the hurricane. They cited safety concerns for players, staff, and the community. A new schedule will be announced after the storm.
“Our thoughts are with the entire Florida community as we prepare for the storm,” the LPGA said.
High School Sports Canceled
Many high school sports events across Florida have also been canceled. The officials waiting to see how the storm will impact Thursday and Friday football games.
This report used information from ESPN.
