St. Johns County officials issued mandatory evacuations in zones A, B and F Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Milton.

Hurricane Milton strengthened into a dangerously powerful hurricane on a path toward Florida population centers, threatening a 12-foot storm surge in Tampa Bay and setting the stage for potential mass evacuations less than two weeks after a catastrophic Hurricane Helene swamped the coastline.

Because of the imminent threat posed by Milton, St. Johns County issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents and visitors in Evacuation Zone A (along coastal and river areas), Zone B, and Zone F (South of State Road 206) effective at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

St. Johns County opens a Special Medical Needs Storm Shelter for those requiring electricity for equipment or oxygen therapy.

Hurricane Milton is fast approaching and for residents who need to or want to find shelter, here's what you need to know.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued Tuesday for low-lying areas of St. Johns County. Here's what you should know.

St. Johns County officials issued the mandatory evacuation order midday Tuesday and targeted the evacuations for areas near the ocean and rivers. The county, home to tourist hot spots such as St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach, is also preparing hurricane shelters to house people who may not be able to leave the area.

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ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A Flash Flood Warning was issued Wednesday morning in St. Johns County. The warning, issued hours before powerful Hurricane Milton was expected to hit the state as a Category 3, was set to expire at 4 p.m. The warning comes as businesses in downtown St. Augustine already started to see rain.

As Hurricane Milton makes its final approach to Florida's west coast on Wednesday, hurricane and storm surge warnings for St. Johns County — including St. Augustine, the City of St. Augustine and the City of St.