A Tampa Bay resident, Morgan Roos, has been keeping her social media followers updated as Hurricane Milton approaches. Living on the 11th floor, she shared her experiences across TikTok and Instagram, particularly on October 9 and into early hours of October 10.
Under the handle @morganroos96, Roos has amassed over 1.4 million followers on TikTok and nearly 38,000 on Instagram. She recently moved from Denver, Colorado, to Tampa Bay in June, as she revealed in a TikTok clip.
Initially a Category 5 storm, Milton was downgraded to Category 4 by Tuesday morning. However, it appeared to be gaining strength again that same day, prompting local authorities to advise residents to prepare for possible evacuation due to the storm’s dangerous potential.
In her updates, Roos explained her decision to stay put, stating, “You know what they say, run from the water, hide from the wind. Water ain’t coming up 200 feet so I decided to stay.” Her initial updates showed the tumultuous ocean and the winds intensifying as she recorded videos from her home.
As the storm progressed, she posted at various times, such as at 4:15 p.m. when she observed the Hillsborough River, noting it had yet to flood. However, by 5:45 p.m., she expressed urgency, describing the wind’s ferocity. “Milton has fully pulled the f*** up,” she compared the noise of the wind outside her windows to a freight train.
During her videos, she candidly shared her feelings. Around 6:35 p.m., she recorded rain lashing against her building, admitting, “I probably shouldn’t be out here, this is not the safest thing for me.” She mentioned her backup plan: to hide in the concrete stairwell which has generators for when the power goes out.
At 8 p.m., she noted power outages across the city, capturing a concerning blue flash on camera. By 9:15 p.m., she was still powered up but observed her surroundings turning dark as nearby buildings lost electricity. Roos remained optimistic, saying, “I’m feeling safe right now,” and yet the situation was increasingly intense.
Her updates continued into the night, revealing the wind’s heightening strength. By 12:47 a.m., she documented how her windows were compromised and how she planned to sleep in the hallway on a blow-up mattress, away from the potential hazards. “It’s not ideal, but it’s better than having my windows sucked in or glass being blown at me,” she concluded.