Newport woman bracing for Hurricane Milton with her husband

A 79-YEAR-OLD woman born and raised in Newport is bracing for hurricane Milton with her husband.

The category five hurricane is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida late on Wednesday night.

The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) expects Milton to make landfall as an ‘extremely dangerous major hurricane.'

Ann Marie Brixey, 79, born and raised in Pill, Newport, has lived with her husband Peter, 83, in the Tampa area of Florida for 24 years.

The couple are staying in their home where they live in Citrus Hills in Citrus County, Florida – an evacuation zone.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered in their county for anyone residing in structures that cannot withstand 110mph winds.

“This is not our first experience with hurricanes here in Florida. When my husband was working away, I was alone for four of them,” said Anna.

“The worst part of waiting is not knowing where it will hit"

Ann says right now they are both feeling okay but are 'of course worried’ given the uncertainty of where the hurricane will come ashore.

Ann explained: “I am not trivializing how I feel, I know this is the worst storm that has hit the area in over 100 years.

“They are predicting wind of 125mph, even if it is less, in a hurricane this is sustained wind, not just a gust then nothing for a while.

“The worst part of waiting is not knowing where it will hit.

“Right now, they say South of us, but having been here for 24 years, we know how unpredictable these storms can be.

“One minute it will be over a certain area, and the next it will wobble, and the storm is over another.”

After hurricane Helena, the couple's garden had been regularly visited by a flock of 40 birds.

However, Anna says yesterday was the first time she didn't see them in their garden.

“The legend is, that Ibis birds are the last to leave an area before a storm, and the first to return. We shall see," she said.