SOUTHWEST FLORIDA — A lot happened in southwest Florida in 2024. I'm Senior Reporter Kaitlin Knapp, and I'm looking back the top Fox 4 weather stories you clicked on the most in 2024.
MILTON FORCES EVACUATIONS:
Fox 4 is dedicated to keeping you safe, which is why we were constantly updating you on-air and online when it came to everything you needed to know before Hurricane Milton hit, including evacuations. More than 65,000 people clicked this article to see who needed to evacuate in Naples.
TRACKING HURRICANE MILTON:
Before, during and after Hurricane Milton, Fox 4 kept you informed about Hurricane Milton. We were on-air for hours and constantly updated you on social media with a live blog. There were many stories to tell from Fort Myers Beach, Manasota Key, Clewiston, Sanibel, North Fort Myers, downtown Fort Myers and beyond.
DAIRY QUEEN LOT SOLD TWO YEARS AFTER IAN:
There's been a lot of development on Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Ian. Buildings being torn down, businesses not coming back and properties being sold, including an empty lot in Times Square that once housed a Dairy Queen. The property sold for $6.4 million.
TORNADO TRAVELS OVER MATLACHA BRIDGE, LEAVING BEHIND DESTRUCTION:
During Hurricane Milton, Fox 4 was tracking at least two tornadoes in Lee County. An EF-1 traveled over the Matlacha Bridge, leaving behind at least a mile's worth of damage. In Fort Myers, we tracked an EF-2, also leaving behind a lot of damage. Luckily, none of the tornadoes in southwest Florida were deadly.
