Campus Alert Archive
Saint Leo

Saint Leo Issues Mandatory Evacuation by Noon Monday — Then Extends Closure for 12 Days

FLhurricaneemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

Saint Leo University ordered all on-campus residential students to evacuate by noon on Monday, October 7, 2024 as Hurricane Milton approached the Tampa Bay region as a Category 5 storm. The university initially announced closures October 7-10, then extended through Friday, October 11, and did not issue an 'all clear' until Saturday, October 19 — a 12-day closure of the University Campus, Tampa Education Center, and Center for Adult Learning.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Saint Leo University
Private R2 · FL
~11,500 studentsSaint Leo Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstructionNatureCoaster.com reporting on Saint Leo announcement414 chars
Saint Leo Alert: Saint Leo University is closing its University Campus, Tampa Education Center, and Center for Adult Learning locations from Monday, October 7 through Thursday, October 10 in response to Tropical Storm Milton. Students in on-campus housing are under a mandatory evacuation starting by noon on Monday, October 7. Students who need transportation assistance should contact Residence Life immediately.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Mandatory evacuation deadline of noon Monday October 7 was set well before Milton's projected Wednesday landfall to give students time to travel safely
Saint Leo's University Campus is at 33701 County Road 52, St. Leo, FL 33574, inland of the immediate storm-surge zone but still in Hurricane Milton's projected wind field
UPDATEEmail
Approximate reconstructionLaker/Lutz News reporting on extended closure305 chars
Saint Leo Alert: Saint Leo University has extended its closure through Friday, October 11 in response to forecast changes for Hurricane Milton. Essential personnel only. Do not return to campus until the all-clear is issued. Students who have safely evacuated should monitor email for return instructions.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida at approximately 8:30 PM EDT on October 9, 2024 as a Category 3 hurricane
Milton spawned multiple tornadoes across central Florida as it moved inland, adding to the threat profile for Saint Leo's Pasco County campus
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstruction317 chars
Saint Leo Alert: The university issues an 'all clear' effective Saturday, October 19 for its University Campus, Tampa Education Center, and Center for Adult Learning locations. Students, faculty, and staff may return to these locations and classes and university operations will run as scheduled. Welcome back, Lions.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The 12-day total closure (Oct 7 through Oct 18) is among the longest single-storm campus closures in Saint Leo's history
Saint Leo's mascot is the Lion
Context

Background

Hurricane Milton underwent extreme rapid intensification in the Gulf of Mexico in early October 2024, briefly reaching Category 5 strength with 180 mph sustained winds — among the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. The storm made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida on the evening of October 9 as a Category 3, after which it crossed the peninsula and exited near Cape Canaveral. Saint Leo University's main campus sits 30 miles northeast of Tampa in the small town of St. Leo, Pasco County, near forecast cone center. The university ordered mandatory evacuation of all residential students by noon on Monday, October 7 — about 48 hours before landfall — and extended its closure twice as damage assessment dragged through the following week. The university also closed its Tampa Education Center and Center for Adult Learning at Pasco-Hernando State College. The full closure ran from October 7 through October 18 — 12 calendar days — and athletics schedules were significantly disrupted into mid-October.
Analysis

Key Findings

Saint Leo issued a mandatory evacuation order for all on-campus housing by noon October 7 — 48 hours before landfall
The closure was extended twice, ultimately spanning 12 calendar days (October 7-18)
Three university locations closed simultaneously: University Campus, Tampa Education Center, and Center for Adult Learning
Saint Leo coordinated all-clear messaging explicitly rather than letting students return based on assumptions
Outcome
All residential students evacuated by noon October 7. Three Saint Leo locations closed October 7 through October 18. All-clear effective Saturday, October 19. No reported student deaths.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Saint Leo University Closes Locations Oct. 7-10 - NatureCoaster.com
    naturecoaster.com
  2. News
    Saint Leo University announces closures ahead of Tropical Storm Milton - Laker/Lutz News
    lakerlutznews.com
  3. Official
    Saint Leo University Athletics Announces Schedule Updates Post Hurricane Milton
    saintleolions.com
  4. Official
    Weather Advisory - Saint Leo University
    saintleo.edu
Tags
hurricanemiltonmandatory-evacuationtampa-baypasco-countycampus-closuretwelve-day-closureflorida
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion