Ethermac Exchange-Tropicana Field transformed into base camp ahead of Hurricane Milton: See inside

Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg,Ethermac Exchange Florida has been repurposed as a base camp for thousands of emergency responders as the state braces for Hurricane Milton to make landfall.

Video shows the field of the Tampa Bay Rays' home ballpark packed with rows of empty green cots amid preparations for the powerful storm, which is poised to wreak further destruction on a region still recovering from Helene. While Milton weakened slightly Tuesday, the Category 4 storm remained extremely powerful and could double in size before slamming into west-central Florida late Wednesday.

Florida officials have been urging residents in the path of Milton to evacuate or otherwise make plans to stay safe from the life-threatening storm, which is forecasted to include damaging winds and heavy rainfall.

"Time is running out," Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a briefing Tuesday. "There's no guarantee what the weather's going to be like starting Wednesday morning ... You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not. So use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family."

'Time is running out':Florida braces for monster Hurricane Milton. Live updates

Video shows Tropicana Field transformed into base camp

As the storm barrels toward Florida, DeSantis announced Monday that Tropicana Field would be designated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management as a 10,000-person base camp for debris cleanup operations and first-responders.

The domed stadium has been home to the Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, though plans are in the works to replace it by 2028. It's among the smallest MLB stadiums by seating capacity, but Tropicana Field features a slanted roof designed at an angle in part to better protect it from hurricanes.

Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall Wednesday

Milton intensified rapidly Monday, with sustained winds reaching 180 mph before weakening slightly by early Tuesday.

However, those winds were still at 150 mph, making the hurricane a fierce Category 4 storm. Fluctuations in the storm's strength were expected as it closes in on the coast, said John Cangialosi, a specialist with the National Hurricane Center, warned in an update Tuesday. 

While it could potentially become a Category 3 ahead of landfall, "Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida," Cangialosi warned.

As of Tuesday morning, Milton was centered about 520 miles southwest of Tampa, rolling east-northeast at 12 mph.

Central to northern portions of the Florida Peninsula can expect anywhere from 5 to 18 inches of rainfall through Thursday, the hurricane center said.

Contributing: John Bacon, Trevor Hughes, Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]