Wedding venue in Blue Ridge, GA for couples in Daytona Beach, FL

Another SpaceX rocket launch is scheduled for liftoff. Depending on weather and visibility, the Fun Coast might see a nice streak in the sky.

Earlier this week, Florida achieved a space milestone — the state saw its 72nd rocket launch of 2024, with the bulk of missions from SpaceX near Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. In 2023, SpaceX helped break the record of rocket launches per year here — contributing to the 72 launches that were completed near Cape Canaveral. And with just over two months left in 2024, it seems that record is on its way to being broken again.

Below are suggestions on where to watch the rocket launch from this area and other things to know. If there are changes to the launch schedule, this story will be updated.

For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.

Where can I see a rocket launch in Florida? Are SpaceX rocket launches visible from Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach?

Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, yes, rocket launches from neighboring Space Coast could be visible in the Volusia County area. Night launches, in particular, offer a beautiful view.

When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there’s an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo.

Below are suggestions on where to watch them and photos of previous rocket launches as seen from the Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange areas of Florida.

Is there a rocket launch today?Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule from Florida

Is there a rocket launch from Florida? The next is Saturday, October 26: SpaceX Starlink 10-8

Weather radar for Daytona Beach, Florida. Will weather cancel a rocket launch?

Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Fun Coast and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache.

Where can I see a rocket launch in Volusia County, Florida?

In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch.

The best views to watch a rocket launch from here is along the beach. Look due south. Readers have also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended spots:

• South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore), there may be parking costs. New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches. An eclectic and quaint beach town, despite its reputation as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.

• Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach, which is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of beachfront sidewalk, according to Volusia County's site. The nearby riverside park area is across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, playground, fishing pier and restrooms. The river by the park can be a great viewing spot for manatees, dolphins and pelicans.

• Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.

• Oak Hill riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County.

• Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill

• Goodrich's Seafood and Oyster House back deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill

• Seminole Rest national historic site, 211 River Road, Oak Hill

• Riverbreeze Park, 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill

• Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a rental building, playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoor restrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.

• Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.

• Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has about 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the city of Oak Hill online. Facilities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.

• A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a 520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, the city of Oak Hill site states.

• Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.

Rocket launch photo from Port Orange, Florida

Rocket launch photos from New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Rocket launch photos from Daytona Beach, Florida

Rocket launch photo from Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Hurricane Milton's destructive path brought significant power outages and a barrage of threats to Daytona Beach, Florida, as wind gusts topped 80 mph overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning.

FOX Weather Meteorologist Haley Meier was weathering the storm in the city, standing amidst the wrath of Milton's rain bands after it made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on the state's west coast before tracking northeastward just south of her location.

A significant portion of Volusia County, where Daytona Beach is situated, remains without power. However, some streetlights around her were functioning, indicating that not everyone was affected.

TAMPA, ST. PETERSBURG SLAMMED WITH 100 MPH WIND FROM HURRICANE MILTON, DAMAGING TROPICANA FIELD

(FOX Weather)

Meier was closely tracking three primary threats facing the city: storm surge, wind and freshwater flooding. Daytona Beach was categorized as a Level 4 risk for both storm surge and freshwater flooding.

HURRICANE MILTON'S DEADLY ONSLAUGHT IN FLORIDA LEAVES 3 MILLION WITHOUT POWER AFTER DESTRUCTIVE 100-MPH WINDS

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"I haven't seen much of it throughout the rest of today," she said. "With (Hurricanes) Ian and with Nicole, we had a dam breach and that led to the significant flooding. In regard to this storm, (city officials) have made the necessary preps. So I'm not seeing that in abundance."

Regarding storm surge, the predicted height was about 5 feet. Meier said she believes the city likely experienced a peak of 4 to 4.5 feet, coinciding with the most intense part of the storm.

Additionally, the wind has been a major factor, with gusts reaching 84 mph in the pre-dawn hours Thursday. FOX Weather's initial forecast of 80-100 mph proved accurate in this area.

"The wind is no joke," she said.

Many residents chose to stay put and ride out the storm, while others, particularly those in vulnerable situations, evacuated to inland areas. Interestingly, some individuals from Tampa relocated to Daytona Beach to weather the storm, Meier noted.

As daylight nears, it's clear that Florida, including Daytona Beach, will face a significant recovery effort.

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A manufacturer of IV fluids critical to hospitals nationwide said Thursday that its Florida factory and distribution center were left intact after Hurricane Milton tore through the state.

B. Braun Medical Inc. said it would provide more details later Thursday about the Daytona Beach factory. The company had said earlier this week that it was shutting down the plant on Wednesday and planned to restart production Friday morning.

The factory is seen as an important source of sterile intravenous, or IV, fluid supplies that had grown tight after Hurricane Helene hit Florida and several other states late last month. That storm forced Baxter International to shut down a North Carolina factory that makes about 60% of the country’s IV fluid supply.

That plant also makes fluids used by patients on home kidney dialysis.

Baxter started limiting customer orders after that storm to stretch supplies. Health systems, in turn, also started to conserve IV fluids and delay some non-emergency surgeries.

Baxter said Wednesday that it was increasing production at other locations and easing some limits it had placed on customer orders. The company also said in a statement posted on its website that it was working with the federal government to temporarily import products.

Baxter aims to restart production at its North Carolina plant in phases by the end of the year and possibly end limits for certain IV solutions by then too.

In the meantime, the company said its limits would help curb stockpiling and increase equitable access.

B. Braun had said it was working with federal officials to move IV bags out of Milton's path. The company has said its Daytona Beach site was a key part of its plan to address the shutdown of Baxter’s North Carolina location.

B. Braun said it also was increasing production at a factory in Irvine, California.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Daytona BeachAPFloridaNorth CarolinaCalifornia

A Florida factory that makes IV fluids critical to hospitals nationwide will restart Friday morning after shutting down while Hurricane Milton tore through the state.

B. Braun Medical’s manufacturing site and distribution center in Daytona Beach were not seriously impacted by the hurricane, said company spokesperson Allison Longenhagen. No injuries to employees have been reported.

The company, with help from the federal government, had moved more than 60 truckloads of IV solutions inventory north of Florida before the storm. Longenhagen said that will they will be returned to the distribution site.

The federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response helped coordinate trucks and drivers for the temporary move, which involved nearly 1.5 million bags of solution, a representative said Thursday.

The factory is seen as an important source of sterile intravenous, or IV, fluid supplies that had grown tight after Hurricane Helene hit Florida and several other states late last month. That storm forced Baxter International to shut down a North Carolina factory that makes about 60% of the country’s IV fluid supply.

That plant also makes fluids used by patients on home kidney dialysis.

Baxter started limiting customer orders after that storm to stretch supplies. Health systems, in turn, also started to conserve IV fluids and delay some non-emergency surgeries.

Baxter said Wednesday that it was increasing production at other locations and easing some limits it had placed on customer orders. The company also said in a statement posted on its website that it was working with the federal government to temporarily import products.

Baxter aims to restart production at its North Carolina plant in phases by the end of the year and possibly end limits for certain IV solutions by then too.

In the meantime, the company said its limits would help curb stockpiling and increase equitable access.

B. Braun has said its Daytona Beach site was a key part of its plan to address the shutdown of Baxter’s North Carolina location. B. Braun also said it also was increasing production at a factory in Irvine, California.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

___

This story has been updated to show that the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response representative spoke Thursday, not Friday.

Hurricane Milton is expected to leave a path of devastation across central Florida.

The hurricane is forecasted to grow in size before arriving over Florida's west coast Wednesday night as a Category 3 storm with 180 to 210 km/h winds. Milton could wreak havoc if waterfront cities like Tampa and St. Petersburg take an anticipated direct hit.

According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Tampa Bay and nearby coastal communities could also experience a deadly peak storm surge of three to 4.5 metres, which is high enough to swallow entire houses as fierce winds push seawater ashore. Millions of people have been ordered to evacuate across the state.

"If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die," Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told CNN.

After arriving at Florida's west-central coast, Milton will likely remain a hurricane as it moves east across the Florida peninsula, bringing damaging winds, heavy rainfall and the risk of flooding. The storm's probable path stretches across Florida and includes cities like Clearwater, Sarasota, Orlando, Daytona Beach and major tourist destinations like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida. Debris from Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago could also turn into deadly airborne projectiles as Milton churns through the state.

After leaving a trail of destruction, Milton is expected to move out to sea again Thursday afternoon after striking the Cape Canaveral area on Florida's eastern coast, home to NASA's Kennedy Space Center launch site and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Milton will eventually downgrade to a post-tropical storm before dissipating over the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda on Sunday.

"Damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge, and heavy rainfall will extend well outside the forecast cone," the U.S. National Hurricane Center cautioned. "Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida."

Will Milton impact Canada?

According to the Canadian Hurricane Centre, there are "no signs" that Milton will impact weather in Canada. Hurricane Leslie, now over the middle of the Atlantic, is also not expected to approach Canada. The government is warning Canadians to "avoid non-essential travel" to affected areas of the Florida peninsula. Flight disruptions in Canada have already been reported.