After making landfall in Florida, Hurricane Milton is expected to weaken as it moves over the western Atlantic, potentially dropping below hurricane strength. The storm struck the state’s west coast on Wednesday, unleashing deadly tornadoes, destroying homes, and causing flash floods and widespread power outages during its eastward progression.
Milton made landfall around 8:30 PM EDT as a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour near Siesta Key, according to the United States National Hurricane Center. By 11 PM EDT, wind speeds had decreased to 165 kph, lowering it to a Category 2 hurricane, but it remained extremely dangerous. The storm’s eye was located 120 kilometers southwest of Orlando.
A flash flood emergency was issued for the Tampa Bay area, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, with St. Petersburg reporting 422 millimeters of rain on Wednesday. The storm’s eye made landfall in Siesta Key, a small barrier island town near Sarasota, about 100 kilometers south of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, which has a population of over three million.
Governor Ron DeSantis expressed hope that the west coast could evade the worst of the anticipated storm surge, which could reach up to four meters, especially as the storm hit just before high tide. Despite this, Milton had already spawned at least 19 tornadoes. Multiple fatalities were reported at a retirement community in Fort Pierce following a suspected tornado, as stated by St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson.
The tornadoes caused extensive damage across several counties, destroying approximately 125 homes, primarily mobile homes, according to DeSantis. More than 1.3 million homes and businesses were left without power.
At the time of landfall, DeSantis advised residents to shelter in place, stating, “At this point, it’s too dangerous to evacuate safely.” The storm is projected to traverse the Florida peninsula overnight and enter the Atlantic with hurricane-force winds on Thursday.
Once it moves past Florida, Milton is likely to weaken over the western Atlantic but will still pose storm-surge threats along the state’s Atlantic coast. Tropical storm-force winds were affecting much of the state, while waves at sea reached nearly 8.5 meters, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s impact just two weeks prior, evacuation orders were issued for up to two million people, with millions more in the storm’s projected path.
