Milton makes landfall on Florida's west coast as Category 3 hurricane"

"Milton makes landfall on Florida's west coast as Category 3 hurricane"



TAMPA, Fla. - Hurricane Milton struck Florida’s storm-ravaged west coast Wednesday evening as a Category 3 hurricane, threatening large portions of Tampa Bay, Sarasota, and areas still recovering from Hurricane Helene. President Joe Biden called Milton “the storm of the century” and urged residents to follow evacuation orders.



As the powerful storm made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, it brought tropical-storm-force winds, torrential rain, and tornadoes further inland. Although Milton’s sustained winds had decreased from 145 mph to 120 mph, reducing it to a Category 3, the storm's increasing size made the potential for damage more widespread.



Within 15 minutes of landfall, nearly 1 million people lost power, according to USA TODAY’s outage data. This latest hurricane strike follows closely after Hurricane Helene, which devastated communities across six states. Helene first hit Florida as a Category 4 storm on September 26, causing over 200 deaths and an estimated $10.5 to $17.5 billion in insured losses.



The National Hurricane Center warned of Milton’s broader impact, with tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 255 miles. Millions of Floridians, especially in the Tampa area, had been ordered or encouraged to evacuate earlier in the day as the storm approached.



Tornadic supercells—dangerous rotating thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes—swept across the Florida peninsula. Over 12 million people were under tornado warnings, and the National Weather Service in Miami confirmed up to four tornadoes, with unofficial reports of others.



Milton is expected to retain hurricane strength as it crosses Florida and heads into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. Tampa, a metropolitan area with more than 3 million residents, hasn’t seen a direct hit from a major hurricane in over a century. The hurricane center warned that Milton’s storm surge could elevate water levels up to 12 feet.



Milton is the third hurricane to hit Florida this year, tying 2024 with five other years for the most landfalls in a single season: 1871, 1886, 1964, 2004, and 2005, according to Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist at Colorado State University.



As Milton approached, a reverse storm surge phenomenon occurred, pushing water out of Tampa Bay due to the strong winds. South of Tampa, storm surge flooded coastal communities, with water levels rising between 4-8 feet in some areas. Officials warned that the surge could continue through the night.



Governor Ron DeSantis, in a briefing Wednesday, assured the public that the state was prepared, with hundreds of search and rescue personnel and 180 high-water vehicles stationed in expected impact zones. Over 6,000 National Guard members, with 3,000 more from other states, and 50,000 linemen were ready to restore power after the storm passes.