Hurricane Milton Hits Florida's West Coast as a Devastating Category 3 Storm

Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday night as a "dangerous Category 3" storm near Siesta Key, a barrier island just south of Sarasota on Florida's central west coast. With sustained winds of 120 mph at landfall, Milton quickly weakened to a Category 1 storm as it traveled inland across Florida. However, the damage was extensive, leaving over 3.2 million customers without power early Thursday, according to PowerOutage.us.

Massive Power Outages and Tornadoes Wreak Havoc
As Hurricane Milton barreled toward Florida’s coast, meteorologists warned residents in areas such as Tampa and St. Petersburg to brace for "extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds." These areas saw rapid deterioration of weather conditions, with tornadoes being spotted in South Florida, including a "multi-vortex tornado." Multiple warnings for tornadoes, storm surges, and hurricanes were issued across the state, intensifying the peril Floridians faced.


Initially classified as a massive Category 5 storm earlier in the week, Milton weakened to Category 3 before making landfall. Despite the downgrade, experts warned of severe damage, drawing comparisons to Hurricane Katrina, which also weakened before landfall but caused catastrophic destruction. Former NOAA hurricane scientist Jeff Masters stated that Milton’s storm surge could lead to "unprecedented damage" in parts of Florida.

Storm Surge Warnings and Flooding Threats
Hurricane and storm surge warnings were issued for vast portions of Florida’s west and east coasts ahead of Milton’s arrival. As the storm progressed, forecasters noted potential storm surges as high as 13 feet in vulnerable areas like Tampa and Fort Myers. Although the worst-case storm surge scenario seemed to diminish as the storm crossed Florida, officials emphasized the ongoing risk of flooding and urged residents to evacuate if instructed. Heavy rainfall, up to 18 inches in some places, was expected to cause widespread flash flooding, river flooding, and urban flooding. Milton's exit into the Atlantic would result in its downgrade to a tropical storm, but it remained a significant weather threat for the eastern U.S. and beyond.

Mass Evacuations and Preparations
In the days leading up to Hurricane Milton’s landfall, Florida residents undertook mass evacuations, clogging highways as they sought safety. Areas around Tampa Bay, which had already been hit by Hurricane Helene less than two weeks prior, were on high alert. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued warnings of widespread impacts, emphasizing that storm surges and wind would cause significant damage far beyond the storm’s eye. “There will be fatalities,” DeSantis said bluntly, highlighting the extreme danger posed by Milton’s 10-foot storm surges. As part of the preparation effort, 149 shelters were established across the state with the capacity to house 200,000 people. Residents filled sandbags, boarded up homes, and moved boats to safer locations in anticipation of the storm’s arrival. DeSantis urged anyone still in evacuation zones to seek shelter immediately, noting that major roads and bridges would likely be closed as the storm approached.

Disruptions to Travel and Services
Florida’s infrastructure struggled under the weight of the evacuation efforts, with highways at 150 to 175% capacity. By Wednesday morning, over 23% of Florida’s gas stations were out of fuel, with more than 59% of gas stations in the Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg area reporting fuel shortages.

Airports across the state canceled flights, with major hubs such as Tampa, Fort Myers, and Sarasota packed with travelers. Some Orlando-area theme parks, including Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida, temporarily shut down operations. The Port of Key West also closed as cruise ships rerouted to avoid the storm. In response, airlines like United added additional flights and larger planes to help evacuate as many people as possible before the storm hit.