Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday near Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph.
The powerful hurricane wreaked havoc near Tampa Bay, bringing destructive winds, catastrophic storm surges, and widespread flooding.
Downgraded But Still Dangerous
Initially feared as a potentially devastating Category 5 hurricane earlier in the day, Milton was downgraded to Category 4 on Wednesday afternoon and later to Category 3 at landfall.
As the storm moved inland, it was further downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110 mph by 10:15 p.m. Eastern, and eventually to a Category 1 storm.
Despite the downgrades, officials warned that Milton remained a dangerous storm.
Tornadoes and Fatalities Reported
St. Lucie County faced significant impacts from the storm.
Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed that 17 tornadoes had hit the county, resulting in multiple fatalities and the destruction of hundreds of homes.
“We can confirm 17 tornadoes hit St. Lucie County, Florida, with multiple fatalities, a rescue mission ongoing, and hundreds of homes destroyed,” Pearson said during an appearance on Fox Weather.
In addition, weather conditions prompted the state to issue more than 100 tornado warnings as of 6 p.m., breaking Florida’s record.
At least 19 confirmed tornadoes were reported, with the bulk of warnings issued in Miami.
Martin County also reported injuries ranging from mild to serious due to the storm. “It’s estimated that dozens of homes have been damaged, some severely,” Martin County Fire Rescue posted on X (formerly Twitter). “There have been minor/serious injuries; however, there have been no fatalities reported at this time. Please STAY OFF roads.”
Historic Storm Surge and Flooding
Milton poses a threat of historically deep storm surges along the central western coast, with forecasts predicting 10 to 15 feet of water topped with devastating waves driven by hurricane-force winds, according to FOX Weather.
Bryan Norcross, FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist, warned residents about the severity of the storm surge, comparing it to historic storms from 1921 and 1848 that inundated areas like Pinellas County and downtown Tampa.
Approximately 6 inches of rain had already fallen in Tampa by 8 p.m. Eastern, with an additional 5 to 8 inches expected over the next six hours.
The Weather Prediction Center issued a stark warning: “An axis of extreme rainfall, stretching from the Tampa metropolitan region northeastward into the north-central Florida Peninsula, is expected to result in major to locally catastrophic flash flooding with considerable threats to life and property.”
Widespread Power Outages
As of 1 a.m. Thursday, power outages affected more than 2 million customers across Florida, with roughly 300,000 customers losing power within one hour.
Earlier in the evening, over one million businesses and homes were reported without power, and the number continued to rise as the storm progressed.
Emergency Services and Evacuations
The National Hurricane Center in Miami warned residents to “shelter in place as these extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds overspread the region.”
Officials in Orlando announced that police and firefighters had been pulled from the roads due to winds exceeding 40 mph. Emergency services will resume responding to calls once wind speeds decrease, but residents are urged to continue sheltering in place.
James Lucas, Public Safety Information Manager for Florida’s Incident Support Team, explained that deteriorating weather conditions would prevent rescuers from reaching affected areas during the storm.
“Weather conditions will deteriorate so rapidly that rescue workers cannot get in,” Lucas told Fox News Digital. “That means that law enforcement officers are not going to be able to respond to any emergencies as the storm is pushing through at 100 mph.”
He added, “We’re not going to be able to make it into those affected areas during the storm. That’s why the Mayor of Tampa and the Governor of Florida are asking people in those areas to evacuate.”
Government Response
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has activated thousands of National Guard members who are on standby to conduct search and rescue operations following the storm.
President Biden’s administration has pre-deployed resources and hundreds of personnel to assist in the response efforts.
The President declared Florida a disaster area ahead of Milton’s landfall to facilitate FEMA’s preparations and response.
The catastrophic landfall of Hurricane Milton comes barely two weeks after Hurricane Helene battered Florida before causing devastation in North Carolina, resulting in the deaths of over 200 people in the southeast.
Helene had made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, hitting North Carolina the hardest.
The back-to-back storms have left Florida residents in a heightened state of alert, with many spending the interim boarding up windows and evacuating their homes in preparation for Milton.
Residents are urged to stay informed and follow guidance from local authorities.