TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Milton struck Florida as a powerful Category 3 storm on Wednesday, unleashing destructive winds exceeding 100 mph (160 kph), torrential rains, and triggering multiple tornadoes across the state. Tampa narrowly escaped a direct hit.
With maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (205 kph), Milton made landfall at 8:30 p.m. near Siesta Key, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. Siesta Key, a luxurious beach destination home to 5,500 residents, lies about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa. Though Tampa Bay has not faced a direct strike from a major hurricane in over a century, the storm’s fierce surge threatened much of Florida’s Gulf Coast, including heavily populated cities such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
Flash flooding inundated parts of the Tampa Bay area, particularly St. Petersburg, where over 16 inches (41 centimeters) of rain had already fallen, the National Weather Service reported.
Heavy rainfall was expected to cause further flooding along rivers and lakes as Hurricane Milton continued its destructive path across Florida, before eventually moving into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.
More than 1.5 million homes and businesses were left without power as of Wednesday night, with the hardest-hit areas being Hardee County, along with neighboring Sarasota and Manatee counties, according to poweroutage.us, which monitors utility data.
Before the storm even made landfall, over 125 homes had been destroyed, many of them mobile homes in senior communities, said Kevin Guthrie, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Roughly 90 minutes after coming ashore, Hurricane Milton’s winds weakened slightly to 110 mph (175 kph), reducing the storm to a Category 2 hurricane as it moved northeast at 16 mph (26 kph), the National Hurricane Center reported.
Milton battered a region still grappling with the devastation from Hurricane Helene, which caused severe storm surge and claimed at least 12 lives in Pinellas County just two weeks earlier.
Emergency officials had issued stark warnings urging residents to evacuate or face perilous survival odds. “This is it, folks,” said Cathie Perkins, Pinellas County’s emergency management director. “If you were hit hard by Hurricane Helene, this storm will be the knockout punch. You need to evacuate now.”
By late afternoon, some officials acknowledged it was too late for evacuation efforts and urged those who remained to shelter in place. Emergency services in several counties were suspended by evening.
Multiple tornadoes, spawned by Hurricane Milton, tore through parts of Florida, signaling the storm’s imminent arrival. Videos shared on social media showed large funnel clouds in neighborhoods across Palm Beach County and other regions.
As the storm barreled inland, communities braced for impact, including Orlando, one of Florida’s most densely populated cities. Milton also threatened areas still reeling from Hurricane Helene, which left 230 dead across the South and submerged streets and homes in western Florida.
Many coastal municipalities rushed to clear debris before Milton’s surge, which was predicted to reach up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) in Tampa Bay, could worsen the destruction.
In Sarasota, Jackie Curnick and her family grappled with their decision to stay home as the storm approached. Pregnant and with a 2-year-old son, Curnick and her husband weighed the uncertainties of evacuation, from finding a place to stay to concerns about gasoline availability and safe escape routes.
“The difficulty of evacuating on a peninsula is overwhelming,” Curnick said. “In most other states, you can go in any direction to get out. Here, there are only so many roads north or south.”
Key infrastructure, including the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge spanning Tampa Bay, was closed by midday, along with other major bridges in the region.
In a news conference, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis outlined a large-scale response, deploying 9,000 National Guard members, over 50,000 utility workers from across the country, and state troopers escorting fuel tankers to replenish gas supplies for evacuees.
“Unfortunately, there will be fatalities,” DeSantis warned. “There’s no way around it.”
Southern Florida experienced severe conditions throughout the day, with 6 to 12 inches (15 to 31 centimeters) of rain expected in many areas and up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) forecast in isolated regions, posing a major flood risk.
Tornadoes touched down in the Everglades and Fort Myers, where one twister destroyed a gas station canopy and snapped tree limbs. Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for 15 counties, impacting approximately 7.2 million people, cautioning those who stayed behind that first responders would not be able to assist during the storm’s peak.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch warned of prolonged power outages and potential sewer system failures, urging residents to prepare.
In Charlotte Harbor, where Hurricane Helene’s surge left streets strewn with debris, auto technician Josh Parks packed up his belongings and prepared to leave for his daughter’s inland home. “Two weeks ago, 5 feet of water flooded the neighborhood,” he said. “This time, I told my roommate to pack like we’re not coming back.”
By Wednesday afternoon, airlines had canceled about 1,900 flights. Attractions like SeaWorld were shuttered, and Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando closed early.
More than 60% of gas stations in Tampa and St. Petersburg ran dry, according to GasBuddy. DeSantis reassured the public that the state’s fuel supply was stable and patrols were actively escorting tankers to restock stations.
In Gulfport, Christian Burke and his mother chose to ride out the storm in their three-story concrete home overlooking Tampa Bay, a structure his father had designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes. As police urged residents to evacuate, Burke acknowledged the risk: “We’re not taking this storm lightly.”
