A still formidable but weakening Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s west coast Wednesday night as a Category 3 storm, leaving over 2 million homes without electricity and bringing “catastrophic” winds that are expected to cause widespread property damage.
Earlier in the day, President Joe Biden described the cyclone as “the storm of the century.” Milton struck near Sarasota, Florida, just after 8:30 p.m. ET, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. Deadly storm surges impacted much of Florida’s Gulf coast, including highly populated cities like Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
Although the storm had weakened slightly due to wind shear as it approached land, it had churned through the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 5 hurricane for two days and remained one of the most powerful storms to hit the U.S. in recent years.
It also marked Florida’s second hurricane landfall in less than two weeks, following Hurricane Helene’s destructive path through the state’s panhandle toward Georgia and the Carolinas in late September. Areas devastated by Helene were again struck as Milton came ashore with winds exceeding 120 mph.
On Wednesday night, a flash flood emergency was declared for the Tampa Bay region, which includes Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. St. Petersburg had already received 16.6 inches (42 cm) of rain by that time.
Milton’s wind field was so expansive that even South Florida, hundreds of miles from the storm’s center, experienced tornado warnings. At least seven tornadoes were confirmed, with one ripping the roof off a home in Fort Myers.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed hope that the state’s west coast could avoid the worst storm surge, which forecasters had predicted could rise as high as 13 feet (4 meters). The governor noted that tornadoes caused damage across multiple counties, with about 125 homes, mostly mobile, destroyed.
Nearly 3 million homes and businesses across Florida lost power as Milton made landfall.
“It’s now too dangerous to evacuate. You must shelter in place and hunker down,” DeSantis urged after announcing the storm’s arrival.
For days, officials had warned about Milton’s deadly potential, leading to the evacuation of millions along the Gulf coast, where storm surges were forecast to reach 15 feet.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued a dire warning to those who chose to stay in evacuation zones, saying their homes could become their coffins.
Holmes Beach Police Chief William Tokajer advised those staying behind to write their names, birth dates, and social security numbers on their arms with Sharpies for identification purposes.
Governor DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 51 of Florida’s 67 counties.
“This is looking like the storm of the century,” Biden said during a speech from the White House, urging Floridians to follow local safety directives. “It’s a matter of life and death.”
The president also slammed false claims made by Donald Trump, who had suggested that federal recovery funds were being diverted to immigrants. “That’s a ridiculous statement,” Biden said.
According to the NHC, Milton is expected to remain a hurricane as it crosses Florida, passing through Orlando before moving into the Atlantic on Thursday.
“Heavy rainfall across the Florida peninsula through Thursday presents the risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flash floods, along with urban flooding and significant river flooding,” the NHC warned in an afternoon update.
