Milton Hits Florida, Causes Widespread Power Outages and Flooding
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday evening as a powerful Category 3 storm near Siesta Key, Florida, a barrier island about 70 miles south of Tampa Bay. With winds of 120 mph, Milton caused severe storm surges in Sarasota County, reaching up to 10 feet. By Thursday morning, the storm had weakened to a Category 1 as it moved across the state, but it still left widespread damage, power outages, and reports of deaths.
More than 3.2 million Floridians were left without power, and the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings across several cities in addition to hurricane and storm surge warnings. Earlier in the day, multiple tornadoes were reported, including a “multi-vortex” twister.
Initially a Category 5 storm with winds exceeding 180 mph, Milton’s strength diminished as it neared Florida’s Gulf Coast. Experts warned of severe flooding and damage, similar to what happened with Hurricane Katrina. Despite the weakening, storm surges and dangerous winds were still a major concern.
Milton continued its path across Florida before moving off the east coast, transitioning into a tropical storm as it entered the Atlantic.
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