The timing and strength of Hurricane Milton continued to shift in the hours before landfall along Florida's coast Wednesday.
Hurricane Milton made landfall on the west coast of Florida early Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm, bringing potentially devastating conditions to much of the state.
Wind gusts as high as 102 miles per hour were reported at a Tampa Bay-area fishing pier, with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour recorded as the storm passed near Sarasota. National Hurricane Center forecasters warned Milton, which has grown in size, is “expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane” when it reaches Florida's coast.What part of Florida will Milton hit?and Sarasota, engulfing the populous region with towering storm surges and turning debris from Helene’s devastation 12 days ago into projectiles.
Gov. Ron DeSantis Wednesday said to people choosing to remain home on barrier islands, “just know that if you get 10 feet of storm surge, you can’t just hunker down with that.”“It’s churning massive amounts of water, and that water is going to come out,” he added. “Man, if you’re anywhere in the eye or south, you are going to get major storm surge.
The rating categorizes hurricanes on a scale of 1 to 5 based on sustained wind speeds, according to the "This scale estimates potential property damage," the NWS reports."Hurricanes reaching Category 3 and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage. Category 1 and 2 storms are still dangerous, however, and require preventative measures.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hurricane Milton tracker: Milton makes landfall as Category 3 hurricaneMilton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, Wednesday night.
Read more »
HURRICANE MILTON: Storm slams ashore in Florida as a Category 3 hurricaneMontgomery, Alabama
Read more »
Hurricane Milton rapidly intensifies into Category 4, hurricane watches issued for Florida's Gulf CoastJustin Boggs is a writer for the E.W. Scripps company. Justin covers anything from politics to sports and entertainment.
Read more »
Hurricane Milton explodes into Category 5 hurricane with Florida in its sightsJustin Boggs is a writer for the E.W. Scripps company. Justin covers anything from politics to sports and entertainment.
Read more »
Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida as destructive Category 3 stormA tornado in St. Lucie caused structural damage to the sheriff’s office, Sheriff Keith Pearson said in a video posted on Facebook
Read more »
Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida as Category 3 stormThe timing and strength of Hurricane Milton continued to shift in the hours before landfall along Florida's coast Wednesday.
Read more »