Yahoo News Staff
Updated
Hurricane Milton made landfall as an "extremely dangerous" Category 3 storm on Florida's coast Wednesday night, knocking out power to more than 1.9 million homes and businesses.
The storm made landfall near Siesta Key, located around 7 miles south of Sarasota, with maximum sustained winds of around 120 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
Pounding, heavy rains unloaded on the Tampa area, which was under a flash flood emergency until 2:30 a.m. ET. Storm surge continued to build south of where the storm made landfall.
Milton, which has weakened to a Category 2 storm, made landfall in Florida just weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm.
Live127 updates
Mike Bebernes
More than 1.9 million Florida homes and businesses now without power
Over 1.9 million utility customers were without power in Florida as of 11:30 p.m. ET, according to PowerOutage.us.
David Knowles
Fabric roof of Tropicana Field is left in tatters
After Hurricane Milton hit Tampa Bay with heavy rainfall and strong winds, the fabric roof of Tropicana Field, where the Tama Bay Rays baseball team play, was left in tatters.
Video posted by WFTS meteorologist Jason Adams captured the damage.
OMG. We all had a collected gasp when we saw this from our reporter. The fabric on the roof of Tropicana Field is shredded. #StPete #Milton pic.twitter.com/36UKLO9cK6
— Jason Adams (@JasonAdamsWFTS) October 10, 2024
David Knowles
Flash flood emergencies expanding across I-4 corridor, NWS says
Flash flood emergency declarations, the most severe flood warning issued by the National Weather Service, are following the path of Hurricane Milton as it pushes along Florida's I-4 corridor, the agency said late Thursday.
"Flash Flood Emergencies are expanding across the I-4 corridor. This situation is extremely rare and only issued for a severe threat to life due to flooding," NWS said in a post to X.
The agency urged Florida residents in the region to take the following steps:
Stay where you are; do not drive
Plan for water to rise and have a path to higher ground
Call 911 if you need emergency help
Flash Flood Emergencies are expanding across the I-4 corridor. This situation is extremely rare and only issued for a severe threat to life due to flooding. Additional emergencies may occur as #Milton moves across the I-4 corridor in Florida so keep these in mind:
- Absolutely… pic.twitter.com/QzKrMSrj53— National Weather Service (@NWS) October 10, 2024
On its website, the NWS says that flash flood emergencies are issued for "the exceedingly rare situations when extremely heavy rain is leading to a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage from a flash flood is happening or will happen soon. Typically, emergency officials are reporting life-threatening water rises resulting in water rescues/evacuations."
Mike Bebernes
Video shows the moment Milton makes electrical transformers explode
Footage captured by the dashcam of a Lee County sheriff’s deputy shows multiple electrical transformers bursting simultaneously across the tree line.
While patrolling in 3rd precinct, one of our deputies caught this video of transformers exploding due to #hurricanemilton pic.twitter.com/KkWKRURJxR
— Carmine Marceno - Florida’s Law and Order Sheriff (@SheriffLeeFL) October 10, 2024
The storm has left an estimated 1.6 million homes and businesses in Florida without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Mike Bebernes
See AlsoMilton makes landfall in Florida with warnings of life-threatening storm surgesMilton makes landfall in Florida with warnings of life-threatening storm surgesMilton makes landfall in Florida with warnings of life-threatening storm surgesHurricane Milton live tracker: Storm weakens to Category 2 after landfall on Florida coast; 1.9 million customers left without powerUpdated watches and warnings from NWS
The National Weather Service has released an updated list of ongoing warnings for Florida.
As of 11 p.m. ET, a storm surge warning is in effect for
Florida's west coast from Flamingo northward to Anclote River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay
Sebastian Inlet Florida to Altamaha Sound Georgia, including the St. Johns River
A hurricane warning is in effect for
Florida's west coast from Bonita Beach northward to Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay
Florida's east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach
A hurricane watch is in effect for
Lake Okeechobee
Florida's east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to the Palm Beach/Martin County Line
A tropical storm warning is in effect for
The Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay
Lake Okeechobee
Florida's west coast from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach
Florida's west coast from north of Suwanee River to Indian Pass
Florida's east coast south of the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to Flamingo
North of Ponte Vedra Beach Florida to Edisto Beach South Carolina
Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos, and Bimini
Nicole Darrah
Hurricane Milton 'bringing devastating rains and damaging winds inland,' NHC says
With maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and higher gusts, Hurricane Milton was "bringing devastating rains and damaging winds inland over portions of central Florida," the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 p.m. ET advisory.
Milton is moving east-northeast at around 16 mph, meteorologists said in the bulletin, adding "this general motion is expected to continue through Thursday, followed by a turn toward the east on late Thursday."
Overnight into Thursday, Milton "will continue to move across the central part of the Florida peninsula overnight, and emerge off the east coast of Florida on Thursday."
"Milton is forecast to maintain hurricane intensity while crossing Florida overnight," forecasters said. "After moving into the Atlantic, Milton is expected to gradually lose tropical characteristics and slowly weaken."
David Knowles
Tampa Bay spared storm surge threat
Because Hurricane Milton came ashore south of Tampa Bay, the city was spared the heavy storm surge that cities like Sarasota experienced.
That's because the counter-clockwise circulation of the storm ended up pulling water out of Tampa Bay, pushing it to the right-hand side of the hurricane.
"Top of Tampa Bay - 5 ft reverse surge!" WFLA-TV chief meteorologist Jeff Berardelli said in a post on X. "Bottom of Tampa Bay 2 feet of storm surge. Shows you just how close this was to a storm surge catastrophe in Tampa Bay."
Top of Tampa Bay -5 ft revese surge!
Bottom of Tampa Bay 2 feet of storm surge.
Shows you just how close this was to a storm surge catastrophe in Tampa Bay and the residents Tampa/ St Pete.
But unfortunately Sarasota got nailed by ~10 feet pic.twitter.com/VQF0jYOvwO— Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) October 10, 2024
Nicole Darrah
More than 1.6 million Florida homes and businesses now without power
Over 1.6 million utility customers were without power in Florida as of 10:30 p.m. ET, according to PowerOutage.us.
David Knowles
Flash flood emergency issued for Brandon, Lakeland and Palm Harbor
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for areas to the north of Tampa Bay, including the towns of Brandon, Lakeland and Palm Harbor, where extreme amounts of rainfall have been reported since Hurricane Milton pushed ashore.
Flash Flood Emergency continues for Brandon FL, Lakeland FL and Palm Harbor FL until 4:00 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/EfQ7SCOyR5
— @NWSFlashFlood (@NWSFlashFlood) October 10, 2024
Mike Bebernes
Milton is the third hurricane to hit Florida in 2024, tying the record for the heaviest season on record
With Helene and Francine striking earlier this year, Florida has now seen three separate hurricanes make landfall this season. That has only happened five other times in recorded history, according to hurricane expert Philip Klotzbach.
The last time Florida experienced a three-hurricane season was in 2005, the year that Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast.
A trio of hurricanes also hit Florida in 1871, 1886, 1964 and 2004. There's still more than seven weeks before 2024’s hurricane season comes to an end.
Nicole Darrah
Milton downgraded to Category 2 hurricane
Hurricane Milton weakened to a Category 2 storm on Wednesday night, less than two hours after it made landfall near Siesta Key, Fla., the National Hurricane Center said in a 10 p.m. ET update.
Despite being downgraded, the storm is still packing a punch with 110 mph winds. A flash flood emergency is in effect for the Tampa Bay area until 2:30 a.m. ET.
10pm EDT #Hurricane #Milton Position Update:
A Flash Flood Emergency is in effect for the Tampa Bay Area as Milton continues to move inland.
A sustained wind of 86 mph & gust of 105 mph was recently reported at a WeatherFlow station at Egmont
Channel.… pic.twitter.com/N9K2Xr8SjE— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 10, 2024
David Knowles
More than 1.3 million Florida customers without power
The number of Florida customers without power rose to over 1.3 million as of 10 p.m. ET, according to PowerOutage.us.
Still a dangerous Category 2 hurricane, Milton is heading toward population centers like Orlando, so power outages could continue to rise in the coming hours.
David Knowles
'Sting jet' forms as Hurricane Milton comes ashore. Here's what that is.
As Hurricane Milton made its way toward the Tampa region Wednesday night, a meteorologist noticed what appeared to be the formation of what is known as a "sting jet."
"Unfortunately a sting jet might be coming into play here as Milton undergoes extratropical transition," Kaitlyn Jesmonth, a meteorologist and graduate research assistant at the University of Illinois, wrote in a post on X.
Unfortunately a sting jet might be coming into play here as #Milton undergoes extratropical transition
Typically we hear about these in Europe, as warm core extratropical cyclones move onshore https://t.co/cLZoOb4xTD pic.twitter.com/wqruTySNXw
— Kaitlyn Jesmonth (@wxkaitlynj) October 9, 2024
If the formation of a sting jet is confirmed, that could be troubling news for Tampa-area residents. Here's how NOAA describes them:
"A sting jet is a small, narrow core of very intense winds (often more than 100 mph) that sometimes form around the center of a low-pressure area when focused streams of warm and cold air feed warm air and moisture into the system. The unusually powerful winds associated with sting jets can often topple trees and damage structures as they encounter land. The 'sting' in its name is due to the fact that it resembles the shape of a scorpion’s tail."
Mike Bebernes
Florida sheriff 'begging' local residents to take shelter as Milton makes landfall
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister published a video on social media pleading with local residents to take shelter as Hurricane Milton arrived on the Florida mainland.
❗𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞: 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞❗
There is 𝗡𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡 to be out right now. Please shelter in place and stay safe until conditions improve. Your safety is #teamHCSO’s top priority! pic.twitter.com/hapAHUZlyN
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) October 10, 2024
“Please. As your sheriff. As a father. Wherever you are right now, shelter and stay indoors. I’m begging you,” he said.
Hillsborough County’s biggest city, Tampa, is expected to face life-threatening winds and storm surge throughout Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.
David Knowles
Flash flood emergency continues in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater
With heavy rains continuing to pound the Tampa region, the National Weather Service said Wednesday night that a flash flood emergency was in effect for Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater until 2:30 a.m. ET Thursday.
Flash Flood Emergency continues for Tampa FL, Saint Petersburg FL and Clearwater FL until 2:30 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/w2KDHMQKpp
— NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) October 10, 2024
Over 10 to 14 inches of rain have already fallen from Hurricane Milton.
David Knowles
St. Petersburg hit with over 5 inches of rain in 1 hour
Heavy rains from Hurricane Milton are pounding Tampa and St. Petersburg as the storm pushes onshore.
"THIS IS INSANE! St. Petersburg has reported 5.09 inches of rain in ONE HOUR and 9.04 inches in3 hours," atmospheric scientist and meteorologist Matthew Cappucci said in a post on X. "That's more rare than a thousand year rain event!"
THIS IS INSANE! St. Petersburg has reported 5.09 inches of rain in ONE HOUR and 9.04 inches in3 hours.
That’s more rare than a thousand year rain event!
Thresholds for 1,000-year rain there:
5.56”/1 hour
7.16”/2 hours
8.50”/3 hours @MyRadarWX pic.twitter.com/9QUHYaXPed— Matthew Cappucci (@MatthewCappucci) October 10, 2024
Mike Bebernes
At least 19 tornadoes touched down in Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival
At least 19 tornadoes have touched down in Florida as the outer bands of Hurricane Milton lashed the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a press briefing Wednesday night.
DeSantis reported that "numerous counties have reported tornado damage." According to NBC affiliate WBBH-TV, officials in St. Lucie County said there were "multiple fatalities" associated with the tornadoes.
There were a total of 116 tornado warnings issued across the state as the storm approached.
David Knowles
Over 1.1 million without power in Florida
The number of people in Florida without power continues to rise as Hurricane Milton pushes on land. More than 1.1 million customers are now without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us.
David Knowles
Weather Channel producer shares scenes of storm surge in Port Charlotte
Weather Channel producer Steve Petyerak, who works with meteorologist Jim Cantore, posted video of the building storm surge in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Live with @JimCantore in Port Charlotte, FL where the surge is rising from #HurricaneMilton pic.twitter.com/kJyk4OyuUL
— Steve Petyerak (@StevePetyerak) October 10, 2024
Making matters worse, high tide continues to build along the Florida coast.
David Knowles
Storm surge worries for coastal areas south of Siesta Key
As Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, officials in Tampa breathed a sigh of relief that the potential storm surge might not prove as bad as initially forecast.
That's because the right side of a storm making landfall from the west tends to pack a harder punch than the left, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.
"The hurricane's right side (relative to the direction it is travelling) is the most dangerous part of the storm because of the additive effect of the hurricane wind speed and speed of the larger atmospheric flow (the steering winds)," according to NSF Unidata, a University Corporation for Atmospheric Research program.
Storm chasers on the ground in towns south of Siesta Key, like Venice and Punta Gorda, posted dramatic videos of storm surge rushing in Wednesday night. Charlotte Harbor, where Punta Gorda is located, is expected to see 8-12 feet of surge before the storm pushes across the Florida Peninsula, the National Hurricane Center said.
Tampa, however, continues to be pounded with heavy rainfall, which could cause flash flooding.
