HOUSTON – Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, Florida Wednesday.
Milton has maximum sustained winds of 120 mph at landfall and a minimum central pressure of 954 mb.
Major Hurricane Milton has been downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane as of 3 p.m Wednesday.
The storm poses a significant threat to a large portion of western Florida that will lead to devastating impacts including life-threatening storm surges, widespread power outages and flash flooding.
Milton’s Track:
Milton is roaring as a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds, setting sights on a direct landfall for central western Florida.
Milton is expected to slow before making landfall on Wednesday evening. Even though the storm has dropped to a Category 3, the impacts will still be devasting.
Impacts:
Storm Surge:
As expected, a powerful hurricane like Milton will have many impacts along the western coast of Florida. The most dangerous is an intense storm surge, that could reach up to 15-20 feet in some areas. The effects of Milton’s storm surge will likely extend multiple miles away from the center of landfall.
Wind Speeds:
Milton is forecasted to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane. This will bring widespread wind damage, and likely widespread power outages. On the map below, you can see nearly the entire state will see at least tropical storm force winds.
Where there are hurricane force winds, you can expect to see power outages. One thing that will not help is the debris that is still on the streets in Florida after Helene pushed through last week.
Rainfall Totals:
Although Milton is forecasted to move through Florida quickly, it will still bring heavy tropical downpours. Forecast rainfall totals range from 6-12″ where the center of the storm passes through.
Share your photos and videos of the storm
Residents are encouraged to share their experiences through Click2Pins by uploading photos and videos of the storm’s impact.
Visit Click2Pins to contribute and view shared content. For continuous updates, visit Click2Houston.
