Hurricane Milton's deadly onslaught in Florida leaves 3M without power after destructive 100-mph winds

Hurricane Milton moved off Florida's east coast early Thursday morning after making landfall Wednesday evening south of Tampa near Sarasota. The powerful storm brought destructive winds, widespread power outages affecting over 3 million customers and a significant outbreak of tornadoes across the Sunshine State.

The St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center has confirmed to FOX Weather that at least four people were killed during Wednesday's tornado outbreak spawned by Milton.

Wind gusts reached 102 mph in St. Petersburg, Sarastota and Siesta Key, while the strongest gust in the state was 107 mph south of Sarasota around Venice.

A gust of 92 mph was also recorded in West Palm Beach, likely due to proximity to a tornado. As Milton raced across the Florida Peninsula overnight, an 84-mph wind gust was reported in Daytona Beach around 3:30 a.m. ET on Thursday. Orlando International Airport also clocked a hurricane-force wind gust of 74 mph around midnight.

A dramatic scene unfolded in Madeira Beach, a Pinellas County city near St. Petersburg, early Thursday morning. Just two weeks after Hurricane Helene caused significant flooding, FOX Weather Storm Specialist and Meteorologist Mike Seidel captured a home on fire.

The blaze was likely ignited by a power line brought down by Milton's strong winds.

TOPSHOT - Oscar Garcia (R) with his family stands outside his house after getting hit by a reported tornado in Fort Myers, Florida, on October 9, 2024, as Hurricane Milton approaches. Florida residents fled or just hunkered down in the final hours Oc

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Sarasota Mayor Liz Alper received a phone call from President Joe Biden directly after his news conference on Milton.

Biden assured Florida residents that the federal government would provide significant assistance for rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts in affected communities.

"The President wanted to see if there is anything we need in Sarasota to let him know," Alpert said. "He understands this is going to be an unprecedented type of hurricane and also understands it will take a lot from the federal government to help us recover in Sarasota."

Alpert said she also received a call of support from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg earlier in the week as they prepared for the historic storm.

The hurricane’s power caused the National Hurricane Center and local National Weather Service offices to warn of a life-threatening storm surge that, in some communities, was forecast to eclipse records set during the 1920s.

Due to the overall weather pattern, which was a bit unusual for October, upper-level winds helped to broaden the hurricane’s width in the moments before landfall but also led to substantial weakening.

The once-Category 5 hurricane formed in the Bay of Campeche on Oct. 5 and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane within the system’s first 72 hours as a tropical cyclone.

Milton’s intensity made it the fifth-strongest cyclone on record in the Atlantic Basin, only falling short of records held by Wilma (2005), Gilbert (1988) Labor Day (1935) and Rita (2005).

Hurricane Milton made landfall Thursday evening in Siesta, Florida. (FOX Weather)

More than 3 million power outages reported in Florida

After racing through Central Florida overnight, Hurricane Milton emerged out over the Atlantic Ocean before sunrise Thursday, but the damage had already been done.

Due to the combination of damaging wind gusts and tornadoes, more than 3 million power outages were reported across Florida by early Thursday morning, according to PowerOutage.us.

The former major hurricane will continue to produce heavy rainfall, gusty winds and large swells until it moves far enough into the western Atlantic to minimize impacts on the Sunshine State.

A look at the current power outages in Florida. (FOX Weather)

Following Wednesday evening's landfall, a Flash Flood Emergency was issued around the Tampa metro after more than 10 inches of rain was reported in less than three hours.

A modest storm surge of 3-5 feet is also anticipated from the First Coast to the Space Coast, which will cause flooding during times of high tides and significant beach erosion.

Shelters were opened from Jacksonville along the Treasure Coast for both local residents and evacuees from the opposite coast. 

Milton Landfall (NOAA)

Conditions were extreme enough around Central Florida and Orlando that police and fire crews stopped responding to some calls and encouraged residents to shelter in place.

Tropicana Field's roof damaged in St. Petersburg

Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, and a temporary staging location for hundreds of first responders, was damaged during Milton's landfall.

Videos and photos posted to social media showed pieces of the roof flapping in the gusty winds southwest of Tampa.

According to local authorities, there were no reports of any injuries associated with the damage to the stadium.

The area experienced wind gusts clocked at more than 100 mph at surface level, with likely higher speeds in multistory structures.

Nearby, a tower crane at a construction site fell onto the buildings below.

Locals said the building had been under construction for years, but the equipment was no match for Mother Nature.

There were no injuries reported in connection with the collapse, but witnesses reported the smell of gas in the air.

Hurricane Milton spawns deadly tornado outbreak in Florida

In addition to the hurricane-force winds and storm surge, Milton has triggered a historic and record-breaking tornado outbreak.

More than 120 Tornado Warnings were issued across Central and South Florida on Wednesday as Hurricane Milton's powerful outer bands found an atmosphere ripe for tornadic development.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, located along the state's east coast, reported "multiple fatalities" associated with several tornadoes that rolled through.

First responders were seen going from home to home north of Fort Pierce in search for victims.

Stunning videos from Florida Department of Transportation cameras along Interstate 75 in Alligator Alley between Broward and Palm Beach counties captured the destructive force of Milton's extreme weather in the state.

FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell happened upon tornado damage in Fort Myers.

Get the latest information for this story from Fox Weather.