Hurricane Milton hit Siesta Key as a cat-3 storm with hurricane winds 35 miles from center, and Milton departs Florida near Cape Canaveral as a cat-1 storm with hurricane winds extending 35 miles from center.

Tampa Bay narrowly avoided a direct hit as Milton made landfall 70 miles south. Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, at 8:30 pm Wednesday as a Category 3 storm. At landfall, the storm was producing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph while moving toward the northeast at 15 mph.

As the sun rise Hurricane Milton leaves a wake of tremendous damage behind him across the entire state.   Assessments are now being made.

At 500 AM EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Milton was located near latitude 28.5 North, longitude 80.5 West. Milton is moving toward the northeast near 18 mph (30 km/h) and this general motion is expected to continue today, followed by a turn toward the east tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Milton will move away from Florida and to the north of the Bahamas today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 85 mph (140 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is expected, but Milton is forecast to become a powerful extratropical low tonight. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles (335 km). (more)

If you are in the area let us know how you are doing.

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