Hurricane Milton has left a trail of destruction in its wake after slamming into Siesta Key off Sarasota as a Category 3 storm, leaving 3 million without power or water before moving off the east

After reaching peak intensity with wind speeds of 180 m.p.h. (285 km/h) on Monday night, Milton became the strongest storm on our planet for 2024.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm, bringing powerful winds, deadly storm surge and potential flooding to much of the state. Milton drew fuel from exceedingly warm Gulf of Mexico waters, twice reaching Category 5 status.

The weather system is forecast to instensify into a hurricane and make landfall on Florida's west coast on Wednesday.

Shelters were open in all 67 Florida counties, and authorities urged residents of evacuation zones not to attempt to ride out the storm.

Video filmed Oct. 7 shows backed-up traffic on Interstate 75 outside the Tampa area as Florida residents began to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton.

The Category 5 Hurricane Milton was expected to grow larger on Tuesday as it threatened Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on its way to Florida, where more than a million people were ordered to evacuate from its path.

Press has reporters and photographers covering the latest news in Lee County as residents, businesses and officials prepare for Milton.

Milton could be one of Florida's worst storms in 100 years. Milton could be one of Florida’s worst storms in 100 years, President Joe Biden warned while a