Hurricane Milton tracker: Landfall south of Tampa Bay expected soon

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Published  October 9, 2024 8:21pm EDT
FOX 35 Orlando
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Update (8:30 p.m.): Hurricane Milton made landfall at 8:31 p.m. Wednesday near Siesta Key, Florida, just south of Tampa Bay. It made landfall as a Cat. 3 storm with 120 mph, technically a major hurricane.

Original story:

Hurricane Milton is closely approaching Florida's Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall shortly. Milton was expected to make landfall south of Tampa Bay on Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center said. 

As of 8 p.m., Hurricane Milton was 20 miles from Sarasota and 130 miles southwest of Orlando, the NHC said. It has winds of 120 mph, making it a Category 3 hurricane.

Hurricane Milton has weakened over the last several hours from a Category 4 to a Category 3. However, it has grown in size and its impact has been felt across the Peninsula. More than 130 tornado warnings were issued by Florida's National Weather Service offices in Miami, Melbourne, and Jacksonville, primarily impacted Central Florida and South Florida.

Florida's west coast is bracing for life-threatening and destructive storm surge, damaging winds, and flooding. Torrential rain, flooding, and damaging winds are the main threats for Central Florida.

When will Hurricane Milton make landfall – and where?

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall within the next two hours, the National Hurricane Center said in its p.m. advisory.

It's expected to make landfall south of Tampa Bay, the NHC said. 

Hurricane Milton live tracker: Here's latest 

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