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Hurricane Milton made landfall as a powerful Category 3 storm near Siesta Key just south of Manatee County on Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center said.
On Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center predicted that Milton would make landfall near or just south of the Tampa Bay area, possibly in northwest Manatee County. But by Wednesday night, a landfall between Sarasota and Venice looked more likely.
Hurricane forecasters are warning all of Florida’s west-central coast to brace for extreme impacts from the storm as it comes ashore, including life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds, heavy rain and flash flooding.
In Manatee County, evacuation orders are in place for Levels A, B and C, and over 10,000 residents have flocked to shelters.
Bands of heavy rain and hurricane-force winds are swirling across the Bradenton area Wednesday night, and over 218,000 power outages have been reported in Manatee County.
Manatee County sees thousands of power outages
As of 12:40 a.m., about 84% of Manatee County residents and businesses were without power after Hurricane Milton made landfall on Siesta Key in Sarasota County.
Manatee is one of the most affected counties, along with Sarasota and Hardee Counties, according to data collected by Find Energy.
— 12:40 a.m.
Milton makes landfall in Sarasota County
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Siesta Key just before 8:30 pm Wednesday evening as the Category 3 storm continued lashing the Gulf Coast with heavy rains, whipping winds while spinning off a string of tornadoes across much of the peninsula.
Milton’s eye had been pushing ashore for hours before the National Hurricane Center made the official landfall call on the barrier island along the coast of Sarasota County.
The hurricane came in just south of Tampa Bay, potentially sparking the heavily populated and vulnerable region from the worst flooding. But Tampa Bay and much of the Gulf Coast still faced whopping 120 mph sustained winds and higher gusts.
And communities south of the landfall could see double-digit storm surge, including Fort Myers Beach and down to the Naples area.
— 8:45 p.m.
National Hurricane Center 8 p.m. update
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall within the next two hours south of the Tampa Bay area, between Sarasota and Venice.
It remains a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and higher gusts.
The storm is predicted to move across the central part of the Florida peninsula overnight and emerge off the east coast of Florida on Thursday.
Manatee County is experiencing hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall and flash flooding.
— 8 p.m.
Manatee County emergency services suspended
Due to hazardous conditions, emergency services in Manatee County have been suspended. All 911 emergency calls will be logged by operators and placed in a queue based on priority, according to county officials.
Calls will be responded to as soon as it is safe to do so, Manatee County Government said in an update.
National Hurricane Center 5 p.m. update
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall near or just south of the Tampa Bay region Wednesday evening, the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 p.m. advisory.
Northwest Manatee County remains in the potential path for a direct hit. Milton is still a strong Category 3 hurricane. Its maximum sustained wind speeds have weakened slightly to around 120 mph, with stronger gusts.
As of 5 p.m., the center of the storm is located 60 miles west-southwest of Sarasota.
The NHC forecasts a possible 9 to 13 feet of storm surge from Anna Maria Island south and a possible 6 to 9 feet of surge from Anna Maria Island north.
Hurricane-force winds extend about 35 miles from Milton’s center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend about 255 miles.
The heaviest rain is occurring on the north side of the storm’s center, and the strongest storm surge is expected to occur at and south of its landfall point, the NHC said.
— 5 p.m.
Milton at Category 3 strength
Hurricane Milton is now an upper-end Category 3 storm, down from Category 4 earlier today, the National Hurricane Center said in a 4 p.m. update.
Milton was located about 100 miles southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph.
“Heavy rainfall with tropical-storm force winds are spreading inland across the Florida peninsula,” NHC forecasters wrote. “There are also multiple tornado warnings in effect across the Florida peninsula. If a tornado warning is issued for your area, be ready to shelter quickly, preferably away from windows and in an interior room not prone to flooding.”
— 4:30 p.m.
Manatee officials: stay where you are until Milton passes
On Wednesday afternoon, Manatee County officials urged residents to shelter in place and not attempt to travel until Milton passes.
said residents should not attempt
“Where you are now is where you are going to be during the duration of Milton,” Manatee County Chief of Emergency Management Matthew Myers said. “We do not advise you to go anywhere at this time, as the situation is rapidly getting worse.”
“Do not venture out. It is not safe,” Myers emphasized.
Manatee County Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske said no preemptive power disconnections were planned as of Wednesday afternoon, but that could change as the storm intensifies.
As of 4 p.m., about 8,000 Manatee County residents were without power, according to Florida Power & Light and Peace River Electric Cooperative outage maps.
— 4 p.m.
Water main break in Bradenton
City of Bradenton officials say a water main break may leave some homes and businesses without water service until after Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
The impacted area is south of 9th Avenue East and north of 26th Avenue East, between 17th Street East and 27th Street East.
Crews attempted to repair the break but ran out of time before Milton’s landfall.
“Residents are encouraged to take precautions and ensure they have sufficient water for the storm’s duration or transfer to one of the county’s emergency shelters for the duration of the storm,” the city said.
— 3:30 p.m.
Thousands of Manatee County residents in emergency shelters
As of 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, 10,000 people have arrived at Manatee County emergency shelters to weather Hurricane Milton, county officials said.
The following shelters are open Wednesday afternoon:
- Virgil Mills Elementary School (7200 69th St. E., Palmetto)
- Jessie P. Miller Elementary School (601 43rd St. W., Bradenton)
- Myakka Elementary School (37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City)
- W D Sugg Middle School (5602 38th Ave. W., Bradenton)
- Barbara A. Harvey Elementary School (8610 115th Ave. E., Parrish)
- B D Gullett Elementary School (12125 44th Ave. E., Bradenton)
- Gilbert W McNeal Elementary School (6325 Lorraine Road, Lakewood Ranch)
- Dr. Mona Jain Middle School (12205 44th Ave. E., Bradenton)
- Robert H. Prine Elementary (3801 Southern Pkwy. W., Bradenton)
- Electa Lee Magnet Middle School (4000 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton)
- Freedom Elementary School (9515 S.R. 64, Bradenton)
- Robert Willis Elementary School, (14705 The Masters Ave., Lakewood Ranch)
- Annie Lucy Williams Elementary School (3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish)
- Gene Witt Elementary School (200 Rye Road E., Bradenton)
- Blanche H. Daughtrey Elementary School (515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton)
All shelters are pet-friendly, but pets must be brought in a crate.
A special needs shelter is also available. Residents can visit MyManatee.org/needs for eligibility info and call 311 for transport.
National Hurricane Center 2 p.m. update
As of 2 p.m, Milton remains a Category 4 hurricane but is on the cusp of weakening to a Category 3, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm is about 150 miles southwest of Tampa with sustained maximum winds of 130 mph. Landfall is expected late Wednesday night somewhere on the west coast of Florida. The predicted landfall destination has ticked south toward Bradenton and Sarasota, but forecasters warn that could still change and impacts will be felt widely across Southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay area.
Milton has grown in size with tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 250 miles from the storm’s eye.
“Milton is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of Florida tonight, and remain at hurricane strength while it moves across the Florida peninsula through Thursday,” hurricane forecasters wrote Wednesday afternoon.
Storm surge predictions for parts of Manatee County have decreased slightly but remain life-threatening.
As of 2 p.m., the NHC forecasts a possible 9 to 13 feet of surge from Anna Maria Island south and a possible 8 to 12 feet of surge from Anna Maria Island north.
— 2 p.m.
National Hurricane Center 11 a.m. update
The wind shear that hurricane forecasters predicted would impact Hurricane Milton has begun to cut into the storm, weakening it to a Category 4 hurricane.
Continued weakening is expected, but forecasters say that with only about 12 hours left over Gulf waters, Milton will still be a powerful hurricane by the time it makes landfall somewhere along Florida’s west coast.
The threat of 10 to 15 feet of storm surge is still in play for coastal Manatee County from Anna Maria Island south. North of Anna Maria Island, possible surge of 8 to 12 feet is forecast.
Rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches are predicted across Manatee, bringing a threat of flash flooding.
“The time to prepare, including to evacuate if told do so, is quickly coming to an end along the Florida west coast,” the NHC said.
— 11 a.m.
Skyway Bridge closes due to strong winds
The Florida Highway Patrol announced Wednesday morning that the Florida Sunshine Skyway Bridge that connects Manatee and Pinellas counties is closed to all traffic until further notice.
Troopers close the bridge across Tampa Bay when wind speeds exceed 45 miles per hour or roadway conditions become too dangerous.
Hurricane Milton is expected to produce wind speeds of up to 115 miles per hour. The major hurricane is expected to make landfall around 1 a.m. Thursday.
— 11:30 a.m.
Deadly storm surge threat for Manatee County
Hurricane Milton is still forecast to bring life-threatening storm surge amounts to coastal Manatee County.
Milton’s ultimate landfall point will impact which areas see the worst surge. Hurricane forecasters say the highest surge amounts will occur near and south of the storm’s landfall point.
As of 8 a.m., the National Hurricane Center forecasts that Anna Maria Island north to the Anclote River, including Tampa Bay, could see 8 to 12 feet of surge.
Anna Maria Island south to Boca Grande is forecast to receive 10 to 15 feet of surge.
“Now is the time to rush to complete all preparations to protect life and property in accordance with your emergency plan,” the NHC said at 9 a.m. “Ensure you are in a safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weather warnings.”
— 9 a.m.
Tornado watch for Manatee County
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Manatee and other Southwest Florida counties until 9 p.m. Wednesday.
“The situation is very favorable for tornadoes,” the NWS of Tampa Bay said in an advisory for Bradenton and Anna Maria Island.
If a tornado is spotted or indicated by radar, the NWS will issue a local tornado warning.
“Move quickly to the safest place within your shelter if a tornado warning is issued,” the NWS said.
— 8:30 a.m.
National Hurricane Center 8 a.m. update
Hurricane Milton is now expected to make landfall as a Category 4 storm somewhere on Florida’s west coast, the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 a.m. advisory.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, Milton was a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds about 250 miles southwest of Tampa.
Manatee County emergency shelters open
Manatee County officials have issued evacuation orders for residents in Level A, Level B and Level C, as well as anyone staying in an RV, mobile home or manufactured home.
Residents in those areas should evacuate immediately to a shelter or other safe place.
“We do not issue evacuation orders lightly,” Jodie Fiske, the county’s public safety director, said in a statement. “Milton is anticipated to cause more storm surge than Helene. So, if you stayed during Helene, and got lucky, I would not press my luck with this particular system.”
Residents can check their evacuation level at MyManatee.org/storm or by calling 311 .
Manatee County residents are taking evacuation orders seriously ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival and flocking to public evacuation shelters. Roughly 6,000 residents have taken advantage of the shelters, officials say.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the following shelters are open:
- Virgil Mills Elementary School (7200 69th St. E., Palmetto)
- Jessie P. Miller Elementary School (601 43rd St. W., Bradenton)
- Myakka Elementary School (37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City)
- W D Sugg Middle School (5602 38th Ave. W., Bradenton)
- Barbara A. Harvey Elementary School (8610 115th Ave. E., Parrish)
- B D Gullett Elementary School (12125 44th Ave. E., Bradenton)
- Gilbert W McNeal Elementary School (6325 Lorraine Road, Lakewood Ranch)
- Dr. Mona Jain Middle School (12205 44th Ave. E., Bradenton)
- Robert H. Prine Elementary (3801 Southern Pkwy. W., Bradenton)
- Electa Lee Magnet Middle School (4000 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton)
- Freedom Elementary School (9515 S.R. 64, Bradenton)
- Robert Willis Elementary School, (14705 The Masters Ave., Lakewood Ranch)
- Annie Lucy Williams Elementary School (3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish)
- Gene Witt Elementary School (200 Rye Road E., Bradenton)
- Blanche H. Daughtrey Elementary School (515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton)
All shelters are pet-friendly, but pets must be brought in a crate.
A special needs shelter is also available. Residents can visit MyManatee.org/needs for eligibility info and call 311 for transport.
National Weather Service urges residents to shelter
On Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service of Tampa Bay urged residents to speedily finish preparations and hunker down in a safe place before Hurricane Milton’s arrival:
Now is the time to complete all preparations to protect life and property in accordance with your emergency plan. Ensure you are in a safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding.
“If you are relocating to safe shelter, leave as early as possible. Allow extra time to reach your destination. Many roads and bridges will be closed once strong winds arrive.
Check the latest weather forecast before departing and drive with caution.
Take essential items with you from your Emergency Supplies Kit. Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury or loss of life. Always heed the advice of local officials and comply with any orders that are issued.
Remember, during the storm 911 Emergency Services may not be able to immediately respond if conditions are unsafe. This should be a big factor in your decision making.
Storm surge is the leading killer associated with tropical storms and hurricanes! Make sure you are in a safe area away from the surge zone. Even if you are not in a surge-prone area, you could find yourself cutoff by flood waters during and after the storm.
Heed evacuation orders issued by the local authorities. If in a place that is vulnerable to high wind, such as near large trees, a manufactured home, upper floors of a high-rise building, or on a boat, consider moving to a safer shelter before the onset of strong winds or flooding.
Watches and warnings for Manatee County
As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, the following watches and warnings are in effect for Manatee County, according to the NHC and the National Weather Service:
HURRICANE WARNING: A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
STORM SURGE WARNING: A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening surge from rising water moving inland from the coastline during the next 36 hours.
FLOOD WATCH: A Flood Watch indicates that current or developing conditions are favorable for flooding. An additional 3-6 inches of rainfall is forecast for Bradenton and Anna Maria Island, with locally higher amounts, according to NWS.
TORNADO WATCH: A tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form. A tornado watch has been issued for Manatee County until 9 p.m. Wednesday.
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