NOAA NHC estimated path for Hurricane Milton. (Image credit: IRLON) Hurricane Milton, a powerful storm that underwent rapid intensification over the Gulf of Mexico, became one of the most intense hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. It made landfall on October 9, 2024, near Siesta Key on Florida's west coast as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene's devastating impact. Milton then traversed the state eastward, weakening to a Category 1 storm as it passed directly over Indian River Lagoon Observatory Network of Environmental Sensors (IRLON) stations, IRL-TS and IRL-BR, before exiting into the Atlantic Ocean. The storm's impacts—severe storm surges, heavy rainfall and associated flooding, and tornadoes—were felt throughout the state.