Hurricane Milton hits Florida, NHC tracks 2 more systems in Atlantic
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida Wednesday evening, bringing catastrophic damage across the state. Millions of Floridians were left without power and many were left without homes.
Milton spawned more than 100 tornadoes across the state. Several fatalities have been reported.
Hurricane Milton followed the catastrophic Hurricane Helene, which unleashed its fury upon the southern Appalachians roughly two weeks ago, after making landfall as a Category 4 storm in Florida’s Big Bend — the most powerful storm on record for the region. With at least 222 confirmed deaths, it now ranks as the fourth-deadliest hurricane in U.S. history.
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The National Hurricane Center is now tracking three other systems in the Atlantic basin, including Hurricane Leslie.
Here’s what we know from the National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory.
Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida
Hurricane Milton moved quickly across Florida Wednesday night after making landfall near Siesta Key at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9 as a Category 3 storm. Sustained winds were 120 mph.
By 5 a.m. Thursday, the center of the hurricane was moving into the Atlantic near Cape Canaveral as a Category 1 storm with winds of 85 mph. The worst conditions have shifted to east-central and northeastern Florida.
NHC tracking two other systems in Atlantic
Hurricane Leslie: The system in the central Atlantic is expected to develop through Monday. No impacts are expected to land from Hurricane Leslie.
Far eastern tropical Atlantic: Disorganized showers and thunderstorms are associated with a tropical wave located over the west coast of Africa.
Environmental conditions appear marginal for limited development of this system while it moves westward or west-northwestward across the eastern tropical Atlantic and through the Cabo Verde Islands on Friday.
- Formation chance through 48 hours: Low, 10 percent.
- Formation chance through 7 days: Low, 10 percent.
Potential Tropical Storm Nadine diminishes
Invest 93L, in the southwestern Atlantic: Showers and thunderstorms associated with a gale-force low pressure system located a few hundred miles south of Bermuda remain disorganized.
A Wednesday update reported Invest 93L had a chance of developing into Tropical Storm Nadine, but environmental conditions proved unfavorable. The system moves east-northeastward, passing to the south of Bermuda today.
- Formation chance through 48 hours: Low, near 0 percent.
- Formation chance through 7 days: Low, near 0 percent.
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— USA TODAY reporter Cheryl McCloud contributed to this report.
