Milton approached Florida as a Category 3 hurricane (with wind gusts up to 195 km/h), then weakened to Category 1 (150 km/h) and passed from the west to the east coast of the state through Tampa, Sarasota, Orlando, Daytona Beach and Pummel Bay.
As a result, 279 mm of rain fell in Tampa in 24 hours – breaking a century-old record. The city’s emergency services received more than 100 calls due to fires, fallen trees, downed power lines, and injuries. In one of the calls, the police rescued 15 people, including children. Mayor Jane Castor urged residents to stay in their homes and shelters until city officials declare that it is safe to be on the streets. According to her, the hurricane caused significant damage, and the morning tide could lead to flooding not only in Tampa, but also in Hillsborough County as a whole. However, according to Kastor, there are no casualties in the city.