One year ago, Hurricane Milton roared ashore in Florida
Hurricane Milton knocked out power across Florida after hitting the west coast with a 6-foot storm surge. The storm then spawned 46 tornadoes.
Police in Hillsborough County, Florida, rescued a family of three and their dog who were trapped inside of their flooded home.
On the evening of Oct. 9, 2024, the fifth hurricane to strike the United States in the 2024 season roared ashore on the west coast of Florida, just two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall on the same state.
Milton, once a Category 5 storm, hit Florida as a Category 3, knocking out power to 3.5 million customers across the Sunshine State. A total of 27 people died from the storm.
Saint Petersburg, Florida, reported 18.90 inches of rain, and an amateur rain gauge nearby reported 20.40 inches. This caused widespread flooding that lasted weeks in some areas, due to slow-moving rivers.
AccuWeather's estimate for Milton's damage and economic loss was between $160 and $180 billion USD, the last hurricane to make landfall in a blockbuster season that totaled half a trillion dollars.
Hurricane Milton spawned 46 tornadoes, including a monster EF3 that hit Palm Beach Gardens on the other side of the state.
The hurricane brought an estimated storm surge of 10 feet near Manasota Key, which had previously had heavy storm damage from Hurricane Helene. In a turn of fate, because of its landfall point south of Tampa, the water fell nearly 5 feet in Tampa Bay, saving most of the city from further damage — a meteorological event known as a blowout tide.
In April 2025, the World Meteorological Organization announced that the name Milton was retired, meaning that it cannot be used for future tropical storm names.
Report a Typo
