JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Hurricane Milton made landfall in Sarasota County, Fla. Wednesday night as "an extremely dangerous Category 3 hurricane," bringing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of the 10 p.m. advisory, Milton was downgraded to a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. The storm is now 20 miles northeast of Sarasota.
The Tampa Bay area is under a flash flood emergency, with some areas getting 16 inches of rainfall.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Huracán Milton toca tierra en Florida
Milton's impacts to the First Coast will continue this evening, but the worst of the weather being Thursday 12 a.m. to 12 p.m.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Duval, Nassau, Clay, Columbia, Baker, Bradford and Union Counties
Hurricane Warnings are in place for St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler counties and along the beaches of Duval and Nassau.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Glynn, Camden, Brantley and Charlton Counties.
Impacts will be worse the farther southeast in the First Coast you go, such as St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler counties. Wind gusts could be up to 70 mph for some, meaning damage to trees and power outages. Heavy rain could be up to 12" and inland flooding is a concern. Surge around 3-5 feet for coastal areas and 2-4 feet for the St. Johns River is possible. For a county-by-county breakdown of impacts, click here.
Storm preparations should be done by Wednesday morning. Secure any objects (like weak structures, patio furniture, tree limbs, etc.) that are most susceptible to wind, rainfall, and elevated tides.
