Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s west-central coast near Siesta Key, Sarasota County, as a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds around 120 mph (195 km/h) on the evening of October 9, 2024, before moving inland across the state.

Context and quick details

• Landfall location: Near Siesta Key, about 5 miles west of Sarasota, Florida.

• Landfall time: Approximately 8:30 PM EDT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024.

• Intensity at landfall: Category 3, with winds around 120 mph (195 km/h).

• Path after landfall: Crossed the Florida Peninsula, exiting into the Atlantic Ocean northeast of Cape Canaveral around sunrise on October 10, 2024.

• Notable impacts: Severe storm surge along parts of the Gulf Coast, strong winds, and associated flooding in central Florida; tornadoes were reported in some areas as Milton approached and moved over the peninsula.

If you’d like, I can pull a concise timeline of Milton’s track and key impacts, or summarize official post-storm assessments from the National Hurricane Center or Florida’s climate/emergency agencies.