Shortly after landfall from Milton at Siesta Key in Sarasota County the entire peninsula was covered by sustained tropical storm force winds. Over 1 million Floridians are currently without power.

While the storm weakened from a strong category five storm as it began, it’s approach to Southwest Florida to a category three storm upon landfall, the storm has made it’s presence felt.

Milton of course will go into the history books because it is among the five strongest storms ever in the history of the Atlantic basin but its impacts on Florida will also be historic.

The most visible image of this storm thus far will be the ripping off of the roof of Tropicana Field in Saint Petersburg. Wind damage in the Sarasota and Tampa Bay areas has been massive and a storm surge comparable to what we saw last week in Helene impacted Charlotte Harbour and Fort Myers area.

but perhaps the most surprising aspect of this storm and the most atypical was the amount of traumatic activity it spawned particularly in southern Florida. As of this writing we have had 19 confirmed tornadoes and the National Weather Service Miami Office had to issue at least 55 different tornado warnings on Wednesday. In total 120 warnings were issued by the NWS offices in Florida.

One tornado passed only a matter of miles from my residence in Coral Springs.

In the next few days, we will have much more coverage in an audio and video form on this website from Milton and once again discuss the issue of climate change which is not being addressed adequately by public officials in this state.