The hardest-hit areas in Florida were on the state's Gulf Coast, where Milton made landfall. Hundreds of thousands of people remain without power as damage spread throughout southern Florida and the state's Atlantic Coast, as well, mainly from tornadoes.

Hurricane Milton strengthened as it churned through the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida on Tuesday and could wallop one of the state’s major population centers with huge storm surges, lashing rain and destructive winds just two weeks after deadly Hurricane Helene swamped the coastline.