Hurricane Milton makes landfall near Siesta Key as Cat 3

[National Weather Service]

Hurricane Milton has made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in Sarasota around 9 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Maximum sustained winds are 115 mph, with a pressure of 956 mb. The storm is moving east-northeast at 15 mph.

In Marion County, 25,789 customers are out of power, as of 9:16 p.m.

“A large area of destructive storm surge, with highest inundations of 10 ft or greater, is expected along a portion of the west-central coast of the Florida Peninsula. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by damaging waves. Water levels will rise rapidly as the eye approaches and strong onshore winds on the backside of the hurricane will also cause a rapid rise in water as the center makes landfall,” according to NHC.