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.

SOUTH MISSISSIPPI (WLOX) - Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida around 7:30 p.m. CDT as a major Category 3 hurricane with winds around 120 mph. Milton is the fifth hurricane to make landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2024.