Hurricane Milton’s devastating landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast hit one of the most popular areas for temporary residents who spend the winter months living in the Sunshine State.

In the days before Hurricane Milton hit Florida, forecasters were worried it could send as much as 15 feet (4.5 meters) of water rushing onto the heavily populated shores of Tampa Bay. Instead, several feet of water temporarily drained away.

The National Weather Service says it has received reports of multiple collapsed cranes due to high winds in St. Petersburg, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Siesta Key, where Milton made landfall.

Hurricane Milton ripped part of the roof off of Tropicana Field late Wednesday evening as Hurricane Milton moved through the state.

Rain and winds are picking up in Sumter County as Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida on Wednesday evening, downing trees and blocking some roads.

Hurricane Milton on Wednesday continues to move through the Gulf of Mexico on a path toward Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Milton officially made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday evening, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Milton on Wednesday continues to move through the Gulf of Mexico on a path toward Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Cleanup from Hurricane Milton is underway as residents are returning home after the storm barreled across Florida.

A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected in the specified area of the warning within 36 hours.

TripAdvisor has released its list of the top beaches in the world — and one Florida beach managed to make the cut.

A cold snap in Florida is different than in other places.

Photos of a whale shark spotted off Siesta Key on May 5, 2020. (Image credit: @alexdgroat on Instagram)SIESTA KEY, Fla. – A Florida man was bitten by a shark and walked home bleeding where a woman called 911 and had him taken to a hospital. News outlets reported the man was swimming in the waters off Siesta Key, Florida, when the attack happened. WTVT reported a woman called 911 and said the 39-year-old man had been bitten on his hand and arm and was bleeding profusely. She was heard reassuring him “everything’s going to be OK.”Sarasota Memorial Hospital spokesman Kim Savage said a man had been admitted Tuesday and the wound was confirmed to have been a shark bite, but she said she could not provide any more details on his condition or personal information.

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s always swimsuit season in Florida, thanks in part to the weather and its amazing beaches. In fact, Florida’s beaches are so amazing that eight of them landed spots on TripAdvisor’s list of the Top 25 Beaches in the United States for 2020. 1 is Siesta Key’s Siesta Beach, which was also ranked No. The closest beach to Central Florida to make the list is St. Augustine Beach at No. These are the top 25 beaches in the U.S., according to travelers: