Hurricane Milton is downgraded to Category 3 but still a grave threat to Florida

Milton was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday but remained a major storm and a grave threat as it closed in on Florida’s west coast, where officials sounded urgent warnings for residents to flee inland or face grim odds of surviving the storm’s surge.

Steady rain fell and winds gusted as Milton drew closer to the Tampa Bay region, which is home to more than 3.3 million people and hasn’t seen a direct hit from a major hurricane in more than a century.

Milton has fluctuated in strength as it approached, but regardless of the distinction in wind speeds, the National Hurricane Center said it would be a major and extremely dangerous storm when its center makes landfall late Wednesday.

Milton was centered about 100 miles (155 kilometers) southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph), the center reported.

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