Hurricane Milton hits Florida: Dramatic footage from space captures storm's fury

The storm's eye is clearly visible, surrounded by dense cloud bands stretching across hundreds of kilometers.

In Short

• The storm's eye is clearly visible in the footage
• Most striking is the abundance of lightning visible in southern Florida
• The hurricane's powerful winds reached up to 120 miles per hour at landfall

Stunning satellite imagery has captured the moment Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, offering a breathtaking view of the storm's power from space.

The footage, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), shows the massive hurricane swirling over the Sunshine State, with intense lightning activity illuminating its core.

The video reveals an awe-inspiring display of nature's might as Milton, a Category 3 hurricane at landfall, slammed into Florida's west coast near Siesta Key on Wednesday.

The storm's eye is clearly visible, surrounded by dense cloud bands stretching across hundreds of miles.

Perhaps most striking is the abundance of lightning visible in southern Florida, where numerous tornadoes touched down throughout the day. The frequent flashes create a mesmerising light show within the storm system, highlighting the extreme conditions on the ground.

As Milton marched across central Florida on Thursday, it left a trail of destruction in its wake.

The hurricane's powerful winds, reaching up to 120 miles per hour at landfall, have destroyed homes, uprooted trees, and knocked out power to nearly 2 million customers across the state.

The space perspective offers a unique view of the storm's massive scale and organization. It clearly shows how Milton's spiral bands extend far beyond its core, affecting a wide swath of Florida and neighboring states.

Meteorologists and emergency management officials are closely monitoring the satellite imagery to track Milton's movement and intensity. This data is crucial for issuing timely warnings and coordinating response efforts on the ground.

As Milton continues its path across Florida, weakening to a Category 1 hurricane but still posing significant dangers, this space-based footage serves as a stark reminder of the furious power of nature and the importance of heeding evacuation orders and safety precautions during such extreme weather events.