Hurricane Milton was downgraded to a Category 2 storm mere hours after making landfall near Sarasota along Florida's western coast Wednesday night, according to forecasters.

Hurricane Milton, now a Category 4 hurricane, is taking aim at Florida's west coast. Landfall is expected late Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane. Milton is closing in as Floridians are still recovering from the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Helene.

Hurricane Milton has made landfall in Florida near Siesta Key in Sarasota County, bringing powerful winds, deadly storm surge and flooding.

Hurricane Milton was downgraded to a Category 4 storm on Tuesday as it grinded past Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula en route to Florida's Gulf Coast where over 1 million people were ordered to evacuate. Parts of Florida are still recovering from Hurricane Helene,

By Leonora LaPeter Anton and Brad Brooks ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) - An expanding Hurricane Milton closed in on Florida's west coast on Wednesday, spawning tornados and lashing the region with rain and wind hours ahead of its expected landfall near Tampa Bay,