Hurricane Milton Tears Roof Off Tropicana Field

On Wednesday night, Hurricane Milton unleashed its fury on St. Petersburg, Florida, tearing parts of the roof off Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays. The fabric roof sustained significant damage, though the beams remained intact. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, as first responders had already stationed themselves inside the stadium in preparation for the storm.

The Category 3 hurricane made landfall near Siesta Key, south of Sarasota, around 8:30 p.m. with winds clocking in at 120 mph. While Tampa was spared a direct hit, the effects were still devastating. By 10:30 p.m., winds had reached 91 mph in St. Petersburg, and areas like Sarasota saw gusts over 100 mph, according to local reports.

By midnight, nearly two million Floridians were left without power as the storm tore through the state. PowerOutage.com confirmed widespread outages from Milton's relentless winds.

Tropicana Field, which stands as Major League Baseball's only non-retractable domed stadium, took a major hit. The venue, known for hosting games year-round, faces substantial repairs in the aftermath of this storm.

Meteorologists had issued warnings earlier in the day, predicting storm surges along Florida’s southwest coast. Several tornadoes were also spotted as part of the hurricane's destructive path, forcing additional tornado warnings in cities already bracing for the hurricane's impact.

Despite weakening from its original Category 5 status, Hurricane Milton still wreaked havoc. Experts, including meteorologist Jeff Masters, reminded us that some of the worst disasters come from storms that weaken before landfall. "Katrina was weakening when it hit and caused $190 billion in damage. Milton might be weaker, but the storm surge alone could lead to unprecedented destruction," Masters warned. His predictions underscore the immense danger of such storms, even as they decrease in intensity.

As Florida grapples with the aftermath of yet another catastrophic hurricane, residents are left to pick up the pieces. Tropicana Field's damages are just one part of the larger devastation the storm has inflicted on the Sunshine State.

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