Continue to pray for Florida as its residents begin to assess the damage left in the wake of Hurricane Milton, now offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to news sources, it made landfall near Siesta Key on Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm, bringing with it powerful winds, deadly storm surge, and potential flooding. The National Hurricane Center reported that the hurricane’s eye crossed the coastline around 8:30 p.m. ET, bringing with it sustained winds of 120 mph. By 5 a.m. today (Thursday), it had crossed the state, while still packing hurricane-force winds, exiting at Cape Canaveral. As of Thursday afternoon, more than 3.2 million properties were without power. Meteorologists were also watching for potential life-threatening storm surge along the coast from east-central Florida northward to southern Georgia.

Chris Jennings, pastor of Calvary Chapel Cape Coral, in coastal southwest Florida, reported today that in his city, there were mainly power outages and downed palm fronds and tree limbs from tornadoes that preceded the landfall of the hurricane. One tornado passed just east of his home, he said. There were at least 126 tornado warnings Wednesday, setting a record, and four people were killed in St. Lucie County by these hurricane-spawned tornadoes.

The Cape Coral and nearby Fort Myers area, however, was heavily damaged during 2022’s Hurricane Ian. “For us, Milton wasn’t anything compared to Ian, a Category 5 storm when it came through,” he shared. “During Milton, we really saw the obvious provision and grace from God. Someone in our fellowship is on oxygen, and her power went out. She was able to go to her neighbor, and God provided what she needed. It’s just God supplying the needs. Especially within our fellowship, God’s just guiding and providing,” Chris declared. “We’re just praying that God gives peace in the midst of it all.”

For now, he noted, “We’re in a waiting stage to see what the needs are. The first day or so is always people dealing with their immediate situation.”

Chris added that he hasn’t yet been able to contact Calvary Chapel pastors in the harder-hit areas: “The further you go up the coast, the more damage you see.” Conditions declined further north in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Venice, and across to Vero Beach, on the southeast coast. Thursday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the hurricane was significant but the worst-case scenario “did not happen.”

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