Video shows gigantic 28-foot wave crash inside Milton before hitting Florida

Drone footage captured a gigantic wave inside Hurricane Milton as the powerful storm crossed the Gulf of Mexico before crashing into Florida on Wednesday evening.

The storm made landfall near Siesta Key, on the state’s west coast, as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds gusting to 120 mph.

Before hitting land, video shot by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration drone shows a massive 28-foot wave with wind gusts of nearly 76 miles per hour, crashing about 40 nautical miles from the center of Milton.

The footage shows a shaking drone that appears to rock back and forth, battling strong winds as the massive wave crashes, sending water gushing out.

The wave was about the height of two female giraffes.

“This research represents a collaborative effort to better understand the role of the ocean in hurricanes,” the federal agency published on X.

Live Updates: Hurricane Milton Wreaks Destruction in Storm-Weary Florida

Millions without power, homes destroyed and deaths reported

More than 3.3 million homes and businesses were in the dark Thursday, according to USA TODAY power outage data, the storm spawned tornadoes across the Sunshine State, and several deaths were reported in the state.

Neighborhoods were flooded, homes destroyed and the roof of Tropicana Field torn off.

Meteorologist Tyler Fleming told USA TODAY that Tampa Bay was spared a massive storm surge, but experienced a reverse storm surge, pushing the sea away from the shore.

Officials with the Florida Division of Emergency Management warned residents not to go out into receding waters.

“The water will return under the effect of a storm surge and presents a life-threatening risk,” the agency published on X.

Follow USA TODAY’s live coverage of Hurricane Milton here.

Contributors: John Bacon and Trevor Hughes

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Huge wave inside Hurricane Milton captured by NOAA drone: Watch video