Florida counties hard hit by Hurricane Milton are returning to a semblance of normalcy with power being restored to most areas, gas stations reopening and students returning to school this week.

In the days before Hurricane Milton hit Florida, forecasters were worried it could send as much as 15 feet (4.5 meters) of water rushing onto the heavily populated shores of Tampa Bay. Instead, several feet of water temporarily drained away.

Communities in Florida still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Helene are now also grappling with the still-unfolding damage from Hurricane Milton.

Hurricane Milton plowed into Florida as a Category 3 storm Wednesday, bringing misery to a coast still ravaged by Helene, pounding cities with winds of over 100 mph after producing a barrage of tornadoes, but sparing Tampa a direct hit.

As we’ve been preparing for Hurricane Milton, you’ve heard us talk a lot about storm surge. One big concern with Milton has been the potential of a catastrophic storm surge in the Tampa area.

Milton is expected to storm through Central Florida this week, massively boosting chances for flash flooding in the region.

Florida communities near Tampa Bay were devastated when Hurricane Helene made landfall two weeks ago about 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the north.

The NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning have left Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton to practice the rest of the week.

The last time the eye of a major storm like Hurricane Milton directly struck Tampa Bay was 1921 when the city was a sleepy backwater.

Hurricane Milton strengthened into a Category 5 storm Monday, as Florida officials implored Gulf Coast residents to follow evacuation orders and utilities prepared for widespread power outages.

Milton strengthened rapidly into a Category 5 hurricane on a path toward Florida.

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Milton is intensifying and will likely be a major hurricane before it slams into the storm-ravaged Florida coast, most likely on Wednesday.

Hurricane Helene’s storm surge struck Florida fast and hard when it slammed into Gulf Coast communities near St. Petersburg.

As communities across Florida begin recovering from Hurricane Helene, organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank and the American Red Cross are mobilizing to provide immediate assistance to those in need.

According to posts on its social media channels, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) experienced over 4 feet of flooding during Helene, causing a loss of power and damage to vital equipment.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers believe they have the potential to have a dominant offense this season.

Baker Mayfield threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 37-20 rout of the new-look Washington Commanders, spoiling the NFL debut of No. 2 overall draft pick Jayden Daniels on Sunday.

This unique "Futuro House" is one of only two remaining in the state. And its story is out of this world.

The Nashville Predators have traded Ryan McDonagh back to Tampa Bay less than two years after acquiring the veteran defenseman.

The final cost of the Mets’ sorry 2023 season has been totaled: $420 million.

According to the study, these cities were analyzed based on economic, housing, transportation, health and education factors..

University officials said that around 75-100 protestors — including some unaffiliated with the university — arrived at the campus on Tuesday morning with items like wooden shields, umbrellas and tents.

Pitchers Génesis Cabrera of the Toronto Blue Jays and Yohan Ramírez of the New York Mets have been suspended for three games each by Major League Baseball for their actions in separate games and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was banned for one game.

A world shipping association says there were at least 35 major bridge collapses worldwide from 1960 to 2015 due to ship or barge collision with a total of more than 340 killed.

Liam Coen says leaving Kentucky to become offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and potentially work with Baker Mayfield again was a “no-brainer.”.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is endorsing the Republican front-runner, Donald Trump, saying primary voters want to give the former president another chance.

Jared Goff threw two touchdown passes and the Detroit Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 in a divisional-round playoff game, lifting the long-suffering franchise into the NFC championship for the first time in 32 years and just the second time in franchise history.

A rejuvenated Baker Mayfield says he’s focused on trying to beat the Philadelphia Eagles, not the future of a career he’s revived by leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the NFL playoffs.

Chase McLaughlin kicked three field goals, the Tampa Bay defense pitched a shutout and the Buccaneers won their third straight NFC South title with a 9-0 victory on Sunday over the Carolina Panthers.

Derek Carr threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns to help the New Orleans Saints stop Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak and climb back into a tie for first place in the NFC South with a 23-13 victory over Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers.

Baker Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their third straight, 34-20 over the Green Bay Packers.

Get ready for a new thrill in Tampa Bay next spring, as Busch Gardens unveiled its latest roller coaster masterpiece, “Phoenix Rising.”

Miami’s Luis Arraez joined DJ LeMahieu as the only players with undisputed batting titles in both leagues, winning the National League crown as Yandy Díaz sat out Tampa Bay’s season finale and overtook Corey Seager for the American League championship.

A woman in Orange County was cited after deputies learned she was keeping an alligator in a bathtub, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Take a look below at some of the live cameras in cities throughout Florida as the state prepares for Idalia to strike.

FDLE said that 16-year-old Victoria Quiles — now 17 years old — was last seen near the 38500th block of County Road 54 in Zephyrhills.

Baltimore Orioles broadcaster Kevin Brown says all is well between him and team management.

The Cleveland Guardians have traded starting pitcher Aaron Civale to the Tampa Bay Rays for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo.

Given what’s taken place in the past, there are two certainties as Las Vegas celebrates with the Cup this summer.

The New York Yankees’ Hal Steinbrenner says he’s open to other baseball owners’ consideration of proposing a salary cap for 2027, but only if small-market teams like the Oakland Athletics are subject to a payroll floor, too.

The Vegas Golden Knights will play the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final beginning Saturday.

Busch Gardens announced on Thursday that it will be thanking its guests with free and discounted beer at its Tampa and Virginia parks over the summer.

The wife of Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett and mother of the 2-year-old Arrayah, who drowned in a swimming pool at the family’s home last week, broke her silence on social media on Thursday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired forward Sam Lafferty and defenseman Jake McCabe from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Bandar, a critically endangered male Sumatran Tiger, was taken in by Busch Gardens becoming the first Sumatran tiger that they've had under their wing.

Little has come easy this season for Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who despite their struggles can repeat as NFC South champions and guarantee themselves a home playoff game by beating the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The New York Jets, New York Giants and Miami Dolphins could end long playoff droughts while the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams and reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers are well below.

Video shows water receding from Tampa Bay along with low water level line with the Hillsborough River at top of Tampa Bay.

We are fully into Hurricane season, and the first big storm to hit the United States will soon make landfall.

A strengthening Hurricane Ian's rain and winds lashed Cuba's western tip, where authorities have evacuated 50,000 people.

Drivers were busy filling up gasoline at the Turkey Lake rest stop along the Florida turnpike Monday. However, only a few of the drivers are heading from the Tampa Bay Area, to more inland locations near Orlando.

It’s been over a century since a major storm like Hurricane Ian has struck the Tampa Bay area, which blossomed from a few hundred thousand people in 1921 to more than 3 million today.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a briefing on Hurricane Ian.

Forecasters say Tropical Storm Ian has strengthened into a hurricane as it moves closer to Cuba on a track expected to take it to Florida in the coming days.

Hurricane Ian is nearing Cuba on a track to strike Florida as a Category 4 as early as Wednesday.

Nine home teams are underdogs in Week 3.

Tom Brady and Mike Evans connected on a punctuating touchdown, Leonard Fournette ran for 127 yards and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated the Dallas Cowboys 19-3.

In honor of National Roller Coaster Day on Aug. 16, Busch Gardens is giving its Tampa Bay guests an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of fan-favorite coasters.

Busch Gardens is looking to terrify its guests with a new holiday-themed haunted house at Howl-O-Scream.

Brightline will no longer have a station at Disney Springs as part of its 320-milehigher-speed passenger train service stretching from Miami to Orlando to Tampa Bay, railway officials said in a statement.

The Stanley Cup Final between the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning shows the value of hitting on top picks in the NHL draft.

Officials say a teacher was struck by a vehicle and trapped underneath it outside a Tampa Bay area school.

A city in Central Florida is leading the charge in lightning strike density across the state.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the NFL Playoffs at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Here are the NFL games that will air on WKMG-TV News 6 in 2021-22.

For Lou Brown, a Realtor with a firm in Midtown St. Petersburg, it used to be unusual to represent a prospective buyer who lost their desired house in a bidding war to an investor.

Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes, Leonard Fournette ran for two scores and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 28-22 on Thursday night.

Jacksonville’s losing streak is far from a fluke.

It is important to know your facts when it comes to lightning here in Central Florida.

Given its location next to the Gulf of Mexico, one would think that the Tampa Bay region would have an extensive history with hurricanes. On the contrary, that's not the case.

Amid the stench of dead fish, protesters marched along Florida's Tampa Bay to call for state assistance in dealing with a growing outbreak of harmful red tide.

A unusually large bloom of toxic red tide is being blamed for a massive fish kill in Florida’s environmentally sensitive Tampa Bay.

Weather forecasters say a storm that has been lashing Florida over the past day has intensified into a hurricane.

Environmental groups claim in a lawsuit that efforts to clean up a leaky Florida reservoir that dumped tens of millions of gallons of potentially hazardous gypsum wastewater into Tampa Bay must be overseen by a federal judge to guard against continued mismanagement.

Scientists are looking for any links to dreaded algae blooms and the pumping of 215 gallons of wastewater into Tampa Bay from the site of an old fertilizer plant two months ago.

Police say firefighters found a body while they were putting out a grass fire at a rest area near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Jameson Taillon tries to extend a streak of dominant starting pitching by the New York Yankees when he opposes Dallas Keuchel and the White Sox in the Bronx.

Environmentalists are worried that a recent discharge of wastewater into Tampa Bay could exacerbate a new outbreak of the dreaded red tide algal blooms.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will hold a news conference in Manatee County to provide an update on wastewater discharges from the old Piney Point fertilizer plant.

A Florida state agency says dam safety experts consider the risk of a possible second breach in a leaking wastewater reservoir to be “unsubstantiated.”.

A mandatory evacuation order near a leaking Florida wastewater reservoir that affected more than 300 homes and additional businesses has been lifted.

A mandatory evacuation order near a leaking Florida wastewater reservoir that affected more than 300 homes and additional businesses has been lifted.

A Florida state agency says dam safety experts consider the risk of a possible second breach in a leaking wastewater reservoir to be “unsubstantiated.”.

Florida Gov_ Ron DeSantis says crews are working to prevent the collapse of a large wastewater pond to avoid a “catastrophic flood."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says crews are working to prevent the collapse of a large wastewater pond to avoid a “catastrophic flood."

Its case analysis, dubbed the Super Bowl Surveillance Period, was conducted specifically from Jan. 22 to Feb. 24. Health officials said they zeroed in their focus during January and February of 2021 to gather information related to the large events surrounding the Super Bowl happening in Tampa, according to the report. After a public all-call to report coronavirus infections following the Super Bowl, contact tracing and analyzing the data, researchers said the Super Bowl was not a superspreader event. FDOH-Hillsborough County said the first case related to the Super Bowl was reported on Feb. 4, when a set-up worker with the NFL Experience contracted the infection. The FDOH said 21 cases associated with official Super Bowl events likely attended festivities during the surveillance period and another 25 were likely exposed by those who attended events.

FILE - Toronto Blue Jays' Rowdy Tellez signs autographs for fans before a spring training baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Dunedin, Fla., in this Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, file photo. The Toronto Blue Jays will play their first two homestands of the season at their spring training facility in Dunedin, Florida, because of Canadian government restrictions during the pandemic. The Blue Jays cited the ongoing Canada-U.S. border closure in making the difficult decision." “The alternatives for our season lie with some combination of Dunedin, Buffalo and Toronto," Shapiro said. The Blue Jays played home games during the shortened 2020 season in Buffalo and were 17-9 at Sahlen Field, home of their Buffalo Bisons Triple-A farm team.

This photo provided by Cadillac shows a scene from Cadillac's 2021 Super Bowl NFL football spot. They aimed to connect to the estimated 100 million viewers who tune in to the Super Bowl broadcast each year. Perhaps the most striking effect: Virtually none of the ads featured people in masks, a public-health priority but also a grim reminder of the ongoing pandemic. AIMING TO ENTERTAINIn an effort to be light, advertisers stuffed -- and sometimes overstuffed — their ads with celebrities. “I like Springsteen and heartwarming ads like this generally, but this one feels too forced given the current political climate,” he said.

— Virus deaths won't be reflected in the 2020 census, a step that will have an impact on where congressional seats get apportioned, experts say. AdON THE HORIZON: Some experts believe rapid tests could be better at at identifying sick people when they are most contagious. Rapid tests might be technically less accurate but they're fast. The Food and Drug Administration said it supports “innovation in testing” but has only approved about a dozen rapid tests. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic: https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

TAMPA, Fla. – On Tampa’s riverfront, in a sea of football fans, you can’t miss one family of 12 from Kansas City. The Bucs are the home team so it’s mostly Buccaneer red at the Super Bowl experience, but the Williams cousins are definitely holding it down for the other red jerseys. [TRENDING: $7.2M in PPP funds used to buy Fla. mansion | These Fla. lakes have the most alligators | ‘Love triangle’ leads to fatal shooting]Lisa Cole said she organized the group’s big trip. “It seems like we’ve hosted Super Bowls during very unusual times,” Visit Tampa Bay President Santiago Corrada said. “But we’re really excited that our hometown team gets to play in it and see how a hometown team crowd does as far as economic impact and all those things that come along with hosting a Super Bowl.”

TAMPA, Fla. – Two weeks ago, Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean walked of the field as an NFC champion. This Sunday, Jamel’s cousin, Shequanda Kimbrough, and her son Casen are rooting for a Super Bowl championship. The family says Dean is very excited for Super Bowl LV. Dean, one of the fastest players in football, was a player for the Auburn Tigers and the Cocoa Tigers. Ad“He’s got a little nerves, but he’s ready to go out there and win,” Kimbrough said.

Plant City Police are looking for the man who stole a car containing vials of a COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday. The man was able to take the car because the keys were left in the ignition, records show. The vaccine was supposed to be distributed at the Plant City vaccination site, which is at the Strawberry Festival Grounds. Surveillance video shows person of interest in stolen vaccine case, police say (Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.) A nationwide alert has been put out to help find the stolen car, according to the release.

Bucs fan Rick Clark took his love of the team to a new height. (Twitter @88RickClark)One Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan is taking his love for the team to new heights. Sarasota’s own Rick Clark has been a season ticket member since 2013 and has been a life-long Bucs fan. Recently he raised his Bucs flag 19,341 feet after summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. Well, it wasn’t long before another diehard Bucs fan swooped in and took the flag even higher.

(AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)For Tom Brady, another trip to the Super Bowl — but this time, in a Tampa Bay uniform. “Whoever would've thought a home Super Bowl for us? It gave New England its third straight trip to the Super Bowl, and Brady's last of nine as a member of the Patriots. He's leading the Buccaneers to only their second Super Bowl; the Bucs won on their first trip, back in 2002. But nobody would mistake Johnson for Brady, who could join Peyton Manning as the only other quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two franchises.

The Buccaneers defeated the Packers 31-26 to advance to the Super Bowl. Tampa Bay (14-5) is the first team to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium. The prize is much different this year, though, because the Super Bowl will be played in front of a far smaller crowd than usual. The first Super Bowl in 1967 was played in front of 61,946 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Eagles backup Nick Foles threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns, a sign of things to come in the Super Bowl against New England.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)While Matt Nagy gets to coach Chicago in the playoffs despite a middling 8-8 record that could help save his job, former Bears coach Lovie Smith can only wonder if the extra team in the postseason could have helped him eight years ago. Smith’s Bears teams from the beginning of last decade are near the top of that list. Chicago lost five of six and missed the postseason as the seventh seed with an 8-8 mark. The tough-luck missing playoff team that season was the Giants, who missed out the year before Eli Manning and Co. won their second Super Bowl under coach Tom Coughlin.

(AP Photo/Mark Tenally)The Latest on Week 16 in the NFL (all times EST):___8 p.m.For the first time since 2014 there will be an NFL playoff team with a losing record. The winner will remain alive in the NFC East playoff race if Washington loses to Carolina. ___6:05 p.m.Washington is well on the way to blowing its first chance to clinch the NFC East. ___6 p.m.Eleven teams in the NFC are still harboring hopes of making a playoff run with Week 16 winding down. 1 seed in the NFC with a win Sunday night against the Titans and a Seattle loss or tie.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Two tornadoes damaged vehicles and buildings on Wednesday while leaving thousands without power in Florida’s Tampa Bay area and Polk County, authorities said. Most of the damage was in Pinellas County, north of St. Petersburg, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The NWS later confirmed damages were caused by two tornadoes, an EF1 and stronger EF2, packing an estimated 125 mph wind speeds. The Tampa Bay area tornado path stretched across nearly 13 miles and started in Plant City before heading into Polk County. The tornado started in Pinellas Park and traveled east across the county, the Weather Service said.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Two St. Petersburg police officers were shot Wednesday evening near the downtown area, according to reports from Tampa Bay CBS affiliate WTSP. The shooting was connected to an incident in the 1400 block of 18th Avenue South, according to police. At least one of the officers is in serious condition, according to WTSP. #LIVE: A police officer and one other person have been shot south of downtown St. Petersburg. https://t.co/Fivsok3Efm https://t.co/LhLlFBxvbF — 10 Tampa Bay (@10TampaBay) December 2, 2020The shooter was also injured and taken to the hospital, authorities told the news outlet.

The Latest on Week 10 in the NFL (all times EST):___8 p.m.From Kyler Murray magic to Alex Smith’s latest milestone, it was quite the day for quarterbacks selected first in the NFL draft. The Cardinals beat Buffalo 32-30 on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to DeAndre Hopkins with 2 seconds left, dropping the Bills record to 7-3. Brees was shaken up on a sack in the second quarter when Kentavius Street landed on him. 1 pick Joe Burrow, threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jakeem Grant with 58 seconds left in the first quarter. Cole had scored on a franchise-record 91-yard punt return in the second quarter.