Florida airport suffers loss of entire concourse roof from Milton’s 102-mph winds, will remain closed for days

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Tree slams into Sarasota home during Hurricane Milton

Nadia Checkan Sedlak was asked to check on her friend's home in Sarasota, Florida after Hurricane Milton. Unfortunately, she discovered a massive tree had crashed through the home causing devastating damage. 

SARASOTA, Fla. — Hurricane Milton’s 100-mph-plus wind gusts inside its powerful eyewall Wednesday evening was no match for Sarasota’s airport, which suffered severe damage.

Sarasota-Bradenton Airport (SRQ) officials surveying the aftermath found the hurricane ripped the entire roof off Concourse B, which houses the screening checkpoint and all 13 aircraft loading gates.

Sarasota Airport Hurricane Milton Damage

(Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport / FOX Weather)

In addition, photos from the airport show extensive debris and water damage littering boarding gates and waiting areas, while another general building outside was nearly destroyed.

As a result, the airport will remain closed until Oct. 16 at 9 a.m., officials said.

Sarasota Airport Hurricane Milton Damage

(Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport / FOX Weather)

"The SRQ team is hard at work," airport officials said. "Clean-up and repairs have already begun."

While Milton’s official landfall was designated as Siesta Keys, weather instruments at the airport confirmed the eye and its potent eye walls came through the airport.

Winds steadily increased through the evening Wednesday, first reaching hurricane-strength in gusts as the front side of the eyewall arrived around 7:15 p.m. ET with a gust clocked to 90 mph. Extreme winds continued out of the east for about a half hour, including gusts of 92 and 93 mph.  

As the eye approached, winds gradually tapered after 8:30 p.m. with calm winds reported right at 9 p.m.

But soon after, gusts reenergized from the northwest as the backside of the eyewall pushed through. Sustained winds neared 70 mph with four recorded gusts over 90 mph, including a gust of 97 and 102 mph.

The airport stopped reporting weather data minutes later, likely due to power outages.