Imagine bracing for a nightmarish storm in the Sunshine State, only to find the very place built as your refuge—Tropicana Field—decides it’s had enough of being a mere stadium and auditions for the role of a flying saucer. Hurricane Milton, the latest tropical mischief maker, turned out to be quite the diva, pulling off the Tropicana prom outfit: its domed roof! It’s almost like Milton wanted to make sure everyone knows who’s boss around Tampa Bay.

So, what’s the story with Hurricane Milton, and why did it decide to give Tropicana Field a makeover? Rewind to the days leading up to October 9, when Milton was the attention-seeking hurricane strutting about as a Category Five menace. Perhaps realizing that level of drama was unsustainable, it dialed down a notch—or two—and hit Florida as a Category Three. But don’t be fooled, this hurricane still had quite a bit of sass left in its winds at over 120 mph.

Oh, Tropicana Field. Poor thing just couldn’t keep up with Milton’s wind speed. Boasted as being able to withstand winds up to 115 mph, Milton sneer-snorted at those claims before flipping off Tropicana Field’s cable-supported domed roof like an unimpressed judge swiping left on a talent show contestant.

This was particularly unfortunate, as the stadium was set to serve not just as a home for the Tampa Bay Rays but a storm-proof fortress for up to 10,000 human popsicles seeking shelter. Thankfully, no one decided to have a sleepover under the stars—or the gaping sky—because St. Petersburg Fire Rescue’s Capt. Garth Swingle and his squad had the foresight of moving everyone out before Milton’s dramatic entrance.

Isn’t it magical? That awe-striking sight of 180 miles of cable doing its best to stay put while Mother Nature tells everyone who’s really running the show. Milton’s antics, complete with viral video clips earning retweets faster than you can say “hurricane humor,” have been flooding social media. One such video captures the dramatic “roof peel,” captioned by Dave Moore who urges the digital folks to spare a thought—#HurricaneMilton should not have the final say on this one.

Images of the stadium’s aerial alterations are circulating faster than footballs at a Super Bowl, and the buzz is as high as Milton’s winds were. Witnessing Tropicana Field’s unintended exposure to the elements is a sobering reminder of Mother Nature’s sense of humor. Somebody get her an Oscar for best impromptu special effects in a drama.

While Tropicana Field recovers its dignity—and its roof—the neighborhood is getting a crash course on cleaning, rebuilding, and battening down the hatches. But as we’ve seen with Florida, where the resilience of residents shines brighter than the lurid headlines of flying roofs, the community emerges stronger, ready to face the next storm.

Consider this your initiation, Hurricane Milton! You’ve left your mark both physically on structures and emotionally on the locals. But here’s hoping your next appearance comes with less spectacle and more of a whisper. In the meantime, let’s raise a toast to the stories that remind us of human resilience and our ability to laugh in the face of adversity. And if you’re thinking of strapping down the next roof a little tighter, that might not be a bad idea—Mother Nature is always watching…