Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida as Category 3 storm

Hurricane Milton moved off the coast of east-central Florida at around 5 a.m. Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center and Fox Weather.

The storm is still producing damaging hurricane-force winds and heavy rains.

The hurricane center said there is a danger of life-threatening storm surge along the coast from east-central Florida northward to southern Georgia, where a storm surge warning remains in effect.

Damaging hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, will continue for a few more hours in east-central and northeastern Florida, the hurricane center said.

It said heavy rainfall across the central to northern Florida Peninsula through Thursday morning continues to bring the risk of considerable flash and urban flooding, as well as moderate to major river flooding, especially in areas where coastal and inland flooding combine to increase the overall flood threat.

Storm surge flooding is currently underway in Florida, with major flooding seen from Naples to Sarasota amid Hurricane Milton.

Some areas have been hit with up to 10 feet of water surging in from the Gulf, according to Fox Weather, which noted that storm surge flooding becomes a concern for the Atlantic Coast as the storm moves across the Florida peninsula.

Up to 5 feet of storm surge is expected from Jacksonville to Cape Canaveral, Fox Weather reported. Because the center of the hurricane arrived onshore south of Tampa, Tampa Bay will not face the historic storm surge flooding that had been feared.

Milton will move into the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of Thursday morning and before making its way into the open waters of the ocean throughout the day.

A storm surge is when there is an abnormal rise in the level of ocean water to above its normal level during a storm, such as Hurricane Milton in this case, according to the National Weather Service.

Similar to how a storm's sustained winds do not include the potential for even stronger winds, a storm surge does not include the wave height above the mean water level of the surge itself, according to The Associated Press.

A surge is also the amount above what the normal tide is at the time, so a 15-foot storm surge at high tide with additional 10-foot waves can level buildings with ease, knock down bridges and destroy anything in its path.

A storm surge watch is when there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the watch area, generally within 48 hours, according to Fox Weather.

A warning, meanwhile, is when there is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the warning area, generally within 36 hours, according to the outlet.

More than three million customers are now without power Thursday morning in Florida after Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday night.

At least 116 tornado warnings were issued on Wednesday in response to Hurricane Milton, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

Hurricane Milton was downgraded to a Category 1 storm early Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane was a Category 3 when it made landfall in Florida Wednesday night before later being downgraded to a Category 2 and then a Category 1.

Orlando, Florida, officials announced that police and firefighters have been pulled from the roads to shelter in place due to high winds during Hurricane Milton.

The city said winds have exceeded 40 mph.

When the wind speed decreases, the city said, emergency services will be able to respond to calls for service.

Residents are also urged to continue to shelter in place.

St. Petersburg, Florida, is shutting off potable water, which is drinking water, at midnight because of a water line break amid Hurricane Milton.

City officials said a major water main break will impact potable water services across the entire city, according to Fox 13.

The water will remain shut off until necessary repairs can be made, and repairs will begin when it is safe for crews to be outside.

Affected areas may already be experiencing low water pressure or service interruptions.

The city is issuing a boil water notice for all potable water used for drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth until further notice. After the system is restored, further testing will be done to ensure the water is safe before the boil water notice is lifted.

St. Lucie County, Florida, Sheriff Keith Pearson said Wednesday night that 17 tornadoes hit the county.

Pearson also confirmed multiple fatalities during an appearance on Fox Weather.

"We can confirm 17 tornadoes hit St. Lucie County, Florida, with multiple fatalities, a rescue mission ongoing, and hundreds of homes destroyed," he said.

Florida Residents Prepare For Hurricane Milton

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he is deploying over 300 emergency personnel to help Florida with the impact of Hurricane Milton.

"When disaster hits, Americans stands united to help one another," Newsom wrote in a post on X.

"California has deployed 354 emergency personnel to Florida to help with hurricane response. Floridians -- please stay safe and follow all emergency warnings," Newsom continued.

Hurricane Milton made landfall in near Tampa before 9 p.m. local time Wednesday as a Category 3 Storm. More than 1 million residents were reported without power.  

Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott said Wednesday night that people in the path of Hurricane Milton need to hunker down because there is nowhere to go and nobody who can rescue them at the moment, as the storm is too dangerous for emergency services to drive on the roads in some areas.

"We're going to see deadly storm surge," Scott said on Fox News' "Hannity" Wednesday night. "So I hope everybody got out of harm's way. We are hearing was just like two days ago in that, that killed 25 Floridians. So we're going to -- and then now where we're we've got rain, unbelievable amounts of rain that going to go up through Orlando. So what you're going to get is you're going to get flooding, you're going to get downed trees. You're going to have a lot of people without power. You have electrical lines down."

"You have no choice now, you have to hunker down," he continued. "There's no place to go. You've got to keep yourself alive because nobody can come and save you right now. It's too dangerous."

Scott added: "As soon as they can, all of our first responders will go see what they can do to save your life if you're in harm's way. But after that, you've got to continue to be careful. These trees might fall on you. You can't touch a downed power line. You got to know how to use a power saw, you got to know how to use a generator. You might without water, sewer and electricity. So this is going to take the locals doing their job, you doing your job, the state doing its job, and the federal government doing its job."

Broken utility poles downed by strong wind gusts are seen as Hurricane Milton approaches Fort Myers, Florida

During his campaign rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania on Wednesday evening, former president Donald Trump opened the rally with a prayer for everyone in the path of Hurricane Milton.

“Before we begin, I want to send our prayers to the people in Florida getting hit right now with a violent Hurricane—as well as to all the people still recovering from Hurricane Helene. We are praying for them—and ask God to keep them safe,” Trump shared in post on his social media platform, Truth Social, with the video attached.

Hurricane Milton is now a Category 2 hurricane, with 110 mph winds as it continues moving inland after making landfall in Florida as a Category 3.

Roughly 1.5 million homes and businesses in the Sunshine State are without power now.

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Officials in Sumter County, Florida, announced that all emergency services have been ended because of the hazardous conditions caused by Hurricane Milton.

"As sustained winds reach 45 mph, emergency vehicles, including fire and rescue services, are unable to operate safely. These hazardous conditions make it extremely dangerous for responders to navigate the roads, putting both their safety and that of individuals in need at risk," the county said in a statement.

Hurricane Milton is now a Category 2 hurricane, with 110 mph winds as it continues moving inland after making landfall in Florida as a Category 3.

Roughly 1.5 million homes and businesses in the Sunshine State are without power now.

Hurricane Milton makes landfall

Following his news conference on Hurricane Milton, President Biden called the mayor of Sarasota to offer federal government assistance to residents in need.

“The President wanted to see if there is anything we need in Sarasota to let him know. He understands this is going to be an unprecedented type of hurricane and also understands it will take a lot from the federal government to help us recover in Sarasota,” Mayor Liz Alpert said in a statement.

“We’re grateful for the support and thank President Biden for reaching out,” said Mayor Liz Alpert.

Mayor Alpert also received a call of support from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg earlier this week as we prepared for the historic storm.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Wednesday night that the people of Florida are in his prayers as Hurricane Milton makes landfall in the Sunshine State.

"Our prayers are with the people of Florida tonight as they endure Hurricane Milton," he wrote on the social media platform X.

FOX Weather has confirmed the first deaths from Hurricane Milton out of St. Lucie County, Florida.

While the sheriff’s office did not give a specific number, they confirmed that there were “multiple” fatalities from tornadoes that struck the area today.

Hurricane Milton made landfall late Wednesday evening in the Tampa region as a Category 3 Storm. 

NASA's Kennedy Space Center (NASA)

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center entered HURCON 1 ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall later Wednesday.

The center wrote on X it was “now closed, with the exception of essential emergency response personnel and Ride Out Team members.”

Hurricane Milton made landfall in near Tampa before 9 p.m. local time Wednesday as a Category 3 Storm. More than 1 million residents were reported without power.  

More than 1 million Floridians were without power late Wednesday as Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 Storm.

According to poweroutage.us, which tracks power outages across the country, more than 1.16 million Floridians were without power as of 9:20 p.m. local time.

The power outages were concentrated in the Tampa Bay region which is home to more than 3.3 million people.

Until Wednesday, the area had managed to avoid getting hit directly by a hurricane for over a century.

Hurricane Milton made landfall as Category 3 storm Wednesday night hours after tropical storm-force winds lashed Florida.

Millions had been ordered to evacuate and bridges closed as the fluctuated in intensity, bringing damaging winds and flooding rains.

The storm had been barreling toward the Tampa Bay area, home to more 3.3 million people. The region has managed to avoid a direct hit from a major hurricane for over a century.

The storm is expected to retain hurricane strength as it crosses central Florida through Thursday and toward the Atlantic Ocean.  

Multiple fatalities were reported in St. Lucie County and figures were expected to climb. Authorities, meanwhile, have halted patrols until the storm passes. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told residents it is now too dangerous to evacuate and to hunker down. 

The Sarasota Police Department has stopped patrols as Florida waits for Hurricane Milton to make landfall.

The department wrote on X that its last patrol vehicle returned to headquarters just fore 5:40 p.m.

“Sustained wind speeds are too strong for emergency services to respond,” the department said. “We will now wait out the storm, just like you, and once it passes, we will begin our rescue and recovery process.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned residents late Wednesday that it is now “too dangerous” to evacuate safely as Hurricane Milton was expected to make landfall within hours.

“So, you have to shelter in place and just hunker down,” the Republican governor said at an evening press conference.

“Stay inside and stay off the roads,” he said. “Stay put until the storm is passed.”

DeSantis reminded residents using a generator not to have it kept indoors.

“Make sure that you’re using it safely. Do not run the generator inside your home. That can be fatal. Make sure it’s outside the home at a safe distance from windows and doorways,” the governor said. “If you see dangerous conditions, please report those to your local authorities so that they can help protect people and mitigate it.”

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall later Wednesday evening.

Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, around 125 homes have already been destroyed.

This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken at 11:46 a.m. EDT and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (NOAA via AP)

The National Hurricane Center in Miami warned early Wednesday evening that the northern eyewall of Hurricane Milton had started to spread onshore along the Florida Gulf Coast.

“The northern eyewall of Hurricane Milton is beginning to move onshore of the Florida gulf coast near Tampa and St. Petersburg where an Extreme Wind Warning is now in effect,” the center warned in advisory, pleading with residents to “shelter in place as these extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds overspread the region.”

Major James Suber, Commander of the 448th Chemical Battalion, Florida National Guard wants to assure residents that military personnel are prepared to search, rescue, and support residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

Suber told Fox News Digital’s Gabriele Regalbuto Wednesday: “We do have units that are prepared to move in as quickly as possible along the coast, in the path of the storm.”

Suber said the National Guard has different units deployed throughout the state with different areas of operation.

“We understand that [residents] are going to go back to a different life. And we just have really high hopes for them to get back to that normal life as quickly as possible,” Suber said.

Public Safety Information Manager for Florida’s Incident Support Team James Lucas warned on Wednesday that weather conditions will prevent rescuers from saving lives as Hurricane Milton makes landfall and wallops the state.

“Weather conditions will deteriorate so rapidly that rescue workers cannot get in,” Lucas told Fox News Digital’s Gabriele Regalbuto. “That means that law enforcement officers are not going to be able to respond to any emergencies … as the storm is pushing through at 100 mph.”

Lucas said the life safety of first responders and citizens is paramount.

“We’re not going to be able to make it into those affected areas during the storm,” Lucas said. “That’s why the Mayor of Tampa, the Governor of Florida is asking people in those areas to evacuate.”

FEMA Information Officer Michael Pruitt told Fox News Digital's Gabriele Regalbuto Wednesday funding is not the agency’s priority as it prepares for Hurricane Milton to make landfall in Florida.

“We have our assets on the ground. They are here. And we are ready to respond to any emergencies that happen here across the state,” Pruitt said. “There’s a multitude from local, state, and federal resources that are in place right now.”

Pruitt reiterated that he didn’t want Floridians to worry about the financial stories circulating in the media.

“That’s not relevant right at the moment. I can assure you that we have the resources on the ground here in the State of Florida,” Pruitt said, urging patience to those who want to go check on their property. 

Florida’s Sarasota County on Wednesday issued a shelter-in-place warning for residents as the state braces for Hurricane Milton.

Sarasota County posted the warning on X around 5:15 p.m. local time, just a few hours before Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall.

“It is no longer safe to be on the roadways. Individuals SHOULT NOT go out on the roadways,” the warning read. “They should now SHELTER IN PLACE. There are reports of flooding and it is not safe to be out on the road for the duration of the storm.”

Tornadoes have touched down across Florida as Hurricane Milton closes in on the Sunshine State.

A tornado devastated the home of Connor Ferin in Fort Myers. The roof was completely torn off with items throughout the home destroyed by water damage.

Ferin said the windows and roof were blown out “instantaneously.”

Footage of the devastation showed uprooted trees and branches strewn about the street, blocking roadways. 

A tornado spotted in Fort Pierce, Florida. (FDOT

The National Weather Service in Miami confirmed Wednesday that at least seven tornadoes have in Florida in advance of Hurricane Milton.

Harrowing footage circulating online shows a giant tornado sweeping through Wellington, Florida on the state’s east coast, tearing thorough infrastructure and snagging a powerline.

Another tornado was seen moving through Fort Pierce about 80 miles to the north.

The tornadoes come as the state is bracing for Hurricane Milton, forecasted to be one of the most powerful to hit the state in over a century.

Hurricanes and tropical storms have the ability to produce tornadoes. The National Weather Service said there had been more than 50 tornado warnings issued by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 41 of which were issued by the weather service in Miami.

The service posted on X it had “received reports of structures damaged in Lakeport” an unincorporated community about two hours from Miami. 

FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell told Fox News Wednesday that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put together an “incredible” response team to Hurricane Milton.

Criswell said FEMA has deployed more than 1,200 search-and-rescue personnel with helicopters, boats, and highwater vehicles

“So, if there is anybody that didn’t get out and is in harms way we can begin to augment the incredible response that Gov. DeSantis has put together for search and rescue and help get people to safety,” Criswell said.

Hurricane Milton is approaching central Florida, with the powerful storm due to make landfall late Wednesday, and it has Floridians monitoring the "Waffle House Index" for impacts to their area as the storm moves through and the recovery process begins.

Waffle House, a popular restaurant chain that has many locations in the mid-Atlantic to Florida and across the Gulf Coast, serves a region susceptible to hurricanes and other severe weather. As a result, Waffle House has prioritized trying to reopen as quickly as possible in the wake of disasters and the Waffle House Index was developed as an indicator of a storm's impact on a given area.

Hurricane Milton, which is classified as a Category 4 hurricane as of Wednesday afternoon, is projected to make landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast and bring "life-threatening" storm surge as well as high winds. It's then projected to track across central Florida to the state's Atlantic Coast.

As of 2 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, the Waffle House Index showed closures throughout the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg area along with Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast. Across central Florida, closures were reported in the Orlando and Ocala and Daytona areas – though Waffle Houses in the Miami and Gainesville areas remained open.

A boarded up business stands beside a deserted street in an evacuation zone, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, in Anna Maria, Fla., on Anna Maria Island, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Hurricane Milton downgraded to a Category 3 Wednesday, but officials warned that it still remained a major storm and a grave threat to those on Florida’s west coast.

As the storm neared Florida’s coast, officials sounded urged residents to seek shelter inland. Heavy rain fell and winds gusted as Milton drew closer to the Tampa Bay region Wednesday afternoon.

The area is home to more than 3.3 million people and hasn’t been directly hit by a major hurricane in over a century.

Hurricane Milton has fluctuated in strength as it approached, but the National Hurricane Center is still warning it will be a major and extremely dangerous storm. Milton is expected to make landfall between 9 and 10 p.m. near Tampa Bay.  

Hurricane Milton is hours away from its expected catastrophic landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast late Wednesday night, but a potentially deadly storm surge from the monster Category 3 hurricane is already inundating shores after outer bands spawned a potentially deadly tornado outbreak.

Conditions are deteriorating on Wednesday afternoon as the hurricane continues its potentially life-threatening assault. The time to prepare and evacuate is essentially over as the storm sits about 100 miles off Florida’s west coast.

Tropical-storm-force winds are now moving onshore on the west coast of Florida as the outer bands have prompted dozens of Tornado Warnings across Central and South Florida. 

According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton is growing in size as it approaches the west coast of Florida. 

NOAA Hurricane Hunters lead pilot Lt. Cmdr. Josh Rannenberg told Fox News Wednesday that Hurricane Milton was the “most powerful” storm he’d ever flown through.

“This has been probably the worst storm I’ve ever flown through” Rannenberg said during an interview. “It’s kind of hard to watch. I’ve been seeing some of the footage as it approaches Florida. Especially now that, that’s my home, it’s difficult to see after having flown in it.”

Rannenberg described the storm as an “animal from start to finish.”

“Seeing this storm develop from a tropical storm to a Category 5 and now making landfall near my home -- it ratchets up the anxiety, and that’s the internal conflict I’m feeling right now,” Rannenberg said.

As Florida is preparing for Hurricane Milton , the category 4 storm is expected to hit the state around midnight.

As of Wednesday afternoon Milton was around 120 miles southwest of Tampa. And 100 miles west of Fort Meyers, with sustained maximum winds of 130 mph.

The National Hurricane Center said tropical storm-force winds have begun lashing the western coast of Florida.

The Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3.3 million people, is facing the possibility of widespread destruction after avoiding direct hits from major storms for over a century. 

Uber is offering free rides to Floridians to and from shelters as the Sunshine State braces for Hurricane Milton.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management said the agency has partnered with Uber “to provide Floridians free rides to and from shelters in countries evacuating Milton.”

To get a ride, Floridians must open the Uber app, tap “Account” and “Wallet,” using the promo code: “MILTONRELIEF.”

A list of state-approved shelters can be found at floridadisaster.org/shelter-status.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, right, and Deanne Criswell, Administrator of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, await the arrival of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris for a briefing on the damage from Hurricane Helene, at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Oct. 5, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, file)

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday warned that “misinformation” is hurting recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene.

“It’s important to point out the onslaught of lies and misinformation that are impacting the people there on the ground. This misinformation is confusing to people trying to get help,” Cooper said during a Wednesday afternoon press conference.

The Democratic governor said misinformation was “demoralizing” and “dangerous” for workers trying to deliver help.

“I strongly urge people to verify with respected news sources, the information in the videos that have been sent to you. Ask questions. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance from FEMA or from state responders,” Cooper said.

Cooper’s comments come after Helene wreaked havoc across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. North Carolina faced catastrophic flooding, with more than 134,000 residents there having applied for FEMA individual assistance.

More than 1,600 responders from 35 states remain in the impacted area to support the response and recovery efforts.

Florida is now bracing for Hurricane Milton, which President Biden warned is “looking like the storm of the century.”

A view inside FEMA headquarters as US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris attends a briefing about the impacts of Hurricane Helene and updates on the federal response, at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, DC, on September 30, 2024. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that FEMA has provided $344 million in direct assistance to survivors of Hurricane Helene.

The announcement comes as Florida is bracing for Hurricane Milton just two weeks after Helene walloped the Sunshine State.

Jean-Pierre said FEMA had set aside an additional $180 million to ensure federal partners “can carry out their critical recovery work.”

“More than 8000 federal personnel are deployed, including FEMA Disaster Survivor assistant teams that are in the neighborhood in and in neighborhoods across the affected states, helping survivors apply for assistance,” Jean-Pierre said.” These personnel across the southeast, including Florida, will both continue.”

Additionally, Jean-Pierre said President Biden had approved an emergency declaration from the State of Florida and the Seminole Tribe.

People arrive at Walt Disney World as Hurricane Milton approaches, in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, Oct. 9. (Reuters/Jose Luis Gonzalez)

Osceola County has announced a curfew from tonight into Thursday morning as Hurricane Milton is approaching Florida. 

The curfew – which is set to go into effect at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday and last until 10 a.m. ET Thursday – means that guests staying that Disney’s All-Star Resorts at Walt Disney World must shelter in place in their rooms, according to WDW News Today. 

The website reports that Walt Disney World theme parks are closing early on Wednesday and are expected to remain shuttered Thursday. 

The curfew will include the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud, Osceola County says.

A vehicle crosses a bridge as rain begins to fall ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton on Wednesday, Oct. 9, in Tampa, Fla. (AP/Julio Cortez)

The Florida Highway Patrol says multiple bridges in the Tampa area are now shut down to traffic as Hurricane Milton is hours away from making landfall.

The Skyway Bridge and Howard Frankland Bridge are now closed, as well as the Westbound Gandy Bridge and the Westbound Courtney Campbell Causeway.

Broken utility poles downed by strong wind gusts are seen as Hurricane Milton approaches Fort Myers, Fla., on Wednesday, Oct. 9. (Reuters/Ricardo Arduengo)

President Biden said Wednesday that Hurricane Milton is “looking like the storm of the century.” 

“In less than 14 hours, Hurricane Milton will make landfall on the western coast of Florida. Winds will be fierce at well over 100mph, with storm surges reaching up to 15 feet and up to 18 inches of rain,” he said. 

“I know it's really tough leaving behind your home, your belongings, everything you own. But I urge everyone in Hurricane Milton's path to follow all safety instructions as we head to the next 24 hours,” Biden added. “It's a matter of literally a matter of life and death.” 

An AquaFence barrier is seen set up outside Tampa General Hospital as Hurricane Milton approaches, in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday, Oct. 9. (Reuters/Octavio Jones)

Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said Wednesday that all of his officers “are out there and assisting” ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall but “the time's coming soon where we won't be able to respond.” 

“I will have to keep my officers in so we can respond out and assist everybody in the recovery efforts,” he said. 

“We want to save lives and we want to help. In fact, this morning I was in South Tampa... an elderly female who wanted to ride out the storm we spoke to yesterday, we were able to convince her this morning that she needed to go,” according to Bercaw. 

“Her plan was to stay in her house with a flotation device and attempt to weather the storm, and my fear is that there's more of her out there that are like that, and we've done everything that we can do to help everyone through this storm,” he said.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor also said “I have never seen an evacuation of this magnitude. And our community has responded and responded very responsibly. 

“This is going to be a storm of historic proportions with wind, water and rain. But we will get through this together and we will come back stronger,” she added. 

Tornado warnings in Florida on Wednesday. (FOX Weather)

The National Hurricane Center says “tornadic supercells” from Hurricane Milton are “beginning to sweep across the southern Florida Peninsula” as the storm is nearing landfall. 

“The time to prepare, including to evacuate if told to do so, is quickly coming to an end all along the Florida West Coast,” it said in an advisory. 

As of 11 a.m. ET, Milton, which is currently a Category 4 hurricane, is about 190 miles southwest of Tampa. 

“Several tornadoes are likely today and tonight across parts of central and southern Florida,” according to the NHC. 

Rick Mijares, the owner of the American Social bar in Tampa, Florida, told ‘America’s Newsroom’ on Wednesday that he has chosen not to evacuate because “after everything with Helene, I can be a first responder for both my home and business – and my community – if need be.” 

Mijares said “I have elected to stay because my priority is protecting our home.” 

He added that his wife and children had left for Fort Lauderdale while he and his dog will ride out Hurricane Milton “in a safe spot” in an elevated area. 

“The community is resilient, Floridians are resilient,” Mijares also said. “We want to make sure that we are here. We also want to keep our properties safe, our businesses safe.” 

Storm chaser and meteorologist Reed Timmer told 'America's Newsroom' that the downtown Tampa area has turned into a “ghost town” Wednesday as Hurricane Milton is now only hours away from making landfall. 

“The wind field is likely going to expand and that storm surge takes a lot of time to subside,” he said about Milton.  

“My objective is to get into the eye, we have some new sensors we are going to deploy,” Timmer added. “Our goal is definitely scientific and also to report as the conditions deteriorate across this area. 

“Those people that evacuated like to see what is happening in their home after they get out,” he said. 

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told reporters Wednesday morning that the agency has “moved in over 1,200 search and rescue personnel to be able to support those immediate life safety needs, as well as additional personnel from across the federal government” ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. 

“I will be traveling to Florida later today to join my team and the state on the ground. I'll be there to ensure every Floridian gets the help they need when this storm passes, and to provide timely updates to the president and the vice president,” she said. 

“When we just look at the forecast for Hurricane Milton, it is bringing catastrophic winds. It's bringing catastrophic storm surge, increased flooding, and so we know that we are going to have, significant impacts as a result of this storm,” Criswell added. 

The National Weather Service's Miami Office is reporting that a tornado is crossing Interstate-75 in south Florida as Hurricane Milton approaches the state.

"TORNADO crossing I-75 as we speak! Seek shelter NOW!" it wrote on X.

Current storm surge forecasts ahead of Hurricane Milton. (FOX Weather)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that 6,000 Florida National Guardsman and 3,000 National Guardsman from other states are being deployed ahead of Hurricane Milton. 

“We have 500 tactical vehicles, including 180 high water vehicles, aerial water and ground National Guard search and rescue teams. This is the largest Florida National Guard search and rescue mobilization in the entire history of the state of Florida,” he said. 

“Our Florida State Guard is also deploying almost 200 soldiers, ten maritime crews, three high water UTVs, two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, four drone teams, 15 cut and toss crews, two amphibious rescue crews,” he added. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that “we are bracing and are prepared to receive a major hit” from Hurricane Milton, which he says will “arrive either late tonight or early tomorrow morning.  

“Hurricane Milton is still a major, very strong hurricane. It's currently a category four hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155mph. That is just a whisker shy of a category five,” DeSantis said. “And while there is the hope that it will weaken more before landfall, there is high confidence that this hurricane is going to pack a major, major punch and do an awful lot of damage.” 

“We've delivered massive amounts of supplies -- meals, water bottles, sandbags, tarps, generators to be able to help our local communities respond to this storm,” DeSantis continued. 

“We've also deployed more than 11,000 ft. of flood protection systems and erected them around critical infrastructure like hospitals, wastewater treatment facilities and electric infrastructure,” he added. “Generators have been deployed at shelters and to support sheltering operations. Starlink internet has been deployed across the entire state of Florida. We have surged in additional 600 ambulances and they are currently in operation helping in the effort.” 

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister told ‘America’s Newsroom’ on Wednesday that “as the conditions continue to deteriorate, we are approaching the 11th hour here” as Hurricane Milton is racing toward Florida. 

“You need to get to where you want to be and where you are going to be able to shelter and do so safely. There is still time to get out if you are in an evacuation zone,” he continued. 

“Be prepared that we are going to lose power. We have flooding with all the rain coming and there is nowhere for the water to go,” Chronister added. 

The sheriff said debris leftover from the passage of Hurricane Helene could be “weaponized” as a result of Hurricane Milton and “obstruct some of our search and rescue efforts afterwards.” 

“We are going to see some catastrophic results,” he warned. 

Multiple news conferences are scheduled for this morning ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected landfall in Florida later tonight.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to speak at any moment.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has scheduled a briefing for 10 a.m. ET.

The National Hurricane Center, meanwhile, will provide an update around 11 a.m ET.

Tropicana Field opens a staging site for workers and operations before the arrival of Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Monday, Oct. 7,. (Reuters/Octavio Jones)

Tropicana Field has gotten used to hosting playoff games since Kevin Cash took over as manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, but over the next few days, the stadium will be used as a base camp to support the Florida Department of Emergency Management ahead of Hurricane Milton.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis directed Florida crews that were dispatched to North Carolina to help the state dig out of Hurricane Helene’s aftermath to return to Florida to prepare for Milton’s arrival, which is churning in the Gulf of Mexico as a dangerous Category 4 storm.

Florida emergency officials launched evacuation orders for most of the state’s western coast in preparation for Milton. Many of those same regions were still trying to dig out from Helene.

Police block off a bridge leading to the barrier island of St. Pete Beach, Fla., ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, in South Pasadena, Fla., on Wednesday, Oct. 9. (/Rebecca Blackwell)

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has said ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall that “if they say get out and it going to hit us like this and they can't predict exactly that storm surge and you are in an evacuation zone, you probably need to write your name in permanent marker on your arm so that people know who you are when they get to you afterwards.” 

The warning is one of many from Florida officials urging people in evacuation zones to leave their homes immediately. 

Hurricane Milton, which is currently a Category 4 storm, is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida later tonight. 

"I have urged everyone currently located in Hurricane Milton’s path to listen to local officials and follow safety instructions... if you're under evacuation orders, you should evacuate now," President Biden said yesterday. "It's a matter of life and death – and that is not hyperbole – it is a matter of life and death." 

Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis told 'Fox & Friends' on Wednesday that “We have got more resources in the form of urban search and rescue pre-staged in the state of Florida than we have ever had for any natural disaster.  

“We have got teams all the way from Washington state to Virginia that are ready to roll as soon as it’s safe to get these brave men and women out into harm’s way to save lives,” he continued. 

Patronis also said “I plead with people – check on your elderly, check on your neighbors. Some people are so overwhelmed by the circumstances, especially the elderly, that they are not heeding the warnings.” 

“The Tampa Bay market got hit by Helene, they know the stove is hot and they will not take a chance of getting burned a second time,” he added. 

A boarded up business stands beside a deserted street in an evacuation zone, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, in Anna Maria, Fla.,on Tuesday, Oct. 8. (AP/Rebecca Blackwell)

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has offered a grim warning to those who don’t follow evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Milton.  

"I’ve said many times that you want to pick a fight with Mother Nature, she’s winning 100 percent of the time," Castor said Tuesday. "And individuals that are in these, say you’re in a single-story home. Twelve feet is above that house. So, if you’re in it, you know, basically that’s the coffin you’re in." 

Hurricane Milton has been downgraded for a Category 4 hurricane Wednesday morning as it makes its approach to Florida, according to FOX Weather. 

Forecasters say it will likely remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall on Florida's west coast later on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning. 

The massive storm, as of 5 a.m. ET Wednesday, was located about 300 miles southwest from Tampa, Florida. 

FOX Weather's Scott Sistek contributed to this report.

Highway signage announces the impending arrival of Hurricane Milton and the evacuations zones on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in Port Richey, Fla. (AP/Mike Carlson)

As Hurricane Milton approaches west central Florida, highways are filled with evacuees, creating a perfect storm for looters to monopolize on the impending weather event. 

"If you think you’re going to go in and loot, you got another thing coming," Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a briefing at the state’s Emergency Operations Center.

"If you go into somebody’s house after the storm passes, think that you’re going to be able to commit crimes, you’re going to get in really serious trouble. And quite frankly, you don’t know what’s behind that door in a Second Amendment state."

Geoff Fahringer, who worked for 50 years in law enforcement and has taught a number of courses centered around emergency preparedness, explained how homeowners can make their properties less attractive to would-be burglars. 

He recommends to make it look like someone is home and advertise alarm systems and cameras around the home -- even if you don't actually have an alarm or surveillance system -- among other strategies.

Duke Energy project manager Tiger Yates, bottom center, walks among the hundreds of lineman trucks staged, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at The Villages, Fla. in preparation for Hurricane Milton. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

A photo has captured hundreds of lineman trucks being staged in The Villages in central Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall later tonight. 

Florida Power & Light – the state’s largest utility – says “our restoration workforce of more than 14,000 men and women from 37 states as far west as California are positioned across Florida to restore power safely and as quickly as possible for our customers.” 

“There will be widespread outages,” the company’s president and CEO Armando Pimentel said in a video message recorded at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds, where trucks also are being gathered. 

“Hurricane Milton is expected to be a historic storm and one of the strongest storms to hit our service territory,” he added. 

Tampa Electric Company says on its website that “We’ve mobilized more than 5,000 utility workers and growing to assist with electric restoration after the storm.” 

Duke Energy, another top utility in Florida, also says its crews “are ready to respond.

This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken Tuesday shows Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. (NOAA via AP)

The National Hurricane Center warned in a Wednesday morning advisory that “a large area of destructive storm surge, with highest inundations of 10 feet or greater, is expected along a portion of the west-central coast of the Florida Peninsula” when Hurricane Milton makes landfall later tonight. 

“If you are in the Storm Surge Warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation, and you should evacuate as soon as possible if ordered by local officials,” it added. 

The Category 5 hurricane, as of 5 a.m. ET, was centered about 300 miles southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph. 

“Rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches, with localized totals up to 18 inches, are expected across central to northern portions of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday,” the NHC also says. “This rainfall brings the risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding, along with moderate to major river flooding.” 

“Preparations to protect life and property, including being ready for long-duration power outages, should be rushed to completion,” the NHC added. 

Storm chaser Mike Boylan of Mike's Weather Page has been following extreme weather since 2020, traveling to six different states to do so.

His latest chase, Hurricane Milton, hits close to his heart as he is a Florida native.

Boylan told Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview, "To me, it’s sad. You get kind of numb to the idea of living here that it can't happen. And Helene was a rude wake-up call. Maybe that really got people fired up in a weird way." 

He is currently in the Tampa Bay region, in Oldsmar, and said Hurricane Helene recently devastated the area.

And Milton may be worse.

"I’ve got a debris pile behind me just littered with debris for miles and miles and miles. And it's the same scene up and down all of the Tampa Bay region," he said. 

"This is one story of many, of course, that's unfolding. And it's just sad for these folks — they lost everything. Now they're dealing with possibly a higher storm surge," he said.

A NASA astronaut shared ominous pictures and a video timelapse of Hurricane Milton from space.

The massive storm has now regained Category 5 strength as it barrels toward Florida.

"We flew over Hurricane Milton about 90 minutes ago. Here is the view out the Dragon Endeavour window. Expect lots of images from this window as this is where I’m sleeping while we wait to undock and return to Earth," Matthew Dominick, a NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Commander shared in a post on X.

The video, posted on Tuesday morning, shows the spaceship gliding in space over the U.S. with Milton clearly visible. 

Millions in Florida are bracing for a potentially catastrophic punch from major Hurricane Milton, which threatens a historically deep and dangerous storm surge to a large swath of Florida’s west coast along with wind gusts well over 100 mph during the next 36 hours.

Milton regained Category 5 strength Tuesday evening, a day after becoming among the strongest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin. 

The monster storm maintained that strength overnight into Wednesday, and forecasters say it will likely remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall Florida's west coast later on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.

"Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida," the NHC said Wednesday morning.

State officials have been scrambling since Monday to get millions off vulnerable coastlines in what is described as the largest mass evacuation in Florida since Hurricane Irma in 2017.  Storm surge forecasts along the central western coast are predicting 10–15 feet of water topped with devastating waves driven by hurricane-force winds. Those levels — significantly higher than the damage wrought just last month by Hurricane Helene — would surpass anything seen in over a century in the Tampa Bay area.