Millions of people across Florida are locked in a desperate race against time to evacuate before the storm of the century smashes into Tampa late tonight, with the citys mayor warning those who are refusing to leave that their houses will be your coffin.
The state is holding its breath as category-5 Hurricane Milton barrels across the Gulf of Mexico and heads for the shoreline, with forecasters warning 15-foot floods and 165 miles-per-hour winds will lay waste to huge swathes of land.
Emergency workers are busy making last-ditch preparations, locking down communities, readying rescue trucks and placing flood barricades around vital infrastructure, including Tampa General Hospital, which is expected to bear the brunt of Miltons wrath when it hits around midnight UK time (7pm EST).
The National Guard has also been drafted in to help any residents in difficulty carry out desperate eleventh-hour evacuations.
Yet some residents have chosen to stay in their homes to ride out the punishing storm, even with the debris left by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago still lying by the roadside.
Analysts fear they will struggle to survive after officials said they would be left to fend for themselves, with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor delivering a grave warning to her stubborn constituents: If you choose to stay… you are going to die.
She went on to note that the 15 feet (4.5 metres) of storm surge forecast for her city would be deep enough to submerge entire houses and concluded: So if youre in it, basically thats the coffin that youre in.
US President Joe Biden meanwhile begged Florida residents to flee last night, warning that the Category 5 storm could turn into the worst natural disaster to hit the state in a century.
Its a matter of life and death, and thats not hyperbole, Biden said from the White House on Tuesday, urging those under orders to leave to evacuate now, now, now.
Some 6 million people across the state are subject to a mandatory evacuation warning, many of whom decided to pack up and flee in their cars.
Highways were at a standstill all day yesterday as locals and holidaymakers sought to evacuate amid a mass exodus, but by the evening roads in Tampa and other communities were seen completely empty as dystopian drone footage revealed how they had turned into ghost towns.
Latest satellite picture of Hurricane Milton captured at 7:51 UTC (8:51 UK BST) as it approaches Florida on Wednesday
The latest maps from the NOAA show Miltons path towards Tampa Bay
Members of the Florida Army National Guard check for any remaining residents in nearly-deserted Bradenton Beach, where piles of debris from Hurricane Helene flooding still sits outside damaged homes ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024
An AquaFence flood wall is put into place around Tampa General Hospital ahead of Hurricane Miltons expected mid-week landfall in Tampa, Florida on October 8, 2024
Workers erect flood barriers outside Tampa General Hospital which is expected to bear the brunt of the storm
Hundreds of lineman trucks staged at The Villages, Florida, on Tuesday. Thousands of trucks will be staged and deployed after Hurricane Milton hits Florida. Hurricane Milton 2024
One family attempts to prevent damage to their house by quite literally tying it to the ground ahead of the storms arrival
This image of the hurricane as it barrels through the Gulf of Mexico has been likened to that of a ghost
Roads in the city of Treasure Island are empty ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, with thousands having fled. Destruction from Hurricane Helene is still seen by the roadside
Downtown Tampa is seen deserted amid warnings to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton
The state of Florida is holding its breath as category-5 Hurricane Milton is set to devastate the Tampa region later today with forecasters warning 15-foot floods and 165 miles-per-hour winds will almost certainly lay waste to huge swathes of land
Aerial footage reveals empty streets in Florida ahead of hurricane
Pictured downtown Tampa, October 8, 2024
Almost 6 million people are subject to mandatory evacuation orders, with officials warning that anyone who refuses to leave will be left without help as first responders are not expected to risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm.
Milton was initially set as a category one storm when forecasters first raised the alarm over the weekend after it battered Mexico with powerful gusts and floods.
But its intensity has only increased since then, with officials overnight declaring Milton had become a category five storm that could see potential wind speeds up to a stunning 165mph wreak havoc in Tampa.
Milton, which is set to make landfall later today, comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene battered Florida and blazed a trail of destruction as far inland as the Appalachian mountains, leaving some 230 people dead.
Helene roared into the Florida coastline as a Category 4 storm on September 26 and carved a path of destruction inland, dumping torrential rainfall and flash flooding on remote towns in states such as North Carolina.
That storm was the deadliest natural disaster to hit the United States since 2005s Hurricane Katrina - but many fear that Milton will be yet more destructive.
Hurricane expert Michael Lowry warned that in the Tampa area, home to about three million people, Miltons storm surge could double the storm surge levels observed two weeks ago during Helene.
State and local governments scrambled ahead of the storm to remove piles of debris left in Helenes wake, fearing that the oncoming hurricane would turn loose wreckage into flying missiles.
Governor Ron DeSantis said the state deployed over 300 dump trucks that had removed 1,300 loads of debris.
Members of the Florida Army National Guard check for any remaining residents in nearly-deserted Bradenton Beach, where piles of debris from Hurricane Helene still sit outside damaged homes, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton
shocking footage from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plane showed how scientists braved Miltons terror, flying through the hurricane to collect valuable data
The interior of an NOAA plane is seen after flying through the eye of Hurricane Milton
Torrents of rain whipped by the windows as the scientists were tossed around in the cabin, such was the turbulence they faced
Debris from Hurricane Helene lines a street in the Redington Beach section of St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 8, 2024, ahead of Hurricane Milton
Daylight view of Hurricane Milton, currently a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane with winds of 165 mph, continues to churn across the Gulf of Mexico
A resident walks along a deserted street in the Ybor City section of Tampa ahead of Hurricane Miltons expected landfall in the middle of this week on October 8, 2024
Hurricane Miltoni s seen putting on an impressive lightning show as it swirls in the Gulf of Mexico
The National Weather Service released this map showing the path of Milton across Florida
A person walks in front of a restaurant surrounded by sand bags as the city prepares for Hurricane Milton in Bonita Beach, Florida
Holly Hill residents bag up bags of sand at the citys public utilities department lot ahead of Hurricane Milton
The US National Hurricane Centre predicted Milton could weaken somewhat before it makes landfall Wednesday evening but is set to remain a major hurricane.
Meanwhile, shocking footage from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plane showed how scientists braved Miltons terror, flying through the hurricane to collect valuable data.
Torrents of rain whipped by the windows as the scientists were tossed around in the cabin, such was the turbulence they faced.
In an unsettling assessment, the National Hurricane Centre office in Miami said yesterday: Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.
Milton is still a relatively compact hurricane, but the wind field is expected to continue to grow in size as it approaches Florida.
In fact, the official forecast shows the hurricane and tropical-storm-force winds roughly doubling in size by the time it makes landfall.
Florida Governor DeSantis expanded his state of emergency declaration on Sunday to 51 counties and said Floridians should prepare for more power outages and disruption, making sure they have a weeks worth of food and water and are ready to hit the road.
DeSantis at a news conference last night ticked off town after town in danger, saying: Basically the entire peninsula portion of Florida is under some type of either a watch or a warning.
Meanwhile, several municipalities across Florida have announced curfews for people remaining while Hurricane Milton hits the state.
Mike and Bre, who say they are homeless, take shelter from the storm in a car park as Hurricane Milton approaches on October 08, 2024 in Tampa, Florida
Ahead of expected landfall of Hurricane Milton, a heavy stream of evacuation traffic slowly moves southward from North-West Florida on Interstate 75, in in Naples, Florida
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick captured this view of Hurricane Milton as the International Space Station transited above Hurricane Milton as it approaches the west coast of Florida
People line up in their cars for fuel at a gas station ahead of Hurricane Miltons expected landfall in Lakeland, Florida
People fill up gas containers at a station ahead of Hurricane Miltons expected landfall in Lakeland, Florida
Two people ride their motorcycles on a flooded street after the passage of Hurricane Milton, in Celestun, Mexico, 08 October 2024
In Fort Myers Beach, a 24-hour daily general curfew began at 10pm on Tuesday night.
The city of Naples will begin a vehicle curfew starting at 4pm today; the island of Sanibel in Lee County will launch its curfew at 10pm today; and in Flagler County, a curfew will last at least 12 hours, from Wednesday at 7pm to Thursday at 7am.
It expanded yesterday morning as it hurtled over the Gulf of Mexico towards Tampa - making it potentially one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricanes winds are becoming more wide-reaching from the centre of the storm - vastly increasing its capacity to cause destruction.
Miltons gales extended around 80 miles from the eye of the storm through Monday, and this increased to just over 100 miles by Wednesday morning.
But the warnings of Miltons destructive power have only grown more alarming over the course of the week with local officials scrambling to evacuate the population before the tempest hits Tampa and St Petersburg some time this evening.
The National Weather Service has warned that Milton could also bring tornadoes, with communities throughout the state - even those far from Miltons landfall - at risk of a twister.
Residents walk along the pier damaged by Hurricane Milton on the coast of Puerto Progeso, Yucatan State, Mexico, on October 8, 2024
A car sits half-buried in sand as Bradenton Beach, Florida, which was in the process of cleaning up after Hurricane Helene, as Hurricane Milton approaches
The state is holding its breath as category-5 Hurricane Milton is set to devastate the Tampa region tomorrow with 15-foot floods and 165miles per hour winds laying waste to the city
Drivers last night queued in standstill traffic as the states major highways were clogged with miles-long lines of cars trying to flee the line of danger.
In a scene of frantic preparation repeated all over Florida, dozens of cars lined up at a sports facility in Tampa to pick up sandbags to protect their homes from flooding yesterday.
John Gomez, 75, ignored official advice and traveled all the way from Chicago to try to save a second house he has in Florida.
I think its better to be here in case something happens, Gomez said as he waited in line.
But Katie, in her 30s, heeded the call to evacuate and arrived in Orlando with her five-year-old son and dog from St. Petersburg, a coastal city where Hurricane Helene had brought three feet of floodwater into her bayside home two weeks ago.
Normally she would ride out the storm at a friends elevated apartment, but Im not taking any chances this time around, she said.
The window has also closed for people to escape the region by plane as airports in Tampa, St Petersburg and Orlando shut down and grounded flights. Thousands of British tourists are now battling hurricane chaos as Milton threatens to devastate much of the gulf coast.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said earlier this week it was coordinating its response to the Hurricane with governor DeSantis and briefed President Joe Biden on how it has staged lifesaving resources.
FEMA has prepared 20million meals and 40million litres of water at the ready, as they prepare to deploy them after the hurricane hits.
I highly encourage you to evacuate if youre in an evacuation zone, said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, yesterday. We are preparing... for the largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since 2017, Hurricane Irma.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said though it remains unclear exactly where Milton will strike, I dont think theres any scenario where we dont have major impacts at this point.
Broadcast on The Weather Channel, the brown surge of the flood can be seen rising to almost twice the height of presenter Stephanie Abrams
School districts have closed, businesses have shut and evacuation orders have seen residents fleeing the coast, as weather officials warn the tempest could be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record
Pray for Orlando reads on wood that was placed at a Home Depot before the arrival of Hurricane Milton, in Orlando, Florida
People board up windows as the old town of Ybor City in Tampa stands mostly empty as the state prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton
Forecasters warn Milton is expected to grow in size and remain an extremely dangerous hurricane when it makes landfall in the US tomorrow
Some residents, who despite the desperate calls to evacuate either chose to remain in place or could not flee, are hunkering down after sprees of panic buying stripped store shelves of bottled water, toilet paper and other household necessities.
Home owners are already on the guard against thieves - with one sign in New Port Richey, just north of Tampa on Floridas Gulf Coast, emblazoned with: You loot, we shoot on sight.
Milton was so strong on Monday night that experts called for it to be given unprecedented Category 6 status, however the hurricane was downgraded to a Category 5 early this morning.
Forecasters warn Milton is expected to grow in size and remain an extremely dangerous hurricane when it makes landfall on Wednesday.
Those who are still desperate to escape and follow evacuation orders said it may be too dangerous to hit the roads because local gas stations have run out of fuel.
However, Governor Ron DeSantis assured residents that theres enough fuel for them to get away from the storm.
People prepare sandbags ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, in Orlando, Florida
A member of the Mexican army stands in floodwaters after Hurricane Milton brought heavy rain to Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula on its way to Florida, in Celestun, Mexico
Palm trees hitting by strong winds are seen caused by rains from Hurricane Milton in Puerto Progeso, Yucatan State, Mexico
Governor Joaquin Diaz Mena of Yucatan state walks through floodwaters after Hurricane Milton brought heavy rain to Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula
A woman carrying a child walks through floodwaters after Hurricane Milton brought heavy rain to Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula on its way to Florida
Boats are secured in the overflow of a river after Hurricane Milton hit Celestun, Mexico with heavy rain on its way to Florida
A terrifying simulation unveiled last night laid bare what is expected to happen when Hurricane Milton strikes Florida.
Animated footage revealed the horrifying destruction Milton could wreak with as much as 15 feet of water predicted in some areas - taller than a double decker bus.
Broadcast on The Weather Channel, the brown surge of the flood could be seen rising to twice the height of presenter Stephanie Abrams.
Commentating on the impending disaster, she said: At this level the first floors of structures are completely flooded and there are few places that it is safe when the water rises this high.
We want everyone to know their evacuation zone, listen to local officials and evacuate when ordered to do so. This is not just a calm water - youre going to have waves and even whitecaps on the surge inland.
The camera then continued to pan over the scene, which saw buildings carried off in the raging turbulence of the flood, as the water topped the tropical palm trees. Dustbins and logs floated on the surface.
Meteorologist Jordan Steele added: Its going to be nasty. Trying to think you could walk in it - please do not think that.
This thing will carry you away, especially when weve got the forecast that it could go up to 15 feet.
I-75 northbound lanes near mile marker 354 as of 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, October 8
A threatening sign warns looters on a garage door taped with plastic and sand bags in preparation for Hurricane Milton
Vehicles fill the road as they drive to the East on I-75 from the West coast of Florida before the arrival of Hurricane Milton
The Aquatics Division of the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department with about 20 volunteers and local community members served over 2,000 sandbags to over 200 Tampa residents ahead of Hurricane Milton
Contractors haul away debris left by Hurricane Helene along the roadside, as residents in New Port Richey prepare to evacuate ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, Florida
A contractor walks by debris left by Hurricane Helene along the roadside, as residents prepare to evacuate ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida
A closed business is seen after Hurricane Helene ahead of Hurricane Miltons arrival in Treasure Island, Florida
Lightening strikes over Cancun as Hurricane Milton rolls through Mexico today
The storm centre is expected to come ashore Wednesday night in the Tampa Bay area, which has not endured a direct hit by a major hurricane in more than a century.
Locals took to social media, detailing their fears as they struggle to evacuate from communities located in Miltons expected direct path.
Sharing drone footage of clogged traffic along I-75 between Morris Bridge and Bruce B Downs on Monday, one X user said: This is why a lot of people are staying behind, at a certain point traffic is so bad you cannot get out of Florida, or theres no gas. So youre stuck outside of Gainesville.
One woman, whose son lives in Hernando County, said that he is trapped.
Everywhere is out of gas and roads are too backed up for him to [evacuate], she tweeted. He has family in Georgia but cant get there. This is scary. He is scared. I am terrified for him.
The concerned mother added that her sons community was also among those flooded by Hurricane Helene last week.
She said: Now Milton is heading for them.
But DeSantis tried to ease fears yesterday morning, saying during a press conference: There is no fuel shortage. Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida.
Residents were seen at Costco in Orlando stocking up on bottled water, paper towels, toilet paper and other essentials ahead of Hurricane Miltons arrival
Floridians have posted fuel updates on social media, alerting their neighbors where gas is still available in the community. A resident this morning revealed that in Port Charlotte, Florida, some gas stations are out of fuel but that they were able to get gas at Wawa
Clara Chapman, a longtime resident, prepares to evacuate from her home ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida
Michael Mims boards up his home in advance of Hurricane Milton in Fort Myers, Florida
A sign on a home lists hurricane names as they board up windows in preparation for Hurricane Milton
Scott Pepperman (L), and his son Cobi move a trailer while preparing to evacuate from their home ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida
People evacuate ahead of Hurricane Miltons expected mid-week landfall in Sanford, Florida
Vehicles fill the road as they drive to the East on I-75 from the West coast of Florida before the arrival of Hurricane Milton in Big Cypress, Florida
Milton is creeping towards Florida, sucking energy from the Gulf of Mexicos warm water
Despite the long lines at gas stations, DeSantis said officials are working with fuel companies to continue bringing in gasoline.
You do not have to get on the interstate and go far away, he added. You can evacuate tens of miles; you do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles away. You do have options.
He added that Florida has helped evacuate more than 200 health care facilities in Miltons path and that 36 county-run shelters are open.
Still, multiple people have also shared anecdotes on X detailing their fears and claiming they are unable to afford the cost of either driving or flying their way out of the state.
Ive had two people in the last HOUR tell me they cant afford to evacuate for Hurricane Milton. Never tell me low wages arent violent ever again, one user on X posted yesterday.
A Sarasota resident also claimed they were struggling to get out of the storms way.
I live in Sarasota, which is in the direct path of Hurricane Milton. They are evacuating my town, but there is no gas left to evacuate, and traffic is so bad that it could be more dangerous to try and evacuate at this point. What would you do if you were me?
DeSantis said the state would activate 8,000 National Guard members and is positioning truckloads of supplies and equipment near the area where the storm is expected to make landfall.
Residents have been warned to flee or die as Hurricane Milton closes in
Seagulls fly on the beach as Hurricane Milton advances past Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula on its way to Florida, in Cancun, Mexico
A man walks through floodwaters after Hurricane Milton caused huge rains as it hit Mexico on its wait to the US
Almost the entirety of Floridas west coast is under hurricane warning this morning as Milton and its 155mph winds creep toward the state
Tampas airport closed indefinitely from 9am Tuesday, meaning residents can no longer evacuate by plane. The airport posted on X that it is not a shelter for people or their cars.
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport said it is in a mandatory evacuation zone and will close after the last flight leaves today.
Delta Air Lines ran out of flights from Tampa to Atlanta at 10.30am Monday, with customers having to pay more than $800 for a roundabout flight to Washington DC instead.
Meanwhile, American Airlines was selling flights from Tampa to Atlanta on Monday for between $641 and $2,400, with only a couple of seats remaining on each plane.
Florida is a popular destination for UK tourists, with over a million typically travelling there annual for attractions including Disney World.
Universals Orlando Resort has cancelled a number of events over the coming week - with Volcano Bay closed tomorrow and on Thursday, alongside the Halloween Horror Nights. Their hotels intend to remain fully operational. SeaWorld Orlando also said it would close on Wednesday and Thursday.
The theme parks join Orlando International Airport, which said it would cease operations Wednesday morning. The airport is the nations seventh busiest and Floridas most trafficked.
Walt Disney World will close on Wednesday in phases starting from 1pm. The theme parks will remain closed until Thursday, when there will be the potential of some reopening in the afternoon.
The Orlando area is the most visited destination in the United States due to Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and other theme parks, attracting 74 million tourists last year alone.
October is also among the busier times for theme parks because of Halloween-related celebrations, which have become major money generators over the past couple decades. Universal Orlando hosts Halloween Horror Nights, with ghoulish haunted houses based on slasher films and other pop culture horror, and Disney has its tamer Mickeys Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
While Disney rarely shuts its doors - save for dangerous hurricanes in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the September 11 attacks - its hotels are often havens for coastal residents fleeing impending storms. A check of Disney Worlds online reservation system on Tuesday morning showed no vacancies.
Those lucky enough to get a hotel reservation have gotten unexpected treats during past storms. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, guests at a hotel on Disney property found themselves stranded with actress Kristen Bell, who voiced the role of Anna in the beloved Disney film, Frozen. While in Orlando, the actress found time to sing songs for evacuees at a nearby hurricane shelter.
Once a hurricane passes, the theme parks try to return operations to normal as quickly as possible. After Hurricane Charley charted a devastating path through Orlando in 2004, Disney World had utility vehicles picking up downed tree limbs and clearing roads on its property within an hour in the pitch-dark night.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has urged Brits to flee, as they say they are monitoring the weather system. An spokesperson said: We are closely monitoring the development of Hurricane Milton towards the United States. We urge all British nationals in Florida or travelling to the region to follow travel advice and guidance from local authorities.
British tourists have been warned to stay at home by furious Florida residents as the hurricane approaches - with desperate locals branding travelers selfish amid flee or die warnings that have forced them to evacuate their homes.
One couple from Essex, who say they love anything Disney and Universal, said that they were going to brave the worrying flight from Heathrow during a hurricane. They added that they had taken all cautions that needed to be taken.
But Floridians reacted in fury towards Dan and Terry, who said they would be vlogging their 16-day adventure.
Caley Kennedy, said: I would not recommend coming right now. Weve got our own people to worry about.
Another, Erin Dowding, replied in capitals - saying: DO NOT COME.
She continued: Why would you come into a devastating hurricane that is going to do so much damage in our state and expect us to shelter tourists and then accommodate them after.
Just wait a week and see if its ok to come. Selfish.