What time will Hurricane Milton hit land in Florida?
Hurricane Milton is expected to cause catastrophic damage with a risk of life-threatening flooding in Tampa, Orlando and Daytona Beach.
Hurricane Milton closed in on Florida's west coast bringing spawning tornados and lashing the region with rain and wind hours ahead of its potentially 'catastrophic' landfall near Tampa Bay.
Millions of residents along a 300-mile stretch of coastline have been ordered to evacuate ahead of a life-threatening tidal surge of water to communities.
Authorities issued increasingly dire warnings on Wednesday as the hurricane drew closer.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has officially classed Milton as a category five hurricane – the highest level that can be reached - describing it as "catastrophic" and packing maximum sustained winds of 160 mph.
Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi said people who remain on the barrier islands in her county south of Tampa would likely not survive the projected 10- to 15ft storm surge. "If you choose to stay, make sure you have a life preserver handy," she said.
Officials from president Joe Biden to Tampa mayor Jane Castor warned people in evacuation zones to get out or risk death. Biden warned leaving the area was a matter of “life and death”. He told Florida residents: “Evacuate now, now, now.”
Castor said there has “never been [a storm] like this”, adding: “This is literally catastrophic, and I can say without any dramatisation whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die.” Tampa police chief Lee Bercaw said: “We’ve never seen anything like this before. This is the storm of the century."
When will Hurricane Milton hit Florida?
At 2pm ET (6pm GMT), the eye of the storm was 150 miles south-west of Tampa.
The NHC said Milton was expected to turn to the east-northeast and east on Thursday and Friday.
While a precise time the hurricane will hit landfall has still not been predicted, Milton is expected to reach the west coast of Florida at around midnight local time - 4am GMT.
Where will Hurricane Milton hit?
West-central Florida is set to be the worst-hit by Milton. It is projected to make landfall between Tampa and Fort Myers, according to the NHC.
The agency said there is a "high risk of life-threatening flash and urban flooding" in the metropolitan areas of Tampa, Orlando and Daytona Beach.
On Tuesday night the NHC said Milton had “wobbled” to the south, prompting the forecaster to slightly alter its track. However, predictions can be off by as much as 60 miles when the storm is still over a day away. The hurricane is set to end up in the Atlantic Ocean after moving across Florida.
What is a category five hurricane?
Milton is a category five hurricane – the most severe classification in the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Sustained winds of 157mph or higher must be reached for a hurricane to reach this category.
This level of hurricane can cause catastrophic damage, with a high likelihood of total destruction to buildings, severe flooding, and widespread power outages, according to the NHC.
Coastal areas are particularly vulnerable, and such hurricanes can lead to significant loss of life if proper precautions are not taken.
Why is Hurricane Milton so powerful?
Milton has rapidly gained strength in just a matter of days and there are several factors that may be behind its category five classification.
Unusually warm ocean waters attributed to climate change have provided an abundant source of heat and moisture. As the storm winds form into a hurricane, they pull in energy from the warm surface waters. If the water is warmer, it provides more "fuel" for the hurricane to grow in strength.
This year is on track to have the warmest average global air temperature on record, which scientists say is a direct result of global warming - that means plenty of fuel for Milton.
The atmosphere around Milton is also favourable for its development. There is low "wind shear", meaning the winds at different heights aren’t changing much. This allows the storm to maintain its structure and grow stronger without being disrupted.
Additionally, high-pressure systems nearby can help steer the hurricane toward areas with more heat and moisture, further fueling its intensity.