Milton is expected to make landfall Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane.
Hurricane Milton, now a Category 3 hurricane, has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.
Milton will make landfall on Florida's west coast Wednesday night, likely as a Category 3 hurricane. The state is bracing for life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds and flooding rain.
Hurricane Milton is heading toward west-central Florida as a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds. Landfall is expected between 8:30 and 10 p.m. ET
The storm is about 35 miles west-southeast of Sarasota and moving at 15 mph.
The latest storm surge forecast is nine to 13 feet for Sarasota, six to nine feet for Tampa and eight to 12 feet for Fort Myers.
Widespread heavy rain is impacting much of the Florida peninsula with tropical storm-force winds spreading inland.
A recent wind gust of 68 miles per hour was reported in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.
There have been at least 26 reported tornadoes across the Florida peninsula so far today with the majority of them across South Florida. Multiple tornadoes have been confirmed in South Florida so far, including the Miami-Dade area.
The tornado threat continues with several tornado warnings currently in effect across the eastern Florida peninsula, from west of West Palm Beach to just southeast of Orlando.
The massive Category 3 storm is expected to make landfall within the next hour and is bringing life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds on the way.
There have been at least 30 reported tornadoes across Florida.
Sarasota is forecast to have nine to 13 feet of storm surge, Tampa could face six to nine feet and Fort Myers is predicted to face eight to 12 feet of storm surge.
Hurricane Milton is quickly approaching landfall along the coast of west-central Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.
An estimated 125 homes have been destroyed amid a "life-threatening" tornado outbreak ahead of Milton's landfall, according to Kevin Guthrie, the head of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Florida's east coast has had "a lot of tornadic activity" that has resulted in structural damage, he said during a press briefing Wednesday evening.
Based on preliminary information, about 125 homes have been destroyed, "most of them mobile homes and senior communities," he said.
"So we're trying to get into Florida's most vulnerable to make sure they're taken care of," he added.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said there have been 116 tornado warnings issued on Wednesday, with 19 confirmed touchdowns.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents who haven't evacuated to stay inside as conditions deteriorate and the northern eyewall of Hurricane Milton is beginning to move onshore.
"At this point, it's too dangerous to evacuate safely," DeSantis said during a press briefing Wednesday evening.
Gov. DeSantis gives update ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall
"The storm is here, it's time for everybody to hunker down," he added.
DeSantis detailed the state's emergency response, including search and rescue personnel ready to go.
"We hope that there's not a big need for that, but we're prepared for that," he said.
The state has inspectors ready to clear bridges once the storm passes and "massive amounts of fuel reserves" ready to go once people are able to return to their homes, the governor said.
