Hurricane Milton tracker: Milton strengthens to Category 5 storm with 175 mph winds

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in parts of counties along Florida's west coast, including in Charlotte, Citrus, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee and Pasco.

"If you live in a storm surge evacuation zone and you're asked to leave by your local officials, please do that," Michael Brennan, the director of NOAA's national hurricane center, told ABC News Live on Sunday. "You don't have to drive hundreds of miles to get to a safe place, often just tens of miles to get inland, out of that evacuation zone, to a shelter, a friend or loved one's home."

Brennan also urged Floridians to prepare a disaster kit with several days’ worth of nonperishable food, water, medicine and batteries.

Milton rapidly intensified to a Category 5 hurricane late Monday morning. By Monday afternoon, Milton exploded with strength, reaching 175 mph winds.

Within hours, Milton strengthened to a Category 2, then a Category 3, then a Category 4 and finally a Category 5.

The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, just outside of Tampa, Florida, will close at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and stay shut on Wednesday and Thursday.

"The airport is in a mandatory evacuation zone and is not a public shelter," airport officials tweeted. "Prepare and stay safe."

Tampa International Airport will suspend operations beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday and stay closed "until it can assess any damage after the storm," airport officials said.

The Orlando International Airport will close Wednesday morning and reopen as soon as it's safe, officials said.

The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport will close at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, who has been on the ground in North Carolina helping organize relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene, will travel to Florida on Monday to meet with leaders ahead of Hurricane Milton.

Criswell will then return to North Carolina. FEMA senior leader and regional administrator Willie Nunn will stay in Florida to coordinate the response to Hurricane Milton.

Crews on the ground in Florida include "six FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams, five FEMA Urban Search & Rescue teams, three U.S. Coast Guard Swift Water Rescue teams, four HealthCare System Assessment Teams, two U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) temporary power teams, USACE debris experts, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and wastewater experts, 300 ambulances and 30 High Water Vehicles with ladders from the Department of Defense," FEMA said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Chad Murray