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.
Heavy rain is impacting much of the Florida Peninsula and tropical storm-force winds are spreading inland.
Milton is forecast to make landfall between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Wednesday near Sarasota, south of Tampa, as a Category 3 hurricane.
Strong wind gusts over 100 mph are forecast for the Tampa area during the landfall.
A dangerous, record-breaking storm surge of up to 12 feet is expected for Tampa Bay and Fort Myers. Storm surge could reach a life-threatening 15 feet near Sarasota.
Heavy rain -- up to 18 inches -- is expected to inundate parts of central Florida, bringing a high risk of flash flooding.
-ABC News' Max Golembo and Melissa Griffin
At least 15 tornadoes have been reported on Wednesday, mostly in South Florida.
Several tornado warnings are ongoing across the eastern Florida peninsula, from west of West Palm Beach to just southeast of Orlando.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 24% of Florida gas stations were without fuel, according to GasBuddy.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that there’s no fuel shortage but he acknowledged "demand is high and some gas stations have run out."
The Florida Highway Patrol has been escorting fuel tankers to ensure continued supply, especially to ports like Tampa Bay and Manatee, which may face disruptions, he said.
"We've dispatched 1.6 million gallons of diesel and 1.1 million gallons of gasoline," he said.
Over 1,900 flights have been canceled across the country on Wednesday as Hurricane Milton closes in on Florida.
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Orlando Sanford International Airport, Palm Beach International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport are all closing for the storm.
The Florida Division of Emergency Services said it has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to and from shelters.
President Joe Biden is urging Floridians to take this "storm of the century" seriously.
For those in the Tampa area, Vice President Kamala Harris added, "This is a storm that is expected to be of historic proportion. … It's going to be more dangerous, more deadly and more catastrophic. So please listen to your local officials."
"If you are told to evacuate, please evacuate immediately. Do not wait until it is too late," she said during a briefing on Wednesday.
Biden called out former President Donald Trump by name for leading the "onslaught of lies" and misinformation about the administration’s response to Hurricane Helene.
He criticized the "reckless, irresponsible, and relentless promotion of disinformation" that’s been spreading since Helene struck the Southeast, adding that it’s "undermining confidence" of rescue and recovery teams and "harmful" to those who "need help the most."
Biden, Harris give update on Hurricane Milton
-ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez
