U.S. forecasters are warning of destructive waves, devastating winds and flash floods through the week as Hurricane Milton makes its way from the Yucatan Peninsula toward Florida.
Milton is expected to grow in size and reach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday.
“This is an extremely life-threatening situation,” reads the U.S. National Hurricane Center’s Tuesday morning advisory.
Follow along for live updates throughout the day.
6 a.m. EDT: Florida still cleaning up Helene
Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida in the Tampa Bay area, which is home to more than 3 million people.
The state’s emergency management department has ordered evacuations across the west coast.
Many are still cleaning up from Helene, the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. At least 230 people have been reported dead. On Florida’s Gulf Coast, it destroyed homes, tore down trees and flooded communities.
5:15 a.m. EDT: ‘Life-threatening storm surge’
Federal forecasters say “damaging hurricane-force winds and a life-threatening storm surge” are expected across the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday.
In its 4 a.m. CDT (5 a.m. EDT) advisory, the National Hurricane Center located the eye of the storm northeast of Progreso, Mexico.
With files from The Associated Press
