Florida residents seek safety as 'extremely powerful' Hurricane Milton threatens state

'Fleeing from Tampa has been horrific'

Our colleagues at the Good Morning Scotland programme spoke to Kathie Allen-Tierney, who has been on the road for hours fleeing Tampa Bay.

Kathie, who was visiting family in the Tampa area, explained she had been on the road for 12 hours and had only got as far as Atlanta in Georgia.

She said: "It's been horrific."

Kathie has made the journey many times - but this time there was nowhere to get petrol, so she has travelled on backroads to get as far as she has.

"We probably went 10mph for three hours."

She said wherever this storm hits it's going to be "historical and catastrophic".

What is a storm surge?

Hurricane Helene created a storm surge so great that it lifted these homes off their foundations in the Florida panhandle

Hurricane Milton is likely to bring another huge storm surge to coastal areas of Florida that are still recovering from the 15ft (4.6m) wall of water piled up by Hurricane Helene at the end of September.

The US National Hurricane Center is warning that Hurricane Milton could bring a storm surge of 8-12ft (2.4-3.7m) further south around the Tampa Bay coastline.

A storm surge is an abnormal rise in sea level caused by a storm and can cause the greatest damage and biggest threat to life through extensive coastal flooding.

Tropical cyclones form at sea, fuelled by warm water. Strong winds develop as air begins to circulate. Water is pushed in the direction in which the winds are blowing, causing the water levels to rise.

This is not particularly noticeable in deep sea but as the ocean floor becomes shallower close to land, the wall of water has to rise and is driven onshore by strong winds.

The highest recorded storm surge in history, according to Penn State University, was more than 40ft (12m). It was caused by Cyclone Mahina in northern Australia in 1899.

US government 'ready to respond', White House says

As Hurricane Milton is forecast to hit the western coast of Florida, the US government says it is "ready to respond to any potential impacts on communities".

Yesterday, President Joe Biden approved Florida Governor Ron de Santis' request for an emergency declaration. This means the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) will provide direct support to states for life-saving activities, including evacuation.

Biden is expected to receive a briefing from Homeland Security advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall today as Milton tracks across the Gulf of Mexico.

A statement from the White House says Florida residents are urged to "stay alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed".

Florida prepares for another storm

In Florida, residents are waking up to the threat of another storm as those in the Tampa area prepare for Hurricane Milton - which is fast approaching.

We're now seeing pictures of the early impact on Florida as traffic builds, fuel supplies run low and relief efforts begin ahead of Milton's arrival.

After Florida governor Ron DeSantis warned of a "monster"approaching, many have heeded his advice and evacuated the region.

For those who have remained, plans are being made to assist the expected emergency response.

Milton moves past Mexico peninsula as citizens urged to 'remain alert'

Roughly 680 miles (1,000km) away from Tampa, Hurricane Milton has been skirting the northern edge of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

Earlier today, Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum urged citizens to remain alert amid fears of "heavy rains" and "strong winds" and "pay attention to advice from officials.

“It is not discounted that the hurricane could touch the coast,” she warned.

With heavy flooding also predicted to result from the hurricane, Sheinbaum tells those who live in the lowlands of the region, where water might collect more easily, to head to storm shelters.

Milton an 'extremely powerful' storm

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) published its latest update on Hurricane Milton, external in the last half-hour.

It says the hurricane is an "extremely powerful" storm and poses an "extremely serious threat" to Florida.

It show the storm is currently north of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and is predicted to track east-north-east towards Florida.

The NHC is urging residents to follow the orders of local officials.

'The worst storm in Tampa for 100 years' - experts warn

As the US wakes up to the threat of another storm, the National Weather Service has been updating Americans on what to expect.

It says Milton “will be the worst storm to impact (Florida’s) Tampa area in over 100 years” if it continues on its current trajectory,” according to AFP.

It is feared that Tampa Bay, a large natural harbour city on Florida’s west coast, could see an influx of water of up to 15ft (4.5m) above ground, while wind speeds are projected to hit 155 mph (250km/h).

What are Hurricanes and how do they form?

Hurricanes are powerful storms that develop in warm tropical ocean waters. They are also known as cyclones or typhoons in other parts of the world, collectively these storms are referred to as "tropical cyclones".

Very high wind speeds, heavy rainfall and storm surges are all typical characteristics of a tropical cyclone and hurricanes can be categorised by their peak sustained windspeed.

Major hurricanes are rated category three and above. Hurricane Milton is currently category four having reduced from a category five storm in the last few hours.

Hurricanes form as warm, moist air rises from the ocean surface and winds in the storm cloud begin to spin. The process is linked to how the Earth's rotation affects winds in tropical regions just away from the equator.

For a hurricane to develop and keep spinning, the sea surface generally needs to be at least 27C to provide enough energy to sustain it and the winds need to not vary much with height.

If all these factors come together, an intense hurricane can form - although the exact causes of individual storms are complex.

Floridians hit the road ahead of Milton's arrival

Thousands of Florida residents have already heeded warnings to get out of the way of Hurricane Milton's path ahead of the storm making landfall on Wednesday.

Cars could be seen clogging the highway out of Tampa on Monday as Floridians sought refuge away from the coast.

Florida bracing for 'potentially catastrophic' impact of Hurricane Milton

US officials warn Hurricane Milton, currently packing ferocious winds of up to 155mph (250km/h), could pose a threat to life as it heads towards Florida.

The storm is expected to hit the heavily populated city of Tampa Bay with full force on Wednesday as residents in Florida have been told to prepare for the state's largest evacuation effort in years.

Hurricane Milton comes less than two weeks after the state was hit by Hurricane Helene, which killed at least 225 people with hundreds more remain missing.

At least 14 of those deaths were in Florida, where 51 of 67 counties are now under emergency warnings as Milton approaches.

Forecasters from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) say "potentially catastrophic" storm surges are possible along coastal areas.

We'll bring you the latest updates as Hurricane Milton continues to approach.

-BBC