Hurricane Milton is once again a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, as it continues to make its way toward Florida, which is still reeling from Hurricane Helene.

"Milton is growing in size as it moves closer to the west coast of Florida," the National Hurricane Center said in a 2 p.m. ET advisory. Forecasters warned of "life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and flood rains" were expected across portions of Florida.

Fifty-one counties in the state of Florida are under a state of emergency, with millions being urged to evacuate as Milton gains steam along its path toward the Tampa Bay area, where it is expected to make landfall Wednesday night.

Follow along below for live updates.

Live82 updates

Water levels are already rising on Florida's west coast

Water levels are beginning to rise along the west coast of Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival. By 3 p.m., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that its tide stations in Naples Bay and Fort Myers were already seeing waters rise.

Earlier, a camera fixed on the Naples Pier showed waters rising during what was supposed to be low tide.

The National Hurricane Center is expecting a "devastating storm surge" across portions of the west coast of Florida, with up to 15 feet of water above ground level possible in some areas.

More than 80,000 customers without power in Florida already

More than 80,000 utility customers were without power in Florida as of Wednesday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.

In Manatee County — where mandatory evacuation orders were in place — over 8,000 customers were suffering from outages.

Coast Guard orders South Florida ports closed ahead of Milton

The U.S. Coast Guard has ordered all of Florida's major ports are closed to vessel traffic ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival.

The Port of Tampa Bay, Port of Palm Beach, Port of Jacksonville and Port Canaveral are now fully closed, per USGC. Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach, Port of Fort Pierce and Port Miami are conducting limited operations but remain closed to vessel traffic.

Tropical-storm-force winds moving onshore on Florida's west coast, multiple tornado warnings in effect

In a 3 p.m. ET update, the National Hurricane Center said "tropical-storm-force winds are now moving onshore the west coast of Florida."

The agency said multiple tornado warnings are in effect across the Florida peninsula and advised Floridians to seek shelter quickly, "preferably away from windows and in an interior room not prone to flooding."

The Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, is located about 110 miles west of Fort Myers, Fla., and 120 miles southwest of Tampa, and is moving northeast at 16 mph.

National Weather Service: 'It's time to shelter-in-place'

With Hurricane Milton rapidly approaching Florida's west coast, the National Weather Service urged residents in its path to hunker down.

Photos: Milton's damaging winds hit the Florida coast

Damage from strong winds and apparent tornadoes can be seen in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, Fla., as Hurricane Milton approaches the Gulf Coast.

Tornado warnings and watches remain in effect across South Florida

More than 50 tornado warnings were issued across South Florida as supercells ahead of Hurricane Milton spread across the peninsula, according to the National Weather Service.

As of 2 p.m. ET there were more than a dozen still in effect across.

The National Weather Service in Miami said there were at least four "visually confirmed" tornadoes with several other unconfirmed reports of twisters.

White House provides guidance on how to find open shelters if you haven't evacuated

During Wednesday's White House press briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pleaded with Floridians who have been told to evacuate to "do so immediately." If you can't evacuate or need a safe place to shelter, text "SHELTER" and your ZIP code to 43362 to get a list of open shelters near you, Jean-Pierre said.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who joined the briefing virtually, cautioned that some Floridians may still be able to safely evacuate, while it may be too late for others. Criswell stressed the importance of listening to local officials since they will know exactly what is safe to do in each community before Hurricane Milton makes landfall.

How Milton is affecting Tampa sports teams

Hurricane Milton is already having an impact on the sports world as it takes aim at Florida.

The NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning and NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers have left the state to practice the rest of the week. The Lightning open their season against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., on Friday night. (As of now, their home opener against Carolina in Tampa on Saturday night is still scheduled.)

The Buccaneers play in New Orleans against the Saints on Sunday. According to the Associated Press, the Bucs "also purchased more than 200 hotel rooms in the Orlando and Gainesville areas for employees and families who wanted to evacuate from their homes ahead of the storm."

A college football game between Memphis and the University of South Florida in Tampa was moved from Friday night to Saturday. Several other collegiate games were either moved or postponed.

And the LPGA women's golf tour canceled a qualifying tournament in Venice, Fla., set for Sunday.

Read more via AP: Hurricane Milton forces NHL’s Lightning, other sports teams to alter game plans

Hurricane Milton 'growing in size' as it approaches Florida, NHC forecasters warn

In a 2 p.m. ET advisory, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Milton is "growing in size" as it moves closer to the west coast of Florida.

"Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 250 miles," the NHC said in its update.

The Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, is located about 130 miles west of Fort Myers, Fla., and 150 miles southwest of Tampa and is moving north-northeast at 16 mph.

"Life-threatening" storm surge, damaging winds and flooding rains are expected across portions of central and southern Florida, forecasters warned.

"Milton is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of Florida tonight, and remain at hurricane strength while it moves across the Florida peninsula through Thursday," the NHC said.

Waffle Houses close as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida

Waffle House said it would close all of its locations in Tampa, Fort Myers, Orlando, Ocala and Daytona Beach, Fla., at 2 p.m. on Wednesday ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected landfall.

While the closure of airports, schools, theme parks and bridges can indicate the seriousness of a storm, the sign that Waffle Houses are closing signifies just how serious the storm really is.

The Florida Times-Union reports:

Waffle House isn't only famous for its waffles and 24-hour service, it's also known for its unofficial storm index.

The national restaurant chain rarely closes, often providing food and resources to first responders during natural disasters. However, "Waffle House Storm Index" is widely known to those in the Southeast as a way to indicate how severe a storm or hurricane will be based on if the restaurant is open or closed.

Read more from the Florida Times-Union here.

Biden says Hurricane Milton shaping up to be 'the storm of the century'

President Biden said Wednesday that Hurricane Milton could be a historic storm and urged residents to listen to evacuation orders.

“It’s looking like the storm of the century,” Biden said as he and Vice President Kamala Harris received a briefing from top weather and emergency management officials at the White House.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall late Wednesday night. The president advised everyone in the storm's path to “follow all safety instructions as we head into the next 24 hours."

Biden added that staying safe during the storm is "literally a matter of life and death."

Tropical-storm-force winds are approaching the west coast of Florida

In a brief 1 p.m. ET update, the National Hurricane Center said tropical-storm-force winds are now just off the west coast of Florida.

"Tropical-storm-force winds are just offshore and now is the time to stay inside and away from windows," the NHC warned. "Listen for updates and be ready in case you lose electrical power. Keep a battery-powered radio, charged cell phone and flashlight handy."

The Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, is about 160 miles southwest of Tampa, moving northeast at 17 mph.

4 confirmed tornadoes triggered by Milton: NWS

There have now been multiple confirmed tornadoes across south Florida, the National Weather Service said, as strong thunderstorms roll in ahead of Hurricane Milton.

A tornado watch has been issued for most of the southern half of the state, while tornado warnings have been issued for four areas, including Naples, Fla.

Disney tourists hunker down in Orlando

NBC News reports on tourists who came to Orlando expecting sunny weather and amusement park rides, only to see the parks closed and their routes home closed off.

The first time [Telissa] Carpenter heard about any weather concerns was over the weekend, a day after she landed in Florida [from Indianapolis]. A notification popped up on her Disney app informing her that the resort was monitoring a quickly progressing storm.

Hours later, she received another notification, this time from her airline: Her flight home, which was scheduled for Tuesday, had been canceled. Alternate modes of travel, including buses and trains, were either booked or canceled, too, and the few available flights were out of the family’s budget. ...

Cara Prior, a preschool teacher from Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, drove to Disney with her husband and 14-year-old daughter in the family’s camper on Saturday, anticipating a fun week. But Disney is closing the campground where the family’s camper had parked ahead of the storm, and the family has been relocated to a Disney hotel at no cost.

Click here to read the full article.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge now closed

The Florida Highway Patrol announced on social media Wednesday that the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which spans the mouth of Tampa Bay, is now closed ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival.

NHC director: 'Conditions are going to deteriorate rapidly'

In a livestream update on Hurricane Milton, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said the west coast of Florida was already seeing impacts from the Category 4 storm, which is rapidly approaching the peninsula, with heavy rain and multiple confirmed tornadoes ahead of its expected landfall.

"We're starting to see those impacts take shape," Brennan said. "And conditions are going to deteriorate rapidly as we go through the next few hours."

Brennan said he is still concerned about the possibility of a "devastating storm surge" across portions of the west coast of Florida, with up to 15 feet of water above ground level possible in some areas.

AquaFence surrounds Tampa General Hospital as it braces for storm surge

Photos show an AquaFence barrier set up outside Tampa General Hospital as Hurricane Milton approaches. It is the region's only Level I trauma center, and it is expected to remain operational during and after the storm.

Here's what the 10-foot AquaFence looked like in action outside Tampa General Hospital during Hurricane Helene, which hit Florida at the end of September.

(Tampa General Hospital via Storyful)

Here's what Milton looks like from the International Space Station

Matthew Dominick, a NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy commander, captured this view of Hurricane Milton from the International Space Station on Wednesday morning.

He also posted a time-lapse video of the flyover.

Gov. DeSantis dispels social media misinformation about evacuations

During a Wednesday news conference, a reporter asked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis about misinformation that has been spreading online telling people not to evacuate because FEMA was working with a security team that wouldn't let people back into their homes.

DeSantis was quick to dispel that misinformation. "If you're hearing something that's just outrageous, just know in the state of Florida, none of that stuff would ever fly, so you don't have to worry about that," he said. "FEMA is not leading this show, we are leading this show here in the state of Florida. We are marshaling whatever assets are available to us; we're leveraging that.

"There's not going to be anything where FEMA is ever going to be able to keep you from your home," DeSantis said.

Time to prepare for Milton is 'quickly coming to an end,' NHC says

In an 11 a.m. ET bulletin, the National Hurricane Center warned those along Florida's west coast that the time to prepare for Hurricane Milton's arrival was "quickly coming to an end."

The Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, is now less than 200 miles southwest of Tampa and moving northeast at 17 mph.

"Milton is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of Florida tonight and remain at hurricane strength while it moves across the Florida peninsula through Thursday," the NHC said in its update.

The hurricane center also confirmed that "tornadic supercells from Milton" were beginning to sweep across southern Florida after possible tornadoes were spotted along I-75 in the Florida Everglades.

By the numbers: Florida Gov. gives update on safety precautions in place ahead of Milton's landfall

At a press conference Wednesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis detailed the safety precautions being taken in the state ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall. Here's a look at some of them by the numbers, according to the governor:

51 counties in Florida are under a state of emergency.

Florida is actively fulfilling 1,500 missions to deliver food, water, generators and other necessities.

11,000 feet of flood protection systems have been erected around critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and electric facilities.

Nearly 1 million gallons of gasoline have been dispatched from various Florida ports with 106 long-distance fuel tanker escorts.

1.6 million gallons of diesel and 1.1 million gallons of gasoline are on hand in the state's fuel reserves.

55,000 cubic yards, or 3,000 truckloads, of debris from Hurricane Helene have been removed from counties including Manatee, Sarasota and Pinellas.

26 total search and rescue teams are embedded in potential storm impact sites so they can begin immediate rescue operations when the storm passes.

6,000 Florida National Guardsmen have been deployed. DeSantis called it "the largest Florida National Guard search and rescue mobilization in the entire history of the state of Florida.”

Nearly 200 Florida State Guardsmen have been deployed.

Over 50,000 linemen have been brought in from other states as far away as California to help restore power after the storm.

500 out-of-state law enforcement officers have been brought to Florida to help maintain law and order after the storm.

Possible tornado spotted in the Florida Everglades

Hours before Milton's expected landfall, there were reports of a possible tornado that was visible from I-75 in the Florida Everglades, west of Sunrise, Fla., on Wednesday morning.

Videos posted to X showed the funnel clouds moving through the area.

Earlier Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for a large part of South Florida through 9 p.m. ET.

FEMA administrator: 'This is going to be a difficult day'

At a virtual briefing Wednesday, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the agency is ready to respond to Hurricane Milton. She also urged for people in its path to heed the warnings of local officials.

"Milton is going to be a deadly and catastrophic storm," she said. "This is going to be a difficult day. We are already seeing the impacts of this storm."

"The most important thing is your safety," she continued. "I need you to do everything you can to stay safe as Hurricane Milton makes landfall. Some of you might be able to evacuate safely. For others, it may be too late."

Over 1,000 personnel from FEMA who were in Florida for Hurricane Helene have remained there to help with Milton. Criswell said she will travel to Florida today and will be on the ground during and after the storm to "prioritize federal resources" needed for the state's recovery.

Where is Hurricane Milton now?

As of 10 a.m. ET, Milton was located about 210 miles southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Storm surge forecasts shift south

As Hurricane Milton's expected landfall point moves a bit south of Tampa in forecast models, some of the most significant storm surge warnings have also shifted to vulnerable communities down Florida's Gulf Coast.

In the latest potential storm surge flooding map from the National Hurricane Center, large swaths of cities like Sarasota, Venice, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte all face significant risk of surge water 9-plus feet above ground. That area is marked in red above.

Florida aquariums and zoos send animals to safer ground

Zoos and aquariums in Hurricane Milton's path have been working to protect their animals.

Cranes at the Naples Zoo were placed in a bathroom shelter — just one of many sets of animals needed to be safeguarded. ZooTampa said in a statement that it has been "moving larger animals into their night houses" built to withstand major storms and moving "smaller mammals and birds into ancillary buildings." And the Florida Aquarium, also in Tampa, moved animals like penguins to higher levels of its facility.

Prayers and hope before the storm

Orlando airport halts commercial operations

The Orlando International Airport announced on X Wednesday morning that it has suspended commercial operations ahead of Milton's arrival.

Poll: Do you know anyone affected by the storm?

Millions of people are in mandatory evacuation zones, while millions more are under various watches and warnings as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida's Gulf Coast. Has this affected you or your friends, family or co-workers?

Satellite view of Hurricane Milton

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association provides a satellite image of Hurricane Milton as it makes its way toward the Florida coast.

Latest watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center

As of 8 a.m. ET Wednesday, Hurricane Milton was once again a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph. The storm was located about 250 miles southwest of Tampa.

A hurricane warning is in effect for:

Florida's west coast, from Bonita Beach northward to Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay

Florida's east coast, from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach

A “hurricane warning” means hurricane conditions are expected within the area. Precautions and preparation for people and property should be completed.

A hurricane watch is in effect for:

Dry Tortugas

Lake Okeechobee

Florida's west coast, from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach

Florida's east coast, north of Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Marys River

Florida's east coast, from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to the Palm Beach/Martin County Line

A “hurricane watch” means hurricane conditions are possible within the areas and is usually issued 48 hours before the hurricane is anticipated to hit.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for:

Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay

Lake Okeechobee

Florida's west coast, from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach

Florida's west coast, from north of Suwanee River to Indian Pass

Florida's east coast, south of the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to Flamingo

North of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., to the Savannah River

Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos and Bimini

A “tropical storm warning" means tropical storm conditions are expected in the areas within the next 36 hours.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for:

North of the Savannah River to South Santee River, S.C.

A “tropical storm watch” means tropical storm conditions are possible in the areas within the next 48 hours.

A storm surge warning is in effect for:

Florida's west coast, from Flamingo northward to Yankeetown, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay

Sebastian Inlet, Fla., to Altamaha Sound, Ga., including the St. Johns River

A “storm surge warning” means life-threatening flooding is expected within the designated area.

A storm surge watch is in effect for:

North of Altamaha Sound, Ga., to Edisto Beach, S.C.

A “storm surge watch” means there’s a possibility of life-threatening flooding.

Milton still a Category 5 hurricane packing 165 mph winds, National Hurricane Center says

As it makes its approach to the Florida Gulf Coast, Hurricane Milton remains a dangerous Category 5 storm, the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 p.m. ET bulletin.

Milton, which had weakened earlier on Tuesday to a Category 4 storm before strengthening in the afternoon, has sustained winds of 165 miles per hour.

"Milton will bring life-threatening storm surge and winds to portions of the Florida Gulf Coast," the NHC warned in its update.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall near the Tampa area late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Biden warns airlines not to overcharge people in Hurricane Milton's path

As a few of Florida's airports have shut down ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival, like Tampa International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, government officials, including President Biden, warned airline companies not to price gouge ticket fees for people fleeing the storm's path.

“I’m calling on the airlines and other companies to provide as much service as possible to accommodate evacuations, and not to engage in price gouging — to just do it on the level," Biden said after a hurricane briefing.

Read more from the Associated Press.

White House joins Reddit, aims to share information about Helene and Milton on the platform

The White House launched its official Reddit account today and said it plans to use the platform to share information about what the federal government is doing. The decision was also made in part to meet "more people where they are," White House Deputy Platforms Director Megan Coyne wrote on X.

Currently, the account — u/whitehouse — is sharing information about the Biden-Harris administration's response to Hurricane Helene, such as approved financial assistance and details about FEMA officials and search and rescue personnel in the field.

In regard to Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall in the early morning hours on Thursday, the account has also shared a photo of President Biden holding a briefing about preparing for the hurricane from earlier today.

Waffle House shares map of restaurant closures in Milton's path

Waffle House shared a map of its closed Florida locations as of 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected landfall early Thursday morning. As of now, several inland locations of the 24/7 restaurant chain famous for rarely closing its doors to business remain open.

Waffle House closures have become an unofficial metric for the severity of an incoming storm. The idea of the "Waffle House Index" was coined in May 2011 by former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate, after two Waffle House locations stayed open in Joplin, Mo., despite a devastating tornado striking the area.

"If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That's really bad," Fugate said.

Hurricane Milton returns to Category 5 strength

As of 5 p.m. ET Tuesday, Hurricane Milton has returned to Category 5 strength, with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph. The storm was located about 480 miles southwest of Tampa.

A hurricane warning is in effect for:

Florida's west coast, from Bonita Beach northward to Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay

Florida's east coast, from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach

A “hurricane warning” means hurricane conditions are expected within the area. Precautions and preparation for people and property should be completed.

A hurricane watch is in effect for:

Dry Tortugas

Lake Okeechobee

Florida's west coast, from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach

Florida's east coast, north of Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Marys River

Florida's east coast, from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to the Palm Beach/Martin County Line

A “hurricane watch” means hurricane conditions are possible within the areas and is usually issued 48 hours before the hurricane is anticipated to hit.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for:

Dzilam to Cancun, Mexico

Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay

Lake Okeechobee

Florida's west coast, from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach

Florida's west coast, from north of Suwanee River to Indian Pass

Florida's east coast, south of the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to Flamingo

North of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., to Altamaha Sound, Ga.

Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos and Bimini

A “tropical storm warning" means tropical storm conditions are expected in the areas within the next 36 hours.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for:

North of Altamaha Sound, Ga., to South Santee River, S.C.

A “tropical storm watch” means tropical storm conditions are possible in the areas within the next 48 hours.

A storm surge warning is in effect for:

Florida's west coast, from Flamingo northward to Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay

Sebastian Inlet, Fla., to Altamaha Sound, Ga., including the St. Johns River

A “storm surge warning” means life-threatening flooding is expected within the designated area.

A storm surge watch is in effect for:

North of Altamaha Sound, Ga., to Edisto Beach, S.

A “storm surge watch” means there’s a possibility of life-threatening flooding.

Florida health department warns residents to avoid floodwaters after Milton hits

The Florida Department of Health is urging residents to avoid floodwaters after Hurricane Milton makes landfall to prevent exposure to Vibrio.

The Vibrio bacteria, which is commonly found in warm coastal waters, can cause serious health issues if ingested or exposed to open wounds. For the latter, a severe Vibrio infection could cause the skin around the wound to die, which is where Vibrio gets its "flesh-eating bacteria" name from.

The odds of being exposed to Vibrio increase after heavy rain and flooding.

Disney to close Florida theme parks early on Wednesday, Oct. 9

Walt Disney World announced that Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will close at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Magic Kingdom park, EPCOT and Disney Springs will close at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. "It is likely the theme parks will remain closed on Thursday, Oct. 10," Disney said on its website. This includes the cancellation of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom on Thursday, Oct. 10.

Universal Orlando theme parks are open on Tuesday. Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk will be open on Wednesday, Oct. 9 until 2 p.m. On Thursday, Oct. 10, they will be closed. Volcano Bay will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

Busch Gardens Tampa is closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 8–10.

SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica Orlando remain open Tuesday, Oct. 8. Both will be closed Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10.

Discovery Cove is open Tuesday, but will close on Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10.

Legoland Florida is open with limited capacity on Tuesday but will be closed Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10.

Read more about major Florida park hurricane policies from Florida Today here.

Hurricane Milton's lightning show

Satellite imagery of Hurricane Milton posted to X by Colorado State University's Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere shows the impressive amount of lightning being generated by the massive storm as it heads for the Florida coast.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp extends state of emergency from Helene, declares one for Milton

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced an extension of the state of emergency order issued after Hurricane Helene by an additional seven days and declared a new state of emergency order for counties that could be impacted by Hurricane Milton.

"I'm urging those who could be affected to prepare now!" Kemp wrote on X.

Floridians in evacuating counties can get free Uber rides to shelters

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has partnered with Uber to give Floridians in evacuating counties free rides to state-approved shelters. Follow the steps indicated in its X post below to redeem:

In May, DeSantis signed legislation to remove all climate change references from state law

As Florida braces for Hurricane Milton to make landfall late Wednesday night — the second major hurricane to hit the state in two weeks — it's worth remembering that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law in May that removed mentions of climate change from state laws.

The bill removed the phrase "climate change" eight times from the state's energy policy, CNN reported, and cut several sections that advocated for limiting pollution that could contribute to global warming. It removed any direction for state agencies to invest in "climate-friendly" products and eliminated the requirement for state-purchased cars to be fuel efficient.

The bill also prioritizes natural gas as an energy source and banned offshore wind turbines, despite Florida not having any. The bill took effect on July 1.

'This is not survivable' warns Pinellas County Emergency Management Director

Pinellas County, which is forecast to get 10 to 15 feet of storm surge water, has mandatory evacuation orders in place for people who live in Zones A, B and C as well as all mobile homes. Cathie Perkins, who is the county's emergency management director, urged residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton while there's still time.

"This is not survivable," Perkins said during a Tuesday media briefing. "It's not like you're going out and swimming in the ocean. This is the ocean coming into your living room. This is fast-rising water with a lot of pressure behind it.

“Don’t think you’re going to be able to protect your building. It’s going to be pushing against the walls of your structure for hours and hours,” she said of the expected surge. “This is why we need you to go.”

DeSantis details 'unprecedented effort' to prepare for Hurricane Milton

At a 3 p.m. ET press conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Florida residents that Hurricane Milton's impact will likely be felt across the state.

"There is still a lot of uncertainty over where the eye of the storm will hit," he said. "This is not just an event about the west coast of Florida."

DeSantis said that 5,000 Florida National Guard troops have been mobilized already, with an additional 3,000 expected to join before the hurricane hits.

"This is probably the largest National Guard mobilization in advance of a storm in Florida history," he said. "We have an unprecedented effort underway."

DeSantis reiterated that anyone in counties with mandatory or recommended evacuations should be executing their plans now.

"You have time today," he said. "Time will be running out very shortly if you wait any longer."

Biden urges Floridians to heed evacuation orders

Before a speech in Milwaukee on Tuesday afternoon, President Biden spoke briefly about Hurricane Milton, the Category 4 storm heading toward Florida.

"We're prepared for another horrible hurricane to hit Florida," Biden said. "I've directed my team to do everything they can to save lives and help communities before, during and after this hurricane."

"Most important message today for all those who may be listening to this: In the impacted areas, listen to the local authorities," he added "Follow safety instructions, including evacuation orders. This is serious. You've got to be safe."

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Florida Division of Emergency Management had ordered mandatory evacuations for people living in evacuation zones in 13 Florida counties and voluntary evacuations for six others.

Florida Highway Patrol escorting fuel tanks to gas stations along evacuation routes

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shared that Highway Patrol officers in the state are escorting fuel trucks from seaports to gas stations along evacuation routes to get ahead of any potential fuel shortages.

Demand for fuel has surged since residents were told to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall in Florida on Wednesday. Earlier Tuesday morning, CNN reported that more than 1,000 gas stations across Florida were out of fuel — mostly within areas with mandatory evacuation orders.

How to enable satellite messaging when cellular and Wi-Fi coverage are down

As Hurricane Milton approaches southwest Florida, an expansion of Apple's SOS safety feature in the iOS 18 update could help iPhone users who have models 14 and above send messages via satellite if cellular and Wi-Fi networks go down.

The feature allows the user to send basic texts to emergency contacts and family members, but the sender and receiver must have iOS 18 installed.

Once the update is installed, open the Settings app. Scroll down to "Apps," then navigate to "Messages." Find the "Satellite Connection Demo" option and tap on it.

The satellite feature is also available for Google Pixel 9 owners. Navigate to "Settings," then "Safety and emergency" and then "Satellite SOS." Then tap on "Try a demo."

Florida Department of Corrections relocates over 4,600 inmates

In an update issued Tuesday morning, the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) said it had relocated 4,636 inmates from 28 facilities in anticipation of inclement weather expected from Hurricane Milton. The FDC also canceled visitation statewide through Oct. 13.

Florida has the third-largest state prison system in the U.S. and currently has over 80,000 incarcerated inmates.

National Hurricane Center issues 2 p.m. ET update on warnings across Florida coast, Mexico

As of 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, Hurricane Milton was located about 520 miles southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph. There have been no changes for the following watches and warnings since 11 a.m. ET.

A hurricane warning is still in effect for:

Celestún to Rio Lagartos, Mexico

Florida west coast from Bonita Beach northward to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay

Florida east coast from the Indian River/St. Lucie County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach

A “hurricane warning” means hurricane conditions are expected within the area. Precautions and preparation for people and property should be completed.

A hurricane watch is in effect for:

Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche, Mexico

Dry Tortugas

Lake Okeechobee

Florida west coast from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach

Florida east coast north of Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Marys River

A “hurricane watch” means hurricane conditions are possible within the areas and is usually issued 48 hours before the hurricane is anticipated to hit.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for:

Rio Lagartos to Cancun

All of the Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay

Lake Okeechobee

Florida west coast from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach

Florida west coast from north of the mouth of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass

Florida east coast south of the Indian River/St. Lucie County Line to Flamingo

Florida east coast north of Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Marys River

A “tropical storm warning" means tropical storm conditions are expected in the areas within the next 36 hours.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for:

Coast of Georgia and South Carolina from north of the mouth of the St. Marys River to South Santee River, S.C.

Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos and Bimini.

A “tropical storm watch” means tropical storm conditions are possible in the areas within the next 48 hours.

A storm surge warning is in effect for:

West Coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay

East Coast of Florida from Port Canaveral northward to the mouth of the St. Marys River, including the St. Johns River.

A “storm surge warning” means life-threatening flooding is expected within the designated area.

A storm surge watch is in effect for:

South of Port Canaveral to Sebastian Inlet

Mouth of the St. Marys River to Edisto Beach

A “storm surge watch” means there’s a possibility of life-threatening flooding.