Residents braced for potentially catastrophic storm surge as state pounded by severe winds and heavy rain.   02:10 In its 9pm update the National Hurricane Center warned of a “life-threatening storm surge,

Forecasters are urging people in Florida to make preparations or leave their homes today, as the National Hurricane Center confirmed that Milton is a "catastrophic Category 5 hurricane" and will hit Florida later today or early tomorrow as a major storm.

President Joe Biden warned that Milton could be one of the worst storms to hit Florida in a century and urged residents to leave “now, now, now.”