Image source, Reuters

We're now hearing from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who's giving another briefing on Hurricane Milton.

He says it's in the process of making landfall in Sarasota County as a category three storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 120mph (193km/h).

"We have seen a weakening," DeSantis says, after Milton wad downgraded, but cautions that peak storm surge could be about five to 15ft high depending on where people live.

Prior to landfall, Milton had twice been rated a category five hurricane with nearly 200mph wind speeds.

• You can watch the briefing live at the top of this page, we'll continue to bring you key text updates

We're due to hear from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis shortly but before then, here's the latest on Hurricane Milton:

• Milton, currently a category three storm with maximum sustained winds of 120mph (205km/h), is expected to make landfall in the next few hours near Tampa Bay - an area of roughly three million residents
• Although it's been downgraded from a category four, the second highest danger level, forecasters and officials agree that it remains a deadly threat
• President Biden has warned people living in the storm's path to evacuate: "Sometimes moving just a few miles can be the difference between life and death," he said earlier in a White House statement
• Millions of southern Florida residents are under mandatory orders to evacuate, though an unknown number have chosen to remain behind
• Storm surges have already begun to bring high water to coastal communities, and several tornados have been sparked, with more than 285,000 customers having already lost electricity in Florida, according to Poweroutage.us
• There are concerns that debris from Hurricane Helene, which struck the same region less than two weeks ago, may become airborne due to high winds, creating added danger

Some Republicans in Congress are calling out their colleagues for spreading lies about the hurricane.

Florida Congressman Carlos Giménez accused his colleague from Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene, of spreading misinformation "on purpose".

She should get her “head examined” for suggesting someone is “controlling the weather”, the congressman told CNN.

Congressman Chuck Edwards of North Carolina, a state still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, noted "an uptick in untrustworthy sources trying to spark chaos by sharing hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and hearsay about hurricane response efforts across our mountains".

“Nobody can control the weather," he continued in a post on X.

Utah Senator Mitt Romney condemned Trump for wrongly claiming that the federal government doesn't have the funds for disaster relief because they have been allegedly spent on migrants.

“He just makes it up," he said about Trump.

"When it comes to a holiday from the truth, he’s taken the longest vacation.”

The storm which is expected to make landfall in Florida in the next few hours has already drenched parts of Cuba.

A little earlier, the US president delivered a statement from the White House about Hurricane Milton and it hurtles towards Florida.

Criticising Donald Trump over his claims about the government's federal response to Hurricane Helene - another storm that hit the US recently - Joe Biden described spreading such misinformation as "un-American".

It follows Trump saying money allocated for disaster relief was being reallocated to housing for migrants - something the BBC Verify team has looked into and determined is untrue.

Here's what Biden said:

Tom Bateman
Reporting from Florida

I'm heading south down the Interstate 95 highway towards Orlando.

The rain is lashing down and the road is treacherous; the sky is dark grey and seems to hang low ahead of us.

Headlights pierce through plumes of spray spreading from the back of every car and truck.

We pass a crash on the other side of the highway. Recovery workers in fluorescent jackets surround a pick up truck, doors flung open. The car's swung around the wrong way facing towards the oncoming traffic close to the crash barrier.

On local radio, sombre voices warn the eye of the storm is now about 45 miles off the coast of Sarasota, as Hurricane Milton barrels in - now expected to make landfall sooner than had been predicted.

They talk about the risk of tornadoes, but who knows where they might hit.

One expert says the worst of it should diminish soon, at sundown. A truck full with emergency power lines rolled up on the back drive past us in the rain. Everyone's preparing for a long night.

Image source, Reuters

As Biden concludes his remarks, a reporter asks him about the communication between his administration and Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis.

It comes at the heels of a report by NBC News that said DeSantis had not been answering calls from Vice-President Kamala Harris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, citing sources familiar with the matter. DeSantis later denied that he had received a call from Harris.

Responding to the question, Biden says: "All I can tell you is I've been talking to Governor DeSantis. He's been very gracious, he's thanked me for all that we've done."

And with that, the president is seen leaving the Oval Office.

Concluding his remarks, Biden says he wants to "thank all the first responders for running toward danger instead of away from it, saving lives and making the difference".

He commends "countless friends and neighbours' sacrifice for the greater good, volunteers leaving your own families behind to help search for someone else's family, fellow American's looking out [for each other]".

"That's America at its very best."

Biden addresses the misinformation that has swirled in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on federal relief efforts. (We've been reporting on this throughout the day - head here to read more.)

Speaking to people impacted by Helene and who will now be impacted by Milton, Biden says there has been "reckless, irresponsible and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies on what's going on".

He says this has undermined the rescue and recovery work which has been undertaken since Helene made landfall.

Biden adds that "quite frankly, these lies are un-American" and calls out Republicans including former president Donald Trump and Republican House Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene for leading the spread of this misinformation.

"Stop it. It's outrageous," he says.

Image source, EPA

Biden repeats calls for anyone in Milton's path to heed evacuation calls.

"Sometimes moving just a few miles can be the difference between life and death," the president says.

He goes on to make assurances about the supplies already in place.

"We have 20 million meals, 40 million litres of water" on standby, Biden says, adding that search and rescue teams and other resources, including helicopters and high-water vehicles, have been made available.

"They're ready to conduct life saving missions," he says.

President Joe Biden is now up.

He says that despite Hurricane Milton being downgraded to a category three storm, people should not put their guards down.

"No one should be confused. It's still expected to be one of the most and worst destructive hurricanes to hit Florida in over a century."

The US president is scheduled to deliver a statement from the White House's Roosevelt Room shortly, about Hurricane Milton.

Earlier, we heard him and Vice-President Kamala Harris warn companies against hiking up prices for essentials, such as gas and flights, in areas forecast to be hit by Milton.

You'll be able to watch him make these fresh remarks at the top of this page - we'll also bring you live text updates. Stay tuned.

Image source, Getty Images

We're hearing from Deanne Criswell, an administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), who says the misinformation spreading about the agency is "just demoralising".

"They have left their families and their homes to come here and support people in need," she says, while virtually appearing at a White House briefing.

"But they're focused. They continue to stay focused on why they're here. They know their purpose, and that is to help people, and we'll continue to do that.”

• For context: Read our earlier post about the claims being made by Donald Trump and his allies, how the government's responded and BBC Verify's fact-checking of the row.

It's just been announced that Hurricane Milton has been downgraded to a category three storm, from a category four.

This happens according to a storm's recorded wind speeds - three is winds up to 129mph (208km/h) and four is winds up to 156mph (251km/h).

Yesterday, the US National Hurricane Center said Milton's strength was likely to fluctuate until it made landfall - due to happen later.

Image source, Getty Images

At a campaign stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is doubling down on his criticism of the Biden administration's response to Hurricane Helene - calling it "the worst ever".

He also repeats a false claim that hurricane-disaster money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has been reallocated to "illegal immigrants coming in" instead of to help Americans affected by Helene.

As we reported earlier, BBC Verify has fact-checked this and determined the claim to be false.

Fema has two pots of money: a Disaster Relief Fund to spend on hurricanes and other natural disasters, and another to be spent on food, shelter and other services for migrants released by the Department of Homeland Security, with a budget of around $1bn for the last two years. Trump appears to be conflating the two in his remarks.

• Read the BBC Verify analysis in full

Multiple tornado warnings are in effect across the Florida peninsula as Milton churns towards the state's western coast.

How are these twisters formed?

They need particularly intense or unseasonable heat to develop. As the ground temperature increases, moist air heats and starts to rise.

When this moist, warm air meets dry, cold air above, a thunder cloud begins to build.

This cloud can develop quickly, bringing with it rain, thunder and lightning.

Winds blowing from different directions cause the air to rotate, after which a visible cone or funnel drops out of the cloud towards the ground.

Tornadoes can be hundreds of metres wide. They can last anywhere from several seconds to more than an hour, and can travel dozens of miles.

The Fujita scale is used to determine how powerful a tornado is. The highest on the scale - an F5 - is used to categorise tornadoes travelling at up to 318mph (511km/h).

These tornadoes can cause incredible damage, with the power to throw away vehicles and sweep away strong buildings

Both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris earlier on Wednesday said their administration is going to put pressure on companies to keep prices stable as Hurricane Milton arrives in Florida, so people can continue to get petrol, flights and other goods without overpaying.

The White House call has been echoed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

"As Americans seek safety from natural disasters, we’re hearing troubling reports of price gouging for essentials that are necessary for people to get out of harm’s way - from hotels to groceries to gas," FTC Chair Lina Khan says, adding: "No American should have to worry about being ripped off when fleeing a hurricane."

Florida's attorney general has already received more than 200 complaints about price gouging for essential items such as food and water, according to local media reports.

How has climate changed affected Milton?published at 20:37 British Summer Time 9 October

20:37 BST 9 October

Mark Poynting
Climate and environment researcher

One key factor in the rapid intensification of Hurricane Milton is the exceptionally high sea temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico.

Warm waters are the fuel source for hurricane growth so hotter seas can mean more powerful hurricanes, if other conditions are right.

Stronger onshore winds can amplify storm surges and long-term sea level rise - largely thanks to global warming - makes it more likely that any given storm surge will lead to coastal flooding.

In Florida, average sea levels have risen by more than 18cm (7in) since 1970, according to US government data.

Warmer air can also hold more moisture, potentially increasing the rainfall totals.

A full scientific analysis will be needed to quantify the exact role of climate change in Hurricane Milton. But it fits with expectations of how these storms are changing in a warming world.

• Get up to speed with how climate change is affecting hurricanes

Hours before the hurricane makes landfall, it's already wreaking havoc.

Just take a look at this footage from Florida.