Image source, BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images

We’ve just been hearing from Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who has warned that the state is only “48 hours” from Hurricane Milton making landfall.

Here’s the key advice and information he had for Florida residents:

• People should use today to “finalise and execute” evacuation plans to protect their homes and families, but roads remain busy with “150%” more traffic than normal

• 51 Florida counties are now under a state of emergency as winds are forecast to reach sustained speeds of 150mph with storm surges of between 5ft and 10ft

• Clean up operations for Hurricane Helene are still ongoing, and over 8,000 Florida National Guard members have been deployed to help with preparations

• Over 11,000ft of flood protection has been laid down and an additional 1.2 million gallons of fuel are on their way to Florida

Having heard from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state's head of emergencies, the briefing has now turned to other officials involved in preparations for Hurricane Milton's arrival.

You can continue watching this hurricane briefing from Tallahassee by clicking Watch live above.

We'll recap DeSantis' statement here in a few minutes.

More Florida officials have spoken alongside DeSantis on Hurricane Milton, we're now hearing from the executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Kevin Guthrie renews calls for residents to check their evacuation zone and to leave if a mandatory evacuation order is in place.

Guthrie warns Milton has the potential of being "not survivable."

He advises the state has an agreement in place with Lyft and Uber to provide discounts to any Floridians looking to leave for shelter. A shuttle service is also active.

"The time to evacuate is now," he reiterates while warning power outages are expected. He says people relying on medical devices might be unable to charge them and face an ulterior threat to their lives.

He adds locals should contact FEMA to ask for assistance and help remove debris.

Wrapping up, DeSantis describes how both national and local teams have been working around the clock to respond to Helene, as well as prepare for Hurricane Milton.

He stresses that there will be disruption, noting it can be “very frustrating to have your life interrupted and your possessions and home on the line.”

DeSantis adds that while it is impossible to control the storm, people are able to take steps to ensure their home and families are protected.

“We’re not going to be able to bring back people who stay behind”, he warns.

“Significant damage” will be suffered in parts of Florida, DeSantis says, before describing how parts of the storm will pass through as a hurricane.

DeSantis finishes by imploring residents to “take heed” and make plans for the hurricane now.

Image source, Reuters

DeSantis once again urges residents to move away from low-lying areas and seek shelter if they live in mobile homes or RVs.

He says locals "have options" and moving to higher ground should mean properties there are more likely to withstand the force of a Category 3 or Category 4 hurricane.

The governor confirms schools across affected areas will be shut from Tuesday and adds 36 shelters are now open and operating in counties on Hurricane Milton's path.

At least one shelter for special-needs residents is available and one shelter is pet-friendly.

DeSantis adds he doesn't expect all residents along the western coast of Florida to evacuate but most of those looking for shelter will be moving either today or tomorrow.

He also notes Category 5-proof warehouses are lined up to be used as shelters for thousands of people if necessary.

DeSantis says Florida the state is “less than 48 hours away from projected landfall”.

After praising those assisting in the preparation for Hurricane Milton, he turns his attention to evacuation plans in the area.

He describes how “202 healthcare facilities” that are in the path of the storm have been evacuated.

He urges residents to "use today to finalise and execute plan to protect you and your family".

To this end, DeSantis says traffic has already increased. The roads say “150%” more traffic than yesterday, with an average speed of 20 miles per hour.

With the state still feeling the effects of Hurricane Helene, DeSantis acknowledges that some Floridians are “still reeling” from Helene.

Continuing on the fuel supply in Florida, DeSantis says Tampa Port will not be receiving any ships as there is a widespread expectation Milton will cause the area to experience severe damage.

He says the port has fuel reserves available but local authorities warn it is likely the hurricane will cause an interruption in deliveries.

DeSantis adds operations are ongoing to remove debris still on the ground in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene last month. He says 1,200 truckloads have been cleared so far.

The Governor says 8,000 Florida National Guard members have been deployed to help with the preparations and an unprecedented 34 search and rescue aircraft are available.

He also thanks other states offering aid as Florida recovers from Helene and prepares for Hurricane Milton.

DeSantis says 37,000 out-of-state linemen are in or en route to the state to assist locals. Additionally, 40,000 power engineers are also lined up to intervene to restore power if needed.

Image source, Reuters

DeSantis goes on to say several areas are affected by different types of warnings, including for hurricanes, tropical storm warnings, and hurricane watches.

Essentially, he says, the entire peninsula of Florida is "under some type of watch or warning".

On steps being taken to prepare for the hurricane, he says more than 350 ambulances are in operation.

Adding that over 11,000ft of flood protection systems have been laid down.

As for long lines of vehicles at fuel stations, DeSantis says an additional 1.2 million gallons of diesel and gasoline are being brought to the state.

Queues for fuel will remain long, he adds, but reiterates that "27 fuel trucks" were escorted to deliver fuel to areas in need last night.

Image source, Reuters

Ron DeSantis kicks off the press conference confirming there are now 51 Florida counties under a state of emergency.

He says Hurricane Milton forecasts are consistently showing sustained winds of 150mph and meteorologists expect it to remain a major hurricane even if it weakens over coming hours.

The Florida Governor warns storm surges of between 5ft and 10ft could happen and warnings are in place across the Pasco and Pinellas county line all the way down into Manatee and Sarasota.

You can click Watch live at the top of this page to follow along with the press conference.

We’re soon expecting to hear from Florida governor Ron DeSantis, speaking on Hurricane Milton.

DeSantis, who has been governor of Florida since January 2019, will be speaking at a press conference in Tallahassee, a city in north west Florida, at 07.45 EDT (12.45 BST).

Image source, Reuters

For those waking up in Florida, we want to know how you have been affected by the approach of Hurricane Milton.

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Tampa's mayor, Jane Castor, has issued a stark warning to residents choosing to stay in the Florida city where Hurricane Milton is expected to have a 'potentially catastrophic' impact.

In an interview on CNN yesterday, Castor had a stark warning for residents: "If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die."

She stressed that "people need to get out", adding: "This is like something that I have never seen in my life."

Officials in Florida are implementing mandatory evacuation orders across parts of the state's western coastal region and traffic is mounting due to the number of people fleeing the area.

Image source, CBS

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".

Image source, Kathie Allen-Tierney

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Weather lead presenter

Image source, Reuters

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.

• You can read more about storm surges here

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".

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.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

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.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

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.

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).

Image source, Reuters

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.