Millions of people leave Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton

Traffic queues have been building up in Florida as people get in their cars to try and escape from the tropical storm before it hits

Millions of people in the US state of Florida have left their homes to reach safety ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

Officials say it could be the worst storm to hit the area in around a century.

Milton is expected to have very fast winds and cause storm surges along the coast.

Storm surges happen when sea levels are unusually high with dangerous tides, because of bad weather. These surges often cause the most damage and risk to life because of massive coastal flooding.

The National Hurricane Center said "Milton is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane". It is expected to reach the coast of Florida on Wednesday around midnight, local time which is 5am here in the UK.

US President Joe Biden urges people to 'evacuate now'

US President Joe Biden has urged Florida residents to leave their homes.

The president said people need to "evacuate now, now, now", calling Milton "the storm of the century".

There's been heavy traffic on the roads as people try to leave, and many petrol stations have run out of fuel.

For people who are staying, the US government's Federal Emergency Management Agency says it has 20 million meals and 40 million litres of water ready to give to those in need.

Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, says that extra help has been made available from the National Guard, Florida Highway Patrol and Florida Fish and Wildlife.

He added that hundreds of search and rescue personnel are also on hand to begin "immediate" operations as soon as Hurricane Milton passes.

How are hurricanes formed?

A hurricane is a tropical storm that forms over the North Atlantic Ocean and the Northeast Pacific.

When the sea is warm, is causes air to rise quickly above it. This air then cools down again after rising, and drops, as more warm air rises beneath it. This creates a cycle with strong winds and heavy rain.

The strong winds can make huge waves over the sea and can damage buildings and roads on land.

Hurricanes are quite common in Florida, because of how close it is to the ocean.

Why is Hurricane Milton so dangerous?

The area is only just recovering from Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread damage in Florida and other nearby states

Hurricane Milton is currently a category five storm.

The category system is used to rate how dangerous storms are likely to be. It goes from one up to five.

It also comes less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene, which caused a lot of damage to homes in Florida.

When Hurricane Milton reaches land it is forecast to drop to a category three storm.

Debris like this is still lining the streets after the previous storm, and could cause more problems when Milton hits

Because there is already a lot of damaged infrastructure in the streets from Hurricane Helene, storm surges could cause more damage by picking up broken pieces of buildings or timber in the waves.

Florida's Hurricane Center said Milton has the potential to be "one of the most destructive hurricanes on record" for the area.

Forecasters warn of extremely heavy rain, flash flooding, high winds and possible storm surges - when the sea water will move inland from the coast.

They say Milton could be the worst storm to hit the area in about a century - with the surge being as high as 10-15ft (3-4.5m) and localised rainfall of up to 1.5ft (45cm).

How do people protect themselves against hurricanes?

People preparing sandbags to protect their homes and businesses from Hurricane Milton

Places that are affected by hurricanes often have action plans to help communities prepare for them.

In Florida, people are currently collecting sandbags, to prevent flooding in their homes.

If people are leaving, many nail wooden boards over their windows to prevent them being smashed. Some house have special hurricane proofing - such as hurricane-resistant windows and doors.

It is very dangerous to go outside during a hurricane, so people are advised to stay indoors.

Tourists in Florida prepare for Hurricane Milton

Rebecca was visiting Disney World with her husband and two daughters. They were advised to leave their villa and move into a hotel nearby where there are generators and better food and water supplies.

Rebecca said: “It is really bad timing, we’ve had this holiday planned for years and we’ve ended up here in middle of hurricane.

“But we’re going to get on with it, hunker down. We have things to watch, books to read. I’m confident we’ll be ok and I feel safe now we’re in the hotel.”

What happens to schools in Florida during Hurricane Milton?

Many schools in the path of Hurricane Milton have been closed, and have been turned into shelters to help those who need a place to stay during the hurricane instead.

These are safe spaces in a time of emergency. There are different types of shelters, including general shelters, special needs shelters - for people with medical conditions - and shelters accepting pets.

They are well stocked with important things like food, water and a provide people with a warm, safe place to sleep.

How are hurricanes like Milton linked to climate change?

Hurricane Milton has been seen from space

A study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group says recent Hurricane Helene's torrential rain and powerful winds were made around 10 percent more intense because climate change.

Big storms like these were predicted to happen once every 130 years, but now this is closer to once every 53 years, on average.

Researchers study rain, winds and the water temperature of the Gulf of Mexico. This is a key part of how Hurricane Helene formed.

The study found precipitation - or rain - for coastal and inland areas studied had increased by 10 percent because of global warming.

It said Helene's winds were also 11 percent stronger, or 13 mph (21 kph) faster, as a result of climate change.

The study also found the water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico was around two degrees Celsius above normal.

Warmer oceans release more water vapour, providing more energy for storms as they form.