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.

The National Weather Service warned residents to shelter-in-place as conditions deteriorated dramatically Wednesday afternoon and Hurricane Milton roared toward Florida's beleaguered west coast.

Authorities are warning Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Milton that it may be too late to evacuate.