Hello and welcome to todays verified. We start in florida, bracing itself for what could be the worst storm in 100 years. There are huge Traffic Jams across the state as more than 5 Million people respond to Evacuation Orders ahead of Hurricane Milton. We will be live on the ground in just a moment but i can show you first are the pictures from space. It gives you an idea of the size of this monster storm, officials think it could still double in size before making landfall. This is the live Tracking Shot from the national hurricane center. The category four storm is due to make landfall tonight. It is only brushed past mexico, causing flooding. On the florida peninsula, relative calm but they expect wind speeds of up to 160 mph and 3 4 Metre Storm surges. The pictures from tallahassee, where in the next few minutes we expect to get the latest briefing from the florida governor Ron Desantis and other emergency officials. We will carry that live when it starts. We can start this hour by
The Tampa Bay powerful category four storm is barreling toward the state officials are warning of lifethreatening Storm Surge and heavy landfall and unleashed its fury overnight, we are awaiting a Press Conference. At any moment from Florida Governor Ron Desantis. Well bring that to you live in the meantime, we have Team Coverage of Hurricane Milton. We have seen as Randi Kaye and Isabel Rosales Standing by in florida. But first lets go to Cnn Meteorologist derek van dam. Derek, this is still a very powerful monster sure, a storm. Whats the latest yeah, indeed, jim, in fact, were getting hourly updates now and will continue to do so through landfall, which we anticipate sometime late tonight and into the early morning hours of thursday still 155 mile per hour wind, that is a powerful category four. Note that i did not say category five at one has earlier this morning, didnt lose much intensity overnight like we had hoped it would, but lets not split hairs here. The amount of energy tha
People in the area have been told to evacuate with the mayor of tampa saying with the mayor of tampa saying if you stay, you will die. If you stay, you will die. Long queues of traffic have long queues of traffic have been seen on the highway been seen on the highway as people try to leave before as people try to leave before the storm hits. The storm hits. Fifty one florida counties Fifty One florida counties are under a State Of Emergency are under a state of Emergency Ani and 202 Health Care Ani and 202 Health Care facilities have been facilities have been and 202 Health Care and 202 Health Care facilities have been facilities have been according to florida governor ron de santis. The fresh warnings come less than two weeks less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene hit after Hurricane Helene Hit Florida and nearby us states florida and nearby us states killing at least 225 people, killing at least 225 people, and bringing widespread damage. And bringing widespread damage. President
Understand and fully comprehended, but were going to cover it to the best of our ability and shine a spotlight on whats going on, jim. Thanks very much. You got it hadnt morning to All Of You. You are live in the Cnn Newsroom. Im Pamela Brown in washington. We begin this hour with this breaking News Hurricane Milton its is barreling toward the western shores of florida, the national Hurricane Center just issued the latest advisory saying the storm remains a category four, but it could pick up speed and go back to category five meanwhile, floridians heading out of state could be facing a number of obstacles. Some Gas Statiounning and officials see to expect Hours Worth of traffic. And this morning, Tampa International Airport suspended all operations. We begin this Hours Coverage with Meteorologist Derek Van dam. Derek, we just got an update on the storm tell us the latest alright. So pamela, since 5 00 a. M. Weve seen an increase in the Wind Speeds were at 150 miles per hour, sustained
Jose diazbalart picks up our coverage right now. Hurricane milton is Bearing Barreling toward florida as one of the recent hurricanes in recent history and dangerous category 4 storm is churning north of mexicos yucatan peninsula. Milton is set to make landfall in florida late wednesday in to thursday and its expected to trigger a Lifethreatening Storm Surge and it could be the worst storm to hit the Tampa Area in more than a century. The mayor saying if you choose to stay, youre going to die. Joining us is our meteorologist. How are people preparing there . You can probably see some of those Preparation Efforts happening as we speak. This is outside of this is normally a busy wharf and completely shut down. Flood protection barriers are outside of these businesses. People bracing so that they can protect the businesses that are here. We are seeing these kinds of efforts all around tampa. I want to take you to some of what we saw in Treasure Island that is outside of pinellas county. W