Hurricane Milton Expected to Hit Florida

Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm with winds reaching up to 180 mph, is expected to make landfall on Florida's west coast, prompting significant anxiety among residents. Mikko Koskinen, a long-term Florida resident, expresses concern but plans to stay put as the hurricane shifts southward, while others, like British national Kate Collins, are preparing for the worst, gathering supplies despite not being in a mandatory evacuation zone. Many in the Tampa Bay area are boarding up homes, recalling recent hurricanes that caused significant destruction, including Hurricane Helene, which resulted in over 230 fatalities. Local meteorologist Denis Phillips describes Milton as a 'beast', warning of an unsurvivable storm surge of up to 15 feet. Some have chosen to evacuate, like Seán Stephens, who left Tampa Bay for Georgia, heeding expert warnings about the storm's rapid intensification. As the storm approaches, communities are on high alert, with preparations and worry palpable among residents.