The storm arrived, near the city of Siesta Key, as a category three and was described by the US National Hurricane Center as being "extremely dangerous".

Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida at about 8:30 p.m. ET Wednesday night, according to the National Hurricane Center, arriving after officials repeatedly sounded the alarm on the dire threat the powerful storm poses to those in its path.

Less than two weeks after the devastation brought by Helene, southern U.S. states are bracing for another powerful storm. Here’s how to track its path in real time. Hurricane Milton has rapidly escalated to a Category 3 storm and continues to gain strength just two days before its anticipated landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The Category 4 storm prompted what could be Florida’s largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017, and officials say the time to prepare is running out.

Hurricane Milton churned Wednesday toward a potentially catastrophic collision along the west coast of Florida, where some residents insisted they would stay after millions were ordered to evacuate and officials warned that stragglers would face grim odds of surviving.