Hurricane Milton updates: Tampa Bay Mayor tells people of Florida to leave or they will die

A grim warning has been issued for Hurricane Milton as Florida braces for the worst storm it has faced in years — perhaps a century — as a weatherman was brought to tears. See the video.

A grim warning has been issued to the people of Florida — “If you choose to stay … you are going to die.”

They are the words of the Tampa Bay mayor Jane Castor, whose city will cop the brunt of Hurricane Milton which has grown to a “life-threatening” Category 5 storm, placing hundreds of thousands of residents still recovering from Hurricane Helene at risk.

Now, they are bracing for the worst storm the city has faced in years -- perhaps a century.

Milton is projected to make landfall Wednesday, local time, as a maximum strength category hurricane, the US National Hurricane Centre said.

Storm surge and hurricane watches were issued for Florida’s Gulf Coast as Milton strengthened into a Category 4 storm, and then rapidly grew again into a Category 5 storm in the Gulf of Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 257km/h.

Forecasters are warning of a possible 3.6 metre storm surge.

“And Helene was a wakeup call, this is literally catastrophic. This is the real deal here with Milton,” Mayor Castor said.

Hurricane Milton churning over the Gulf of Mexico. Picture: AFP

“And I can say without any dramatisation whatsoever if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die.”

“If you want to take on Mother Nature, she wins 100 per cent of the time.”

Florida meteorologist John Morales was in tears while broadcasting on Hurricane Milton’s upgrades, giving updates on the storm’s bump to a Category 5 to NBC affiliate WTVJ when he struggled to hold back his emotion, saying: “Incredible, incredible hurricane. It has dropped 50 millibars in 10 hours. I apologise, this is just horrific.”

Morales went off camera as he teared up.

“The seas are just so incredibly incredibly hot,” he said.

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@nbcsouthflorida Hurricane Specialist John Morales realized that Milton had become a Category 5 monster storm just before he went on air. He paused for a moment, visibly emotional, and his voice shook as he expressed his disbelief. #hurricane#milton

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“Record hot as you might imagine. You know what’s driving that, I don’t need to tell you. Global warming, climate change leading to this and becoming an increasing threat.”

Kevin Guthrie, the director of Florida’s emergency management division, urged residents to be prepared for the “largest evacuation that we have seen most likely since 2017 Hurricane Irma.”

“I highly encourage you to evacuate,” Guthrie said during a press conference.

Shelves in a local grocery store have been cleared out of bottled water ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected mid-week landfall in Kissimmee, Florida. Picture: AFP

STraffic is heavy as thousands evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton. Picture: AFP

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also said that while it remains to be seen where Milton will strike, it’s clear the state isgoing to be hit hard.

“You have time to prepare … be sure your hurricane preparedness plan is in place,” DeSantis said. “If you’re on that westcoast of Florida, barrier islands, just assume you’ll be asked to leave.”

He said it was imperative debris from Helene be cleared before Milton hit so that debris like stoves and refrigerators don’tbecome flying missiles.

The 1 to 5 rating is based on a hurricane’s sustained wind speed. This scale estimates potential property damage and loss of life. Hurricanes reaching Category 3 and higher are considered major hurricanes.

Empty counters of different commercial airlines are seen at the Merida Manuel Crecencio Rejan airport after being closed before the arrival of Hurricane Milton. Picture: AFP

US President Joe Biden was briefed on Milton and said in a statement that his administration was readying “life-saving resources.”

He also ordered an additional 500 active-duty troops sent to North Carolina to help with Helene response and recovery, joining1000 other troops, 6000 national guards and 7000 federal personnel already on the ground.

Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said on ABC that federal authorities were “absolutelyready” for Milton.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis upped the number of counties under a state of emergency to 51 ahead of the storm, predicting Milton could have “major, major impacts,” with storm surges of up to six metres.

Florida’s west coast is still digging out from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, which roared onshore as a Category 4 storm on September 26, causing widespread devastation.