Keep it here on msnbc. Well be here throughout the storm for you and ill see you here tomorrow, same time, same place. For now, im Ana Cabrera reporting from New York. Jose diazbalart picks up our coverage right now. Good morning. 11 00 a. M. Eastern, 8 00 a. M. Pacific. Im Jose Diazbalart. We begin with breaking news. Hurricane Milton Closing in on floridas gulf coast, expected to make landfall early tomorrow as a devastating major hurricane. Right now, milton is a category 4 storm, churning 100 Miles Southwest of tampa, set to bring damaging winds and a dangerous and potentially historic Storm Surge. Schools, airports and many businesses are already closed in florida as People scramble to evacuate in the final hours before the storm hits. And take a look at this, miltons powerful winds shaking up a team of Hurricane Hunters flying through the storm. Meantime, right now, in South Florida, a tornado has broken out near i75. Joining us now from tampa, nbcs Marissa Parra. And also with u
Im jake tapper. Were going to start this hour with the Breaking News moments ago, we got an update on her Hurricane Milton, which once again is im not happy to tell you, has strengthened to a category five storm. Was category for now its back to five and has 165 165 mile an ho sustained winds. It is expected to double in size before making landfall in florida. Nearly 20 Million people in the United States are currently in the path of Hurricane Milton. Its effects or already being felt. Parts of the Tampa Bay Area are gonna lose access to running water starting today, Gas Stations are running out of fuel as evacuees fill up their cars and tried to flee. Those riding out the storm are stocking Up To power their generators. Lets get straight to cnn Meteorologist Chad myers in a hurricane headquarters. Chad, it doesnt sound like this forecast is what we wanted it is not, it is. We saw all day and i talked to you about this at 4 00 this afternoon that the last plane left about three hours a
airport closures, the ripple effect now, and this hurricane now headed inland. headed straight for orlando before then tracking north. alerts at this hour up across florida, georgia, and now the carolinas. our meteorologists ginger zee and rob marciano on the ground tonight with our team across florida. also, the acting deputy director of noaa s national hurricane center right here with us tonight. what concerns him most as we head into the evening hours. the other major news this wednesday night, the u.s. state department now urging americans to leave russia immediately. the american embassy warning russians may force americans with dual citizenship into military service. and the allegations involving russian sabotage into the pipeline that would deliver russian natural gas into europe. ian pannell inside ukraine tonight. in this country, the major news tonight on alzheimer s. a potential breakthrough. a promising new drug and what it s shown so far. also tonight, poli
reporter: accuweather capturing the eyewall piling water onto pine island as the storm moved on shore. naples fire station taking on water. the storm undergoing rapid intensification ahead of landfall, increasing the hurricane force wind field out 45 miles from the center. hurricane hunters flying into ian knocked around by extreme turbulence. there goes the bed. holy cow! whoa! reporter: one hurricane hunter describing it as the roughest flight of his career, that he d never experienced that much lateral turbulence, or seen that much lightning. one of the most powerful hurricanes to ever make landfall in florida now expected to cut across the state like a slow-moving buzz saw. this is where we re expected to be by 8:00 tonight. it s 3:00 right now, and look, the hurricane moves barely 50 miles. this is an exceptionally slow moving storm. reporter: orange county fire trucks using loudspeakers to
the size of the tropical storm wind field has increased and the hurricane force wind field has increased too. the damage from the center will actually be worse. that means more power outages for the region. this afternoon, roughly about 1125 mi 125 miles off the coast. we ll see the eye possibly making landfall about 5:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. it s going to be a crawl. this is 160 miles in 36 hours. it s going to be walking speed