What to know about Hurricane Milton as it barrels toward Florida’s Gulf Coast

Tropical storm-force winds lashed Florida as powerful Hurricane Milton moved closer to the state’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday. There was no time left for people to evacuate ahead of the storm, officials said, and the odds of survival were bleak for holdouts determined to stay.

Milton has fluctuated in intensity and became a Category 3 hurricane in the afternoon. Millions were ordered to evacuate and bridges closed as the storm was expected to bring massive surges, damaging winds and flooding rains.