Welcome to meet the press now. I'm Kristen Welker in Washington. We begin with breaking news out of Florida where Hurricane Milton has begun lashing the state.

The National Weather Service is telling residents in the storm's path,

it is time to shelter in place as the powerful Category 3 storm is forecast to make landfall

just hours from now. Forecasters now say the massive storm could come ashore as early as 10 p.m.

That's earlier than previously predicted, with landfall expected near Sarasota. But already, parts of Sarasota

and Tampa Bay are seeing flooding as the region braces for a catastrophic storm surge that

forecasters say could reach or exceed 15 feet. And Florida is also facing a tornado outbreak.

At least 10 have already been spotted, some hundreds of miles from Milton's

Corps as far away as Miami. Right now, nearly all of Florida is under some form of tropical

alert with the heart of the state seen here in red under a hurricane warning. This afternoon,

President Biden and Vice President Harris warned of the dangers of this historic storm during a

briefing with federal

disaster officials.

It's looking like the storm of the century between Helene and Milton.

Two historic storms in two weeks.

I want to thank everyone who has followed local guidance to evacuate a headed landfall.

I know it's really tough, leaving behind your home, your belongings, everything you own.

But I urge everyone in Hurricane Milton's path to follow all safety instructions as we head to the next 24 hours.

It's a matter of literally a matter of life and death.

And many of you, I know, are tough and you've ridden out these hurricanes before.

This one's going to be different.

And so we ask you that by every measure, understand it's going to be more dangerous, more deadly, and more catastrophic.

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