Hurricane Milton intensified rapidly on Monday, with dangerous winds and storm surges forecast for Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula before the massive storm is set to slam into Florida by Wednesday. The storm comes close behind deadly Hurricane Helene,

A state of emergency is in effect for much of Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton. The Category 4 hurricane is currently over the Gulf of Mexico, and expected to make landfall Wednesday on Florida’s west coast,

Milton has strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane as Florida gears up for what could be its biggest evacuation in seven years

Milton intensified quickly Monday and was expected to become a large hurricane over the eastern Gulf. It had maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (257 kph), the National Hurricane C

Communities from the Tampa Bay area south to Sarasota, Southwest Florida could be where Milton comes ashore midweek as a Category 3 hurricane.

Hurricane Milton has strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approaches Florida's Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall Wednesday. NBC News' Dana Griffin and Bill Karins report on the storm's path and how residents are reacting.

Hurricane Milton rapidly grew strength over the weekend just shy of a now-projected Category 5 storm by Monday.