Your Morning: Hurricane Milton closes in on Florida

Hurricane Milton: Hurricane Milton continued to move toward Florida’s west coast Wednesday morning, threatening high winds and storm surge. Millions along the coast remain under evacuation orders, packing roads, draining gas stations and getting out of town before Milton’s anticipated landfall Wednesday night. Tampa Bay, which is home to more than 3.3 million people, faces the possibility of widespread destruction. The area has avoided direct hits from major hurricanes for more than a century. Forecasters expect the storm to retain hurricane strength as it sweeps across central Florida. The latest >

Evacuation orders: Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders across at least 11 Florida counties with a combined population of about 5.9 million people, leading to a mass exit from the state. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warned that up to 15 feet of storm surge is forecast for her city, which would be deep enough to swallow an entire house. “So if you’re in it, basically that’s the coffin that you’re in,” Castor said. Some Floridians are choosing not to leave and told NewsNation’s “Banfield” they are “hoping for the best.” Watch >

Plane crash: A plane carrying passengers evacuating from Hurricane Milton crashed near St. Petersburg, Florida, on Tuesday morning, according to police. After crashing, the plane became fully submerged in water and all four passengers on board were rescued. Read more >

Gas shortages: As people try to leave the Sunshine State before Hurricane Milton, traffic backups and gas shortages are posing a problem for evacuees. Following evacuation orders, the exodus has left 17.4% of the state’s fuel stations without gas. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents Tuesday that “time will be running out” for evacuations. What to know >

Helene: A Tennessee couple is thankful to be alive after surviving Hurricane Helene during an anniversary trip in North Carolina. Ever since, they’ve been trying to give back to strangers who risked their lives to help them. “Their selflessness in everything,” the couple told NewsNation affiliate WKRN. Full report >

Waffle House: For some residents in storm-prone areas, an indicator of a hurricane’s severity is whether a Waffle House stays open or shuts down. The metric is known as the Waffle House Index, which some federal officials use to gauge a storm’s severity and identify communities in need. What to know >

2024 election: Vice President Kamala Harris made a flurry of media appearances Tuesday across Manhattan. The most lasting impression may have been her unwillingness to break with President Joe Biden’s policies. When asked on “The View” how she would be different than Biden, Harris said they were “obviously two different people,” but could not identify a decision Biden made where she would have gone another way. “There is not a thing that comes to mind,” Harris said. Read more >