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A hurricane set to hit the US has strengthened into a Category 5 storm – as Florida prepares for its largest evacuation in seven years.

Hurricane Milton is forecast to make landfall on Wednesday.

The weather system was upgraded by the National Hurricane Center after sustaining winds of 180mph (285kmh) while sweeping east across the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s predicted to hit around the Tampa Bay area before travelling over Orlando.

There’s a warning of a possible eight to 12-foot storm surge (2.4 to 3.6m) – the highest ever for the region – and the potential for widespread flooding.

“This is the real deal here with Milton,” Tampa mayor Jane Castor told the media. “If you want to take on Mother Nature, she wins 100% of the time.”

It comes after more than 200 people were killed when Hurricane Helene tore across the southeastern US, including parts of Florida, late last month. That was a Category 4 storm when it made landfall.

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Before and after Hurricane Helene

Forecasters say some affected areas will likely be hit again, worsening the damage caused less than a fortnight ago.

Kevin Guthrie, director of Florida’s emergency management division, warned that residents should prepare for the “largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since 2017 Hurricane Irma“.

He added: “I highly encourage you to evacuate.”

Tom Murphy prepares a sandbag with children, as sandbags are distributed to Pinellas County residents before the expected arrival of Tropical Storm Milton, in Seminole, Florida, U.S. October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Octavio Jones
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A man prepares a sandbag with his children in Pinellas County, Florida. Pic: Reuters

A view of near-empty toilet paper shelves at a Walmart as Hurricane Milton approaches, in Tampa, Florida, U.S., October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Octavio Jones
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Near-empty shelves at a Walmart in Tampa ahead of Milton’s arrival. Pic: Reuters

Sheriff Chad Chronister said the situation “stinks” but “if you safeguard your families, you will be alive”.

The fire service warned there was a risk to life for anyone staying in the area.

“If you remain there, you could die and my men and women could die trying to rescue you,” fire service chief Jason Dougherty said. “Help them by leaving.”

In 2017, around seven million people were ordered to flee their homes in Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma, which ended up killing more than 130 people in the state.

The mass evacuation caused long traffic jams on motorways and major queues at petrol stations.

Officials say they have learnt lessons from the chaotic scenes in 2017, and will have emergency fuel stations and charging points for electric vehicles along evacuation routes.

What can we expect to happen?

By Chris England, Sky News meteorologist

The Category 5 hurricane has sustained wind speeds greater than 180mph, and will bring down many trees.

It is likely to cause total roof failure for many buildings, with some smaller buildings likely to be overturned or blown away completely.

Storm surges greater than 18ft are likely, while damage due to wave action and debris will be significant.

Low-lying areas within five to 10 miles of the sea may need evacuation 12 hours or more before the storm centre arrives due to flooding cutting off escape routes.

However, it’s worth noting that Milton may weaken before making landfall.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned power cuts were likely and that debris already caused by Hurricane Helene would be added to.

He added: “I don’t think there’s any scenario where we don’t have major impacts at this point.

“You have time to prepare – all day today, all day Monday, probably all day Tuesday to be sure your hurricane preparedness plan is in place.

“If you’re on that west coast of Florida, barrier islands, just assume you’ll be asked to leave.”

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Pinellas County, which includes the city of St Petersburg, is likely to issue mandatory evacuations for more than 500,000 people in the lowest-lying areas on Monday, officials told a news conference.

Evacuations have already been ordered for six hospitals, 25 nursing homes and 44 assisted living facilities in the county.

A person hands over empty bags to a man, as sandbags are distributed to Pinellas County residents before the expected arrival of Tropical Storm Milton, in Seminole, Florida, U.S. October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Octavio Jones
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Empty sandbags are distributed to motorists in Pinellas County. Pic: Reuters

St Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said: “We already will be rebuilding for years because of Hurricane Helene, and that will be exacerbated by the impacts of this storm.

“Remember, Hurricane Helene was 100 miles away from us, moving in a different direction. This is a powerful hurricane, headed directly for us.”

A hurricane alert has also been issued for the northern coast of Mexico‘s Yucatan Peninsula.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, US President Joe Biden announced a further 500 active-duty soldiers would be sent to North Carolina to help with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, bringing the total to 1,500 troops.

More than $137m (£104m) in federal aid for the region has also been approved so far.

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Trump orders two nuclear subs to be moved closer to Russia

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Trump orders two nuclear submarines to be moved after 'highly provocative' comments from ex-Russian president

Donald Trump says he has ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the “appropriate regions” in a row with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

It comes after Mr Medvedev, who is now deputy chair of Russia‘s Security Council, told the US president on Thursday to remember Moscow had Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities of last resort.

On Friday, Mr Trump wrote on social media: “Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.

“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Trump-Russia live: Follow Ukraine war latest

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Trump: ‘We’re going to protect our people’

Speaking outside the White House later in the day, Mr Trump was asked about why he had moved the submarines and replied: “We had to do that. We just have to be careful.

“A threat was made and we didn’t think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful. So I do that on the basis of safety for our people. A threat was made by a former president of Russia and we’re going to protect our people.”

The spat between Mr Trump and Mr Medvedev came after the US president warned Russia on Tuesday it had “10 days from today” to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face tariffs, along with its oil buyers.

Moscow has shown no sign that it will agree to Mr Trump’s demands.

Trump’s move appears to signal a significant deterioration in relationship with Putin

Normally it’s Moscow rattling the nuclear sabres, but this time it’s Washington in what marks a dramatic escalation in Donald Trump’s war of words with the former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

More importantly, it appears to signal a significant deterioration in his relationship with Vladimir Putin.

The US president’s patience with the Kremlin was already at its thinnest earlier this week, when he shrank his deadline for progress towards a peace deal from 50 days to 10.

But Russia’s lack of outward concern with this stricter ultimatum – which has swung from dismissive to (in Medvedev’s case) insulting – seems to have flicked a switch.

For this is the first time Trump’s pressure on Moscow has amounted to anything more than words.

We don’t know where the subs are, or how far they had to move to get closer to Russia, but it’s an act that sits several rungs higher than the usual verbal threats to impose sanctions.

How will Russia respond? I’m not sure Vladimir Putin has ever caved to an ultimatum and I doubt he’ll start now.

But I don’t think he’ll want the situation to deteriorate further. So I suspect he’ll make another offer to the US, that’s dressed up as a concession, but in reality may prove to be anything but.

It’s a tactic that’s worked before, but the stakes have suddenly got higher.

Read more:
Who are the winners (if any) and losers of Trump’s tariffs?

On Thursday, Mr Medvedev reminded Mr Trump that Russia possessed a Soviet-era automated nuclear retaliatory system – or “dead hand”.

Mr Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was referring to a secretive semi-automated Soviet command system designed to launch Russia’s missiles if its leadership was taken out in a decapitating strike.

He made the remarks after Mr Trump told him to “watch his words” after Mr Medvedev said the US president’s threat of hitting Russia and its oil buyers with punitive tariffs was “a game of ultimatums” and added that “each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war” between Russia and the US.

Dmitry Medvedev. Pic: Reuters
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Dmitry Medvedev. Pic: Reuters

Mr Medvedev served as Russia’s president from 2008 and 2012, when Mr Putin was barred from seeking a third consecutive term, but then stepped aside to let him run again.

As deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, he has become known for his provocative and inflammatory statements since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022.

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Trump says ‘nobody has asked’ him to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell – but he has ‘right to do it’

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Trump says 'nobody has asked' him to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell - but he has 'right to do it'

Donald Trump has said “nobody has asked” him to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, but insisted he has “the right to do it” as US president.

Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend is currently serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of helping the paedophile financier traffic and sexually abuse underage girls in 2021.

Prosecutors have said Epstein’s sex crimes could not have been done without Maxwell, but her lawyers have maintained that she was wrongly prosecuted and denied a fair trial, and have floated the idea of a pardon from Mr Trump.

Last week, they asked the US Supreme Court to take up her case.

When pressed on the possibility of pardoning Maxwell, Mr Trump told reporters: “I’m allowed to do it, but nobody’s asked me to do it.”

He continued: “I know nothing about it. I don’t know anything about the case, but I know I have the right to do it. I have the right to give pardons, I’ve given pardons to people before, but nobody’s even asked me to do it.”

Mr Trump also said he would not pardon Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was convicted in July on two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.

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Trump ‘never visited Espstein island’

His comments came shortly after the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) said Maxwell has been moved to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas.

She was being held at a low-security prison in Tallahassee, Florida, that housed men and women, but has now been transferred to a prison camp in Bryan, Texas.

When asked why Maxwell was transferred, BOP spokesperson Donald Murphy said he could not comment on the specifics, but that the BOP determines where inmates are sent based on such factors as “the level of security and supervision the inmate requires”.

Maxwell’s lawyer confirmed the move but also declined to discuss the specific reasons for it.

The Texas camp houses solely female prisoners, the majority of whom are serving time for nonviolent offences and white-collar crimes, Sky’s US partner NBC News reports.

Trump and Epstein at a party together in 1992. Pic: NBC News
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Trump and Epstein at a party together in 1992. Pic: NBC News

Minimum-security federal prison camps house inmates considered to be the lowest security risk and some facilities do not even have fences.

A senior administration official told NBC: “Any false assertion this individual was given preferential treatment is absurd.

“Prisoners are routinely moved in some instances due to significant safety and danger concerns.”

Read more:
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Analysis: Trump hopes to escape Epstein controversy

Maxwell has received renewed attention in recent weeks, after the US Justice Department said it would not be releasing the so-called ‘Epstein files’.

The department said a review of the Epstein case had found “no incriminating ‘client list'” and “no credible evidence” the jailed financier – who killed himself in prison in 2019 – had blackmailed famous men.

Officials from the Trump administration have since tried to cast themselves as promoting transparency in the case.

Last month, they lodged a request to unseal grand jury transcripts – which was denied – and Maxwell was last week interviewed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Epstein survivor’s family criticises move

Maxwell’s move to a lower security facility has been criticised by the family of Epstein abuse survivor Virginia Giuffre, who died in April, and accusers Annie and Maria Farmer.

They said in a statement: “It is with horror and outrage that we object to the preferential treatment convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has received.

“Ghislaine Maxwell is a sexual predator who physically assaulted minor children on multiple occasions, and she should never be shown any leniency.

“Yet, without any notification to the Maxwell victims, the government overnight has moved Maxwell to a minimum security luxury prison in Texas.”

The statement concluded: “This move smacks of a cover up. The victims deserve better.”

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Elon Musk vows to appeal after Tesla ordered to pay $243m to victims of Autopilot crash

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Elon Musk vows to appeal after Tesla ordered to pay 3m to victims of Autopilot crash

A jury has ruled that Tesla is partly to blame for the death of a young woman who was hit by an electric car on Autopilot.

Naibel Benavides was stargazing at the time of the collision, which sent her flying 22m (75ft) through the air in Florida.

Her boyfriend was seriously injured in the 2019 incident, while her body was discovered in a wooded area.

The Tesla Model S pictured after the crash. Pic: NBC/Florida Highway Patrol
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The Tesla Model S pictured after the crash. Pic: NBC/Florida Highway Patrol

The company has now been ordered to pay $243m (£183m) in damages to Ms Benavides’ family, and to her partner Dillon Angulo.

Jurors concluded that not all of the blame could be put on a reckless driver who admitted he was distracted by his phone before he hit the young couple.

The motorist, George McGee, reached a separate settlement with the victims’ families in an earlier case.

Brett Schreiber, who represented the victims, said: “Tesla designed Autopilot only for controlled-access highways yet deliberately chose not to restrict drivers from using it elsewhere, alongside Elon Musk telling the world Autopilot drove better than humans.

More on Elon Musk

“Today’s verdict represents justice for Naibel’s tragic death and Dillon’s lifelong injuries.”

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Tesla bruised by Musk-Trump fallout

Tesla – and Elon Musk – have said it will appeal the verdict, labelling it “wrong” and a setback for automotive safety.

The verdict would also work to “jeopardise Tesla’s and the entire industry’s efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology”, the company warmed.

Tesla had claimed Mr McGee was solely to blame for the fatal crash because he had reached down to pick up a dropped mobile phone as his Model S sped through an intersection in Key Largo, Florida, at about 62mph.

Mr McGee allegedly did not receive alerts as he ran a stop sign and a red light – and the plaintiffs’ lawyer argued that the driver’s assistance should have warned the driver and braked before the collision.

The collision sent Ms Benavides Leon flying 22m (75ft) through the air, with her body later being discovered in a wooded area, while Mr Angulo suffered serious injuries.

“To be clear, no car in 2019, and none today, would have prevented this crash,” Tesla said. “This was never about Autopilot; it was a fiction concocted by plaintiffs’ lawyers blaming the car when the driver – from day one – admitted and accepted responsibility.”

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Lawyers for the plaintiffs also alleged that Tesla either hid or lost key evidence, including data and video recorded seconds before the collision.

They showed the court that the company had the evidence all along, despite repeated denials, after hiring a forensic data expert who dug it up.

After being shown the evidence, Tesla said it made a mistake and honestly hadn’t thought it was there.

Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk onstage during an event for Tesla in Shanghai, China. Pic: Reuters
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Elon Musk hopes to convince people that his cars are safe to drive on their own. Pic: Reuters

Past cases against Tesla were dismissed or settled, so the verdict in this case could encourage more legal action.

Miguel Custodio, a car crash lawyer not involved in this trial, added: “This will open the floodgates. It will embolden a lot of people to come to court.”

The verdict comes as Mr Musk plans to roll out a driverless taxi service, hoping to convince people his vehicles are safe enough to drive on their own.

Improvements to the company’s driver assistance and partial self-driving features have been made in recent years – but in 2023, 2.3 million Tesla vehicles were recalled amid fears Autopilot was failing to sufficiently alert drivers not paying attention to the road.

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