A tornado touched down across Interstate 75 in Florida on Wednesday morning as Hurricane Milton barreled toward the state’s west coast, the U.S. National Weather Service reported. The service shared an image on social media showing the funnel cloud crossing the highway and warned residents to “seek shelter now.”

Steady rain and intensifying winds swept across the Tampa Bay area as the massive storm — fluctuating between Category 4 and Category 5 strength — advanced toward landfall. Officials warned that Milton could bring catastrophic winds, flooding and a storm surge of up to 15 feet (4.5 metres) in some areas. The storm’s centre was expected to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.

“This is it, folks,” said Cathie Perkins, emergency management director for Pinellas County. “Those of you who were punched during Hurricane Helene — this is going to be a knockout. You need to get out, and you need to get out now.” More than 5.9 million residents across 11 Florida counties have been ordered to evacuate.

Emergency managers said major bridges around Tampa Bay would close by the afternoon as shelters opened for evacuees. Despite the warnings, some residents vowed to stay, even as first responders cautioned they would not be able to perform rescues during the storm’s peak.

Milton’s approach comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of western Florida, killing more than 230 people across the southern United States. Communities still clearing debris from that storm are now bracing for another potentially life-threatening disaster.

Meteorologists warned that Milton would maintain hurricane strength as it crosses central Florida and moves toward the Atlantic on Thursday, with rainfall totals of up to 18 inches (46 centimetres) possible in some inland regions.