Millions of people evacuated as Hurricane Milton - the 'worst storm in 100 years' - hits US

US President Joe Biden has warned the incoming storm could be the worst in 100 years as millions are evacuated and flights cancelled

Florida locals are preparing for a massive storm, with millions being evacuated as Hurricane Milton threatens to be the most severe in a century, according to US President Joe Biden.

Choosing to stay at the White House to oversee the hurricane's progress, Biden has delayed an overseas trip. Tampa International Airport suspended all flights on Tuesday morning, and Orlando International Airport - the seventh busiest in the nation and Florida's most frequented - announced it would halt operations on Wednesday morning.

The hurricane regained Category 5 status on Tuesday evening, with the Tampa Bay area facing the greatest threat from Milton's devastating force. A terrifying 15ft storm surge could hit Florida's west coast, leading to extensive flooding and hazardous flying debris.

This hurricane comes just days after Helene struck Florida, resulting in over 220 fatalities. Helene made landfall approximately 150 miles north of Tampa in the Florida Panhandle, causing drowning deaths due to surges around 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) above normal tide levels.

Meteorologists have predicted a potential 10-15ft (3-4.5m) storm surge in Tampa Bay due to Milton. This is the highest surge ever forecasted for this location, prompting evacuation orders for coastal communities, as reported by The Mirror.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a warning that Milton is "expected to be a dangerous major hurricane" upon reaching the Florida coast. They added, "A northeastward motion with some increase in forward speed is expected" through Wednesday night.

In what The New York Times reports as one of the largest evacuations in state history, over 5.5 million people have been advised to leave Florida's western coast. In a mere 46.5 hours, Milton escalated from a tropical storm with 40mph winds to a top-tier Category 5 hurricane.

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This latest system is part of a storm season that scientists are labelling as unusual.

Before the Atlantic hurricane season even began, forecasters were predicting it to be busy. It kicked off when Beryl became the earliest storm on record to reach Category 5 status.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport announced its closure after the last flight departed on Tuesday due to being in a mandatory evacuation zone.

All flights for Wednesday and Thursday have been cancelled. Major attractions - Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld - will also close, with the latter two remaining shut on Thursday and Disney likely to do the same.