Hurricane Milton satellite pictures show sheer size of storm as it approaches Florida

Hurricane Milton is careening towards Florida, where officials have ordered the evacuation of thousands of people as they fear 155mph could batter the region

New satellite pictures show the enormity of Hurricane Milton as it approaches Florida..

They were captured by U.S. government scientific weather forecasting authority National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Ahead of the hurricane, the state has declared a state of emergency, and residents were ordered to evacuate, leading to one of Florida's largest evacuation procedures on record.

Hurricane Milton is an extremely powerful tropical cyclone active in the Gulf of Mexico, currently impacting the Yucatán Peninsula. The storm underwent explosive intensification into a Category 5 hurricane on Monday, and is expected to impact Florida less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated its Big Bend region.

The Category 4 storm is sweeping across the Gulf of Mexico, and experts say it could bring destruction to areas already reeling from devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene 12 days ago. Almost the entirety of Florida's west coast was under a hurricane warning early on Tuesday as the storm and its 155 mph winds crept towards the state at 9 mph.

It was downgraded early on Tuesday to Category 4 hurricane - but forecasters said it still posed "an extremely serious threat to Florida" and could pose serious danger to life. Orlando meteorologist Noah Bergen said Milton is the fifth strongest hurricane ever recorded by pressure, adding on Twitter: "This hurricane is nearing the mathematical limit of what Earth's atmosphere over this ocean water can produce."

Milton is expected to make landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay region, which has not seen a direct hit by a major hurricane in more than a century. Evacuation orders were issued ahead of the storm on Monday, and anyone who decides to stay has been told they should expect to cope on their own, with first responders not expected to risk their lives to rescue them at the height of the storm.

Forecasters have warned of a possible 8- to 12-foot storm surge in Tampa Bay. This is the highest ever predicted for the region and nearly double the levels reached two weeks ago during Helene, according to National Hurricane Centre spokesperson Maria Torres.

A storm surge is a change in sea level caused by a storm. This can lead to extensive flooding, and can be devastating for people living in coastal areas.