Florida is bracing as Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified into a Category 1 storm on Sunday, days before it’s expected to make landfall on the state’s Gulf Coast where communities are still dealing with the effects of Hurricane Helene.

"Milton has the potential to become one of Florida’s most damaging and costly hurricanes," AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jon Porter said, with life-threatening dangers including an extreme storm surge of 10-15 feet and destructive winds.

President Joe Biden offered his first remarks Sunday on what is now Hurricane Milton as it creeps toward Florida, where it is predicted to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane. "... I have been briefed on Tropical Storm Milton as it strengthens across the Gulf of Mexico and the work my Administration is doing to pre-position life-saving resources in advance of the storm,