Hurricane Milton intensified at an astonishing rate over 24 hours, reaching Category 5 strength with 180 mph maximum sustained winds as it targets Florida’s storm-weary Gulf Coast. South

Stores across the central Florida region saw runs on bottled water, flashlights, and generators. Long lines of vehicles jockeyed for sand and sandbags — scarce, in some places that offered

Ahead of Milton’s arrival, Publix has announced that over 500 of its stores will be closing early in preparation for the storm.