Hurricane Milton regained Category 5 strength Tuesday as it barreled across the Gulf of Mexico toward the Florida Peninsula, where millions scrambled to wrap up storm preparations and evacuate vulnerable areas.

Hurricane Milton remained offshore on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula early Tuesday. (AP video by Martín Zetina) Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Hurricane Milton continues to churn in the Gulf of Mexico and could slam Florida by the middle of the week. The National Hurricane Center forecast calls for Milton to rapidly intensify before making landfall in Florida. >> How will Hurricane Milton impact Central Florida? County-by-county breakdown