Hurricane Milton downgraded to a Category 3
Milton was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday but remained a major storm and a grave threat as it closed in on Florida's west coast, where officials sounded urgent warnings for residents to flee inland or face grim odds of surviving the storm's surge.
Milton has fluctuated in strength as it approached, but regardless of the distinction in wind speeds, the National Hurricane Center said it would be a major and extremely dangerous storm when its center makes landfall late Wednesday.