Floridians are told to write their name on their leg as final countdown to Hurricane Milton slamming into entire coastline begins but some die-hard risk takers ignore warnings

Are YOU a Brit stuck in Florida facing Hurricane chaos? The state is holding its breath as Hurricane Milton barrels across the Gulf of Mexico and heads for the shoreline, with forecasters warning of the prospect of 15-foot floods and 165 miles-per-hour winds Members of the Florida Army National Guard check for any remaining residents in nearly-deserted Bradenton Beach, where piles of debris from Hurricane Helene flooding still sits outside damaged homes ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024 An AquaFence flood wall is put into place around Tampa General Hospital ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected mid-week landfall in Tampa, Florida on October 8, 2024 Hundreds of lineman trucks staged at The Villages, Florida, on Tuesday. Destruction from Hurricane Helene is still seen by the roadside Downtown Tampa is seen deserted amid warnings to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton The state of Florida is holding its breath as category-5 Hurricane Milton is set to devastate the Tampa region later today with forecasters warning 15-foot floods and 165 miles-per-hour winds will almost certainly lay waste to huge swathes of land Aerial footage reveals empty streets in Florida ahead of hurricane Pictured downtown Tampa, October 8, 2024 Members of the Florida Army National Guard check for any remaining residents in nearly-deserted Bradenton Beach, where piles of debris from Hurricane Helene still sit outside damaged homes, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton Debris from Hurricane Helene lines a street in the Redington Beach section of St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 8, 2024, ahead of Hurricane Milton The latest maps from the NOAA show Milton's path towards Tampa Bay The US National Hurricane Center described Milton as a 'catastrophic' and 'dangerous' event, putting it at the highest level on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. shocking footage from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plane showed how scientists braved Milton's terror, flying through the hurricane to collect valuable data The interior of an NOAA plane is seen after flying through the eye of Hurricane Milton Torrents of rain whipped by the windows as the scientists were tossed around in the cabin, such was the turbulence they faced Daylight view of Hurricane Milton, currently a catastrophic hurricane with winds of 165 mph, continues to churn across the Gulf of Mexico A resident walks along a deserted street in the Ybor City section of Tampa ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected landfall in the middle of this week on October 8, 2024 Hurricane Miltoni s seen putting on an impressive lightning show as it swirls in the Gulf of Mexico The National Weather Service released this map showing the path of Milton across Florida A person walks in front of a restaurant surrounded by sand bags as the city prepares for Hurricane Milton in Bonita Beach, Florida Holly Hill residents bag up bags of sand at the city's public utilities department lot ahead of Hurricane Milton The US National Hurricane Centre predicted Milton could weaken somewhat before it makes landfall Wednesday evening but is set to remain a major hurricane. I-75 northbound lanes near mile marker 354 as of 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, October 8 A threatening sign warns looters on a garage door taped with plastic and sand bags in preparation for Hurricane Milton Vehicles fill the road as they drive to the East on I-75 from the West coast of Florida before the arrival of Hurricane Milton The Aquatics Division of the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department with about 20 volunteers and local community members served over 2,000 sandbags to over 200 Tampa residents ahead of Hurricane Milton Contractors haul away debris left by Hurricane Helene along the roadside, as residents in New Port Richey prepare to evacuate ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, Florida A contractor walks by debris left by Hurricane Helene along the roadside, as residents prepare to evacuate ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in New Port Richey, Florida A closed business is seen after Hurricane Helene ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival in Treasure Island, Florida Lightening strikes over Cancun as Hurricane Milton rolls through Mexico today The storm centre is expected to come ashore Wednesday night in the Tampa Bay area, which has not endured a direct hit by a major hurricane in more than a century.