Tornado crosses I-75 near Fort Lauderdale as Hurricane Milton approaches

A tornado was reported crossing Interstate 75 west of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as the state prepares for the landfall of Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm expected to hit tonight. 

The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado is on the ground in the lightly populated Everglades area of South Florida. Forecasters had warned of tornadoes and other severe weather as Hurricane Milton approaches.

Hurricane Milton remains a powerful storm as it moves toward Florida’s West Coast. It is expected to make landfall between Tampa and Fort Myers late Wednesday night into early Thursday, bringing life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds.

As the storm tracks inland, it is also expected to produce isolated tornadoes across the Florida Peninsula, with areas such as Orlando, Cape Canaveral, and Daytona Beach on alert for severe conditions. South Florida cities like Fort Lauderdale and Miami should remain vigilant for possible tornado activity as well.

Residents are urged to follow emergency precautions as the impacts of Hurricane Milton and potential tornadoes are expected to be far-reaching.