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President Biden warned that Hurricane Milton could be the most severe storm to hit Florida in over a century.

What’s the deal: While speaking to reporters at the White House, President Biden said, “This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in over a century. And God willing it won’t be, but that’s what it’s looking like right now.” President Biden added, “I urge everyone, everyone currently located in Hurricane Milton’s path to listen to local officials and follow safety instructions. If you’re under evacuation order, you should evacuate now. Now, now, now. You should have already evacuated. It’s a matter of life and death.”

Biden speaks to DeSantis: The White House also confirmed that President Biden spoke directly with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. During these calls, Biden vowed to provide all necessary support to help manage the impact of Hurricane Milton. The call came before DeSantis revealed that 5,000 Florida National Guard troops have been mobilized already, with an additional 3,000 expected to join before the hurricane hits. According to DeSantis, “This is probably the largest National Guard mobilization in advance of a storm in Florida history.”

Warnings from DeSantis: Governor DeSantis warned residents during a Tuesday press conference that despite Hurricane Milton being downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 4 storm, it remains a serious threat. He stressed that the hurricane could still regain strength and would have significant impacts upon making landfall. Currently, 51 counties are under a state of emergency, and millions may need to evacuate as the storm approaches the Tampa Bay area. The storm is expected to hit Wednesday evening.