Hurricane Milton has exploded into a monster storm as it soaks up its natural fuel, warm water, in the Gulf of Mexico.The National Hurricane Center had warned that Milton was likely to strengthen into a major hurricane,

Hurricane Milton strengthened as it churned through the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida on Tuesday and could wallop one of the state's major population centers with huge storm surges, lashing rain and destructive winds just two weeks after deadly Hurricane Helene swamped the coastline.

Milton was a Category 4 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico Monday morning Eastern time, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory. The hurricane had sustained wind speeds of 155 miles per hour.