Hurricane Milton mapped: Storm's path, forecast and status as 'life-threatening' weather descends

Hurricane Milton has gathered strength and power in the Gulf of Mexico rapidly developing into a Category 5 storm after absorbing its natural fuel and warm water.

The National Hurricane Center previously warned Milton was likely to become a major hurricane , defined by minimum sustained winds of 111 mph, with confirmation on Monday at 8 am.

Forecasters from NBC News have however claimed that the storm may weaken to Category 3 before making landfall on Wednesday on the west coast of Florida , and locals are desperately attempting to prepare .

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The National Hurricane Center believe Milton will begin to brush by the top of the Yucatán Peninsula on Monday afternoon.

By Tuesday afternoon they then expect the storm to have travelled and be north of the Yucatán, between Mexico and Cuba, moving in east-northeast direction.

By then predictions say it could be pushing out sustained winds of 145 mph, becoming a Category 5 hurricane.

NBC News meteorologists say they expect rain, strong winds and possible storm surges to begin along Florida's west coast on Tuesday night.

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• Hurricane Milton mapped: Storm's path, forecast and status as 'life-threatening' weather descends

By Wednesday afternoon the storm should make landfall between Tampa Bay and Naples as a Category 3 hurricane.

Federal forecasts have warned that Milton will produce life-threatening storm surges on the entire west coast of Florida.

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They also warned of the storm triggering flash floods and destructive winds, of 111 mph and greater, near its center

Meanwhile, areas across the Florida Peninsula will see rain and isolated tornadoes on Wednesday night, with the storm expected to push east, out into the open Atlantic by Thursday.

Cities at risk of significant impact include Tampa, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples. Warnings of wind-caused power outages, flash flooding and flooding from storm surges are in place.

Coastal cities could see storm surges of 6 feet and more and up to 8 inches of rain is forecast.