As Hurricane Milton churns in the Gulf of Mexico and threatens Florida's coast, the National Hurricane Center says it is closely monitoring the storm's path and strength. On Monday morning, the NHC said Milton was moving "erratically" through the Gulf of Mexico and rapidly gaining strength.

Tropical storm Milton is strengthening over the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to become a hurricane and slam into the west coast of Florida.

Hurricane Milton has maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and is moving towards the east at 6 mph. Milton is 815 miles to the west of Tampa, Florida, in the western Gulf of Mexico, and is expected to continue toward the east strengthening into a Category 2 hurricane, with winds of 100 mph by Monday morning.