Hurricane Milton​ is causing flight cancellations and airport closures in Florida days ahead of its expected landfall.

Flooding amid storm surges and heavy rains is a key concern when any hurricane strikes, but Florida is now particularly vulnerable. Protective sand dunes washed away by Hurricane Helene mean that there are fewer defenses than before, while the ground is already saturated in some areas.

Hurricane Milton’s forecast cone covers almost the entire west coast of Florida as the state prepared for the largest mass evacuation since 2017. Milton could be a major hurricane when it