In today's newsletter: Hurricane Milton could be the worst storm the Tampa region has seen in a century. An IDF soldier says her warnings about Hamas went unheeded before Oct. 7. And 'X' users say eating disorder content flourished on the platform.

Here's what to know today.

Florida residents are are being advised to evacuate along parts of the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Milton, which weakened slightly to a Category 4, churns toward the state. Milton, which is already one of the most intense Atlantic storms in history, looks to be aiming directly for Tampa, forecasters say. Because of its strength and size, it could be the worst storm the region has seen in more than 100 years.

Officials are warning people to not let down their guard just weeks after Helene tore through the Southeast. Store owners like Cleon Dixon are once again boarding up windows and placing sandbags throughout their properties. Even after 30 years in business, preparing for damage from back-to-back storms is unheard of, Dixon says.

A state of emergency has been declared for Florida, with shelters opening in anticipation of the worst. “We escaped Hurricane Helene without any deaths in this county. I think it’s fair to say this is a different storm,” says Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman. 

Follow live updates here. 

The latest news on Hurricane Milton:

They were Israel’s eyes on the border, but their warnings about Hamas went unheard 

Months before the Oct. 7 terror attacks, Roni Lifshitz, one of several women in the Israel Defense Forces’ field observer team, noticed unusual activity on the Gaza border. The women were tasked with watching feeds of surveillance footage for potential threats. Lifshitz says after seeing Hamas militants congregating at the border, practicing scenarios and scanning Israeli military positions, she reported the events to her chain of command but was met with silence. On Oct. 7, Hamas militants stormed the same base where Lifshitz was previously stationed, killing 15 young women in their assault. “Who received the information and didn’t give the order to do something about it?” says Lifshitz. So far, she and other surviving unit members have asked for answers to no avail. 

The Israeli military tells NBC it will look into these questions “at a later stage” and is currently focusing efforts on fighting Hamas. There has yet to be an official investigation into the women’s preliminary warnings but an unofficial civil commission found several intelligence failures surrounding the attacks. They plan to release their findings in November.

How X became a hub for groups encouraging eating disorders

Communities promoting eating disorders have been thriving on X, with some users saying the platform has recommended content to them that glorifies or encourages starvation, self-harm and extreme thinness. Many of the users identified as teen girls and young women, some as young as 13, NBC News found. 

Experts cautioned that while social media alone is not to blame for eating disorders reaching an all-time high among teens, online content can introduce, facilitate or worsen disordered eating. Three users said that they’ve been exposed to eating disorder posts and communities on X through their algorithm-driven “For You” page, despite not knowingly engaging with such content previously. 

The social media platform suspended the largest of these groups, followed by two others after NBC News sought comment. Despite X’s moderation, at least seven more communities featuring content promoting eating disorders and self-harm were identified. Read the full story here.

Immigration: Trump suggests immigrants have ''bad genes'' in his critique of Kamala Harris' border policies.

Gun Control: The Supreme Court is weighing its decision to challenge President Biden’s ban on ‘ghost guns.’

Media blitz: The Georgia Supreme Court reinstated the state’s six-week abortion ban while it reviews the lower court ruling that originally struck down the law. 

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Charles Ling, fan face of 'Golden Bachelorette,' has no idea he's so loved

Charles Ling is clueless he’s the internet’s current boyfriend. In an exclusive interview, reporter Kimmy Yam even had to recap some of the love he’s received and notable scenes for him. The breakout star's endearing personality had viewers ready to give him the final rose from episode one. He talks with Yam about the loss of his wife, the "brotherhood" on the show, defying his Chinese cultural norms to be vulnerable and more.

— Jessi Prois, NBC Asian America editorial director

The the pre-holiday mega-sale events are here. NBC Select's editors rounded up all the best deals, updated in real time:

You have two days to shop Amazon's fall Prime Day, starting now. Check out discounts on tech, kitchen gadgets, self care products, holiday gifts, as well as lightning deals, all updated every 15 minutes. 

Don't forget the first-ever Walmart Holiday Deals event with sales on products from everyday essentials to seasonal items.

Target Circle Week is underway, with great discounts on home, tech and more.

Wayfair extended its fall Way Day sale through Oct. 9 with deals on furniture and more.

Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown. Today's newsletter was curated for you by Kaylah Jackson. 

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