Hurricane Irma has reached Florida's west coast and it's path to get there was pretty much the worst possible in terms of reducing it's power.

After initial forecasts showed the storm would probably miss major land mass entirely, Irma changed course and now has a runway of conditions perfect for sustaining itself right up Florida's west coast.

Florida is set to receive the full force of the record-breaking hurricane, with residents told to evacuate from the state's southern tip.