- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
- Click here to share on LinkedIn (Opens in a new window)
- Click to email a friend (Opens in a new window)
Daytona Beach, Florida (CNN) - All of Florida is in a state of emergency and authorities are urging residents to accumulate food and supplies for a week as Hurricane Dorian strengthens and could hit the state as early as Monday as a category 4 storm.
MIRA: Preparations continue for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Florida, Governor DeSantis declares a state of emergency
"It is going to affect all of Florida, and residents must be prepared," FEMA interim administrator Pete Gaynor said Friday morning on the new CNN day. "Then, take your time now ... to understand what your local risk is."
"The clock is running right now," he added. "Do not waste your time. Prepare yourself and prepare your family. ”
Dorian, now a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110 mph, only one mile per hour less than the category 3 force, is due to its slowing speed in the coming days, which allows it to gain intensity over the warm Caribbean waters and fuels heavy rains, damaging the wind and storm surge that is expected to generate, said CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam.
LOOK: Minute by minute: Hurricane Dorian is already category 2 and is moving towards the United States
Hurricane alerts have been issued for northwestern Bahamas, where Dorian is expected to hit Sunday as a category 3 storm, the National Hurricane Center said.
Then it is predicted that it will go to the continental US. UU. Monday night until Tuesday morning with major hurricane force, although experts warn that forecasts are subject to change.
"There is a wide cone of uncertainty about the storm, especially because there are still days left for it to land in Florida," said CNN meteorologist Rob Shackelford. The cone extends from Key West to around Jacksonville, a distance of 500 miles (more than 800 kilometers), he added.
Great storm, great response
Dorian guarantees a multi-million dollar cost, Jeffrey Byard, FEMA associate administrator, told reporters on Thursday.
“This is going to be a big storm. We are prepared for a great response, ”he said.
Since Dorian had a minimal impact on Puerto Rico, the agency is moving personnel from the island to Florida in preparation.
Dorian has already won the strongest storm title so far this year's Atlantic hurricane season.
MIRA: What to do before, during and after a hurricane? Look at this guide
If you arrive in Florida, this will be the fourth consecutive year that a hurricane of any force has hit the state. It would be the largest number of consecutive years since the 1940s.
And if it comes to Florida as a category 4 storm, with sustained winds of around 130 mph (209 kilometers per hour), it would be the strongest hurricane that hits the east coast of Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the meteorologist said. CNN Brandon Miller.
Florida residents are stocking up
DeSantis declared a state of emergency for the 67 counties in Florida. The state has 819,000 gallons of water and 1.8 million meals ready for distribution, he said.
Florida residents have been fueling food and food during a stormy weekend, and authorities are urging state officials to be prepared.
"Get water, gas, get cash from ATMs," said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James. "The more we hear about this storm, it sounds like a serious storm."
With Dorian scheduled to arrive on time for Labor Day weekend, major airlines have offered exemptions for flights to Florida, Georgia and the Caribbean. And tourism areas were emptying Thursday, said WFLA, a CNN affiliate.
“Usually, we receive hundreds of visitors every day, and it has been one of those days that drives everyone away. It's a beautiful day, but the hurricane will kill everything, ”Jason Pun, owner of a Cocoa Beach restaurant, told the station.
"It comes at a bad time, especially when we are supposed to be preparing for one of our busiest weekends of the year," said Frank Figueroa, owner of neighboring Sandbar.
Military and NASA are making adjustments
To prevent damage from Dorian, the US Navy. UU. It is moving more than 40 aircraft from Jacksonville to bases in Michigan, Ohio and Texas.
The U.S. Air Force UU. He is evacuating 16 aircraft from the MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa to the McConnell Air Force Base near Wichita, Kansas, an Air Force official said.
Florida State University was scheduled to play its seasonal opening game off campus, in Jacksonville, near the Atlantic coast. But because Dorian will approach, the game has moved further inland to the normal FSU playing field in Tallahassee.
Because Dorian could impact the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA has said a transporter will move NASA's mobile launcher on Friday from launch pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building about 6 miles away. The launcher was being tested on the platform in anticipation of future Space Launch System missions.
CNN's Paul P. Murphy, Omar Jiménez, Jason Hanna, LaRell Reynolds, Meg Wagner, Tina Burnside and Daniel Shepherd contributed to this report.
Hurricane Dorian
