Hurricane Irma’s Path Turns West Towards Florida and Southeast U.S., Evacuation Orders In Effect for Florida

Friday, September 8, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. EST

According to the NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Irma has been downgraded to a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, however, this storm is still  extremely dangerous and poses life-threatening hazards to those in its path. Please heed all evacuation orders and follow the instructions of public safety officials.

Hurricane Irma has left a path of destruction along the Caribbean region as it moves past the Bahamas and Cuba on its path to Florida and the Southeast U.S. FEMA Administrator Brock Long has cautioned residents in the path of the storm to heed warnings, stating, “I can guarantee you that I don’t know anybody in Florida who’s ever experienced what’s about to hit South Florida.”

Public Advisories

Here’s the breakdown of public advisories from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) 11:00 AM EST, September 8, 2017 update:

• Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
  • Jupiter Inlet southward around the Florida peninsula to Bonita Beach;
  • Florida Keys;
  • Lake Okeechobee;
  • Florida Bay;
  • Southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands;
  • Cuban provinces of Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus, and Villa Clara;
  • Central Bahamas; and Northwestern Bahamas.
• Hurricane Watch is in effect for:
  • North of Jupiter Inlet to the Flagler/Volusia County, Florida Line;
  • North of Bonita Beach to Anclote River;
  • Cuban provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, Las Tunas and Matanzas.
• Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
  • Cuban provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas
• Storm Surge Warning is in effect for:
  • Sebastian Inlet southward around the Florida peninsula to Venice;
  • Florida Keys.
• Storm Surge Watch is in effect for:
  • North of Sebastian Inlet to Ponce Inlet.

For all current updates, please refer to products from your local weather service.

Evacuations Begin in Southeast U.S.*

Florida: 

• MANDATORY
  • Brevard – Zone A, Merritt Island, barrier islands, and some low lying mainland areas along Indian River Lagoon beginning Friday PM
  • Collier – mandatory for Goodland, Everglades City, Chokoloskee, all mobile homes beginning on Friday PM
  • Flagler – mandatory for nursing homes, all varieties of assisted living facilities, and community residential group homes within coastal and Intracoastal areas and voluntary for zones A, B, C, F beginning on Thursday; mandatory for Zones A,B,C,F, and substandard housing beginning on Saturday AM
  • Glades – areas around Lake Okeechobee (Lakeport, Moorehaven) beginning on Thursday PM
  • Miami-Dade – mandatory evacuation of Zones A and B beginning on Wednesday PM; additional portions of Zone C south of Coral Way
  • Monroe – mandatory for visitors beginning Wednesday 7 AM, mandatory for residents beginning Wednesday 7 PM
  • Palm Beach – mandatory for Zone A and B, voluntary for Zone C and Lake Zone E (Canal Point, Belle Glade, and Pahokee) beginning Wednesday PM
  • Pinellas – mandatory all mobile home and Zone A
  • Lee – mandatory barrier islands – Bonita Beach, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, and Pine Island beginning on Friday AM

• VOLUNTARY
  • Broward – voluntary mobile homes and low-lying areas beginning Wednesday 12 PM; mandatory East of Federal Highway including barrier islands beginning Thursday 12 PM
  • Hendry – voluntary low lying areas, non slab-built homes, mobile home and RVs and areas near Lake Okeechobee (Clewiston) beginning on Thursday
  • Manatee – voluntary for Zone A
  • Martin – voluntary as of Wednesday; mandatory for barrier islands, manufactured homes, and low lying areas beginning Saturday AM
  • St. Lucie – voluntary evacuation beginning on TuesdayBroward County – voluntary evacuations of mobile homes and low-lying areas

*Evacuation notifications are subject to change and should be actively monitored. Hagerty recommends consulting your local government for official changes in evacuation guidance.

Declarations

Major Disaster

• FEMA: U.S. Virgin Islands Hurricane Irma DR-4335

Emergency

• FEMA: U.S. Virgin Islands Hurricane Irma 3383, Puerto Rico Hurricane Irma 3384, Florida Hurricane Irma 3385, South Carolina Irma 3386
• Florida: A State of Emergency has been declared in Florida by Governor Rick Scott for all 67 counties in the state.
• Georgia: A State of Emergency has been declared in Georgia by Governor Nathan Deal for six coastal counties
• North Carolina: A State of Emergency has been declared in North Carolina by Governor Roy Cooper for all 100 counties in the state.
• South Carolina: A State of Emergency has been declared in South Carolina by Governor Henry McMaster across the state.

Resources and Related Links

Hurricane Harvey Recovery and Relief Resources:

Many of the areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey remain hazardous disaster zones and are still in the earliest stages of recovery. To be part of recovery efforts, please see resources listed below:

• New York Times List of Local and National Charitable Organizations dedicated to Hurricane Harvey recovery
• National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: link
• Americares: link
• American Red Cross: link

Hurricane Irma News and Updates:

• The National Hurricane Center regularly updated tracking of Hurricane Irma: link
• Remember, Ready.gov provides information on how to prepare for a storm and how to keep you and your family safe: link

Hagerty Consulting is an emergency management consulting firm that helps our clients prepare for and recover from disasters. Established in 2001, Hagerty Consulting’s work includes some of the nation’s largest recovery and preparedness projects in more than 30 states, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Sandy.

You can learn more about our disaster recovery practice here.