Hurricane IRMA : when nature hits humans and buildings
Hurricane Irma:
What you need to know now
- The strength: Irma has been downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds weakening a bit at 130 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center's 8 a.m. advisory.
- The path: The core of Irma will continue to move near or over the northern coast of Cuba on Saturday. It will reach the Florida Keys on Sunday morning and the southwestern coast of Florida on Sunday afternoon. Irma is expected to make landfall in Florida as an extremely dangerous hurrican
Evacuate now and avoid Irma's wrath: 'You can always party later'
Residents of the Miami area and the Florida Keys streamed north in packed vehicles Friday, anxiously rushing to dodge Hurricane Irma as the deadly storm took aim at the state after devastating the Caribbean.
The dramatic mass exodus from South Florida could become one of the largest evacuations in US history, CNN senior meteorologist Dave Hennen said. Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties are home to about 6 million people combined.
But the clock is ticking for those who haven't left yet, officials warned.
"Get inland for safety," Gov. Rick Scott said.
The National Hurricane Center predicted that Irma could strengthen into a Category 5 storm again before it hits the Florida Keys this weekend.
"Based on what we know, the majority of Florida will have major hurricane impact and deadly winds. We expect this along the entire east coast and west coast," the governor said at a news conference. "All Floridians should be prepared to evacuate."
On the road
Thousands of motorists braved clogged roads, backups and slowdowns to get out. Some drivers waited for hours at gas stations, some of which ran out of fuel. The Florida Highway Patrol escorted fuel tankers so they could reach and resupply gas stations, the agency reported.
Travel hot spots included interstates 10, 95 and 75, and Florida's Turnpike. Troopers monitored roadways, stepping in to help after fender-benders and with disabled cars and trucks.
Flying out of the storm zone
Some Floridians unwilling to risk chaos on the highways opted to try to fly out of town. Delta Air Lines added flights out of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Key West to Atlanta, its largest hub, and allowed passengers affected by Irma to rebook flights for free, the airline said.
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