Hurricane Matthew is currently wreaking havoc in the Bahamas and is heading straight for the east coast of Florida, moving at about 14 mph. The category 4 Hurricane with 140 mph winds is already responsible for at least 113 deaths, 108 of which occurred in Haiti as the storm passed through the country, according to CNN.
Florida Governor Rick Scott has issued a statement strongly urging residents along the east coast to evacuate immediately, and President Obama has declared a state of emergency for the state of Florida.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's official public advisory on Hurricane Matthew reads:
On the forecast track, the eye of Matthew should be near or over Freeport in the Bahamas in the next few hours, and move close to or over the east coast of the Florida peninsula through Friday night. Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph (220 km/h) with higher gusts. Matthew is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some additional strengthening is possible, and Matthew should remain a category 4 hurricane while it approaches the Florida coast.
Matthew was located about 125 miles east-southeast of West Palm Beach, Florida as of 2 p.m. EDT this afternoon. Authorities have urged the evacuation of more than 2 million people in the coastal regions of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, making this the largest mandatory evacuation in the United States since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. "There is no reason not to evacuate," says Gov. Scott. "No one should be taking any chances."
Hurricane-force winds (74 mph or more) are expected to extended 60 miles outward from the eye of the hurricane, while tropical storm winds (39 to 73 mph) could extend as much as 160 miles outward from the eye. Florida's eastern costal regions are virtually guaranteed to lose power for an extended period of time.
Storm surge is a big concern for Florida's costal towns even before the hurricane winds reach the coast. Waves generated by Matthew could cause flooding up to 11 feet above sea level if they hit during high tide. NOAA's public advisory states:
Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. Large waves generated by Matthew will cause water rises to occur well in advance of and well away from the track of the center. The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. There is a danger of life-threatening inundation during the next 36 hours along the Florida east coast, the Georgia coast, and the South Carolina coast from Deerfield Beach, Florida to Edisto Beach, South Carolina.
Heavy rainfalls are also to be expected, increasing the risk of "life-threatening flash floods and mudslides." NOAA also warns of isolated tornadoes along Florida's Atlantic coastal region tonight. Swells are expected to produce dangerous surf and rip current conditions on the Florida coast and in the Bahamas through the weekend.
Many residents have chosen to stay in West Palm Beach and other areas despite mandatory evacuation orders. Mayor Jeri Muoio is urging residents to evacuate and requesting that friends and family members of people in evacuation zones strongly encourage them to leave there homes until the storm passes. "More people are staying than leaving," she told CNN. "It's very concerning. When the winds really pick up, we will not be sending people out."
The smaller, category 1 Hurricane Nicole formed earlier this afternoon out farther east in the Atlantic Ocean. There is no predicted threat from Nicole, but as far as Matthew is concerned, authorities have a message for anyone in evacuation zones: Get out before it's too late.
