Miami Dade and Broward residents can breathe easier. Ike is still trekking south, meaning a direct hit is unlikely. We may, however, feel tropical storm force winds.

AT 11 AM EDT THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA EXTENDED THE
HURRICANE WARNING WESTWARD TO INCLUDE THE PROVINCES OF VILLA
CLARA, SANCTI SPIRITUS, AND CIENFUEGOS. A HURRICANE WARNING IS
NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF GUANTANAMO, SANTIAGO DE
CUBA, HOLGUIN, LAS TUNAS AND GRANMA, CAMAGUEY, CIEGO DE
AVILA, VILLA CLARA, SANCTI SPIRITUS, AND CIENFUEGOS. 

THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF MATANZAS, LA HABANA, AND CIUDAD DE HABANA.  A HURRICANE

A HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM OCEAN REEF SOUTHWARD INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS
ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN
PENINSULA OF HAITI FROM THE NORTHERN BOARDER WITH THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC TO GONAIVES.

AT 1100 AM, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 21.0 NORTH, LONGITUDE 73.4 WEST OR ABOUT 15 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF GREAT INAGUA ISLAND AND ABOUT 130 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF GUANTANAMO CUBA.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 13 MPH. A WEST TO
WEST-SOUTHWEST MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A TURN
TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST EXPECTED ON MONDAY.  ON THIS TRACK THE
CORE OF THE HURRICANE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS
TODAY AND MOVE NEAR OR OVER EASTERN CUBA TONIGHT AND NEAR OR OVER
CENTRAL CUBA LATE MONDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  IKE IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE POSSIBLE TODAY
AND TONIGHT BUT IKE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE AS IT
APPROACHES EASTERN CUBA.  IKE IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES OVER
EASTERN AND CENTRAL CUBA ON MONDAY.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 145
MILES.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 949 MB...28.02 INCHES.

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 13 TO 18 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS
ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES CAN BE
EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW.

LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY IKE WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST
UNITED STATES COAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.  THESE WAVES
COULD GENERATE DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF
12 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVER THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE
SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS. HISPANIOLA AND EASTERN CUBA COULD SEE 6 TO 12
INCHES OF RAIN WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 20 INCHES
POSSIBLE.  THESE RAINS WILL LIKELY CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH
FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Hurricane Ike:

Governor Charlie Crist is urging safety as the entire state of Florida is in a state of emergency.

All visitors should be out of the Florida Keys at this point.

Emergency officials are set to begin a phased, mandatory evacuation for all residents beginning Sunday at 8 a.m. These evacuations MAY be delayed depending on the track of Hurricane Ike.  Monroe County officials will make a final determination on Sunday morning.

Scheduled times and regions (subject to change) are as follows:

Lower Keys and Key West: 8 a.m.

Middle Keys including Marathon: Noon
 
Upper Keys including Key Largo, Islamorada and mainland Monroe County: 4 p.m.

There will be no school in the Keys either Monday or Tuesday.

    
All tolls have been lifted between Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys.

The City of Key West is offering FREE evacuation bus service that will depart from the following sites in Key West and Stock Island and transport residents to the designated Monroe County Emergency Evacuation Shelter Site at FIU in Dade County.     

1)    OLD TOWN-Douglass Gym / Old Town / Bahama Village

2)    NEW TOWN-Key West High School (2100 Flagler Ave.) & Searstown @ Northside Drive

3)    STOCK ISLAND-Bernstein Park / Stock Island / Key West, Florida.

Pick up points in the Lower and Upper Keys will be at designated bus stop locations up to and including Marathon.  Upper Keys pickup and at Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) approved list for pick up which is available at the City’s Rumor Control Hotline by calling (305) 809-1108 or at the city’s website:  www.keywestcity.com;

Return transportation from the shelter at Florida International University will be available as soon as it is safe to do so.

Some helpful numbers are provided by the City of Key West:

Keys Visitors Assistance: (800) 771-KEYS

Visit Florida Hotel Hotline: (800) 287-8598

Monroe County Emergency Information: (800) 955-5504

Monroe County Situation Report: www.monroecounty-fl.gov

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office: www.keysso.net

County Public Access Television: Channel 76 on Comcast Cable

Key West Weather: www.weather.gov/keywest

National Hurricane Center Web site: www.nhc.noaa.gov

Closures and Cancellations:

All Florida State Parks in the Florida Keys will be closed starting Saturday, September 6, 2008.

These include:

Bahia Honda State Park
36850 Overseas Hwy.
Big Pine Key, Florida 33043

Curry Hammock State Park
56200 Overseas Hwy.
Marathon, Florida 33050

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park
County Road 905
Key Largo, Florida 33037

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
300 Truman Annex
Key West, Florida 33041

Indian Key Historic State Park
U.S. 1 Mile Marker 85.5
Islamorada, Florida 33036

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
U.S. 1 Mile Marker 102.5
Key Largo, Florida 33037

Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
U.S. 1 Mile Marker 85.5
Islamorada, Florida 33036

Long Key State Park
U.S. 1 Mile Marker 67.5
Long Key, Florida, 33001

San Pedro Underwater Archeological State Park
U.S. 1 Mile Marker 85.5
Islamorada, Florida 33036

Windly Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park
U.S. 1 Mile Marker 85.5
Islamorada, Florida 33036

Visitors who were evacuated Saturday morning from camping and overnight accommodations at the closed State Parks located throughout the Keys have been offered the option of staying at any other open State Parks with overnight facilities outside of Monroe County free of charge. 

Also closed is:

Hontoon Island State Park

Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Lower Keys Office

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Upper Keys Office

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve  and Environmental Learning Center will be closed to the public for at least 2 weeks.

Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve and Environmental Learning Center


 -Dry Tortugas is closed to visitors effective 4:30 p.m. Saturday, September 6. Licensed commercial transport to the Dry Tortugas National Park, including ferry boat and seaplane services, will suspended their operations until the park reopens.

-Most visitor areas of Everglades National Park (including the Gulf Coast Visitor Center, East Everglades, Flamingo and the Main Park Road) will close to visitors at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 6.

-The Shark Valley Visitor Area will close to visitors at 6:00 p.m. All entrance stations will be closed to access until the park reopens. No visitor-related services will be available at the Flamingo, Shark Valley, or Gulf Coast (Everglades City) areas during the closure.

 -Biscayne National Park will be closed starting tomorrow, September 7th at 1 p.m. Click Here for more information.

-The City of Key West Department of Transportation announces regular bus services in the City of Key West and the Lower Keys Shuttle will be suspended beginning tomorrow morning (Sunday) due to Hurricane Ike. On Sunday, only the BLUE and GREEN routes will operate from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm with limited service in Key West and Stock Island, Florida.

Gas stations and grocery stores expected to be extra crowded this weekend as people prepare for Hurricane Ike.

Many people say they're gonna stock up on canned goods just in case the worst happens.

Those who lived through Andrew know just how important it is to be prepared for the worst.

Click Here to see what officials in Miami-Dade are suggesting you have on-hand to weather the storm.

Click here for the latest shelter information from the Red Cross.

Emergency managers are telling people to make sure their hurricane plans are in order and to make sure they have enough food, water, etc. to last for 72 hours after the storm.

Click here for supplies you may need and other things you need to prepare.

Click Here and Click Here for a list of grocery stores and gas stations that are equipped with generators.
The Florida Highway Patrol have compiled a list of safe ways to evacuate if needed.

In case your personal hurricane evacuation plans include a trip on Florida’s Turnpike, The Florida Department of Transportation offers the following tips to help make sure your journey is as safe, convenient and as speedy as possible:

• Make sure your vehicle is fueled up and well serviced before you hit the road. Fuel availability may be questionable and what is available is sure to generate extremely long lines at Turnpike service plazas.

• Carry a supply of food and water for each member of the traveling party.

• Do not necessarily wait to evacuate until after the announcement is made that Turnpike tolls have been suspended. Tolls are often suspended in conjunction with mandatory evacuation orders which may come only after the threat of a hurricane is imminent. Consider paying the toll and leaving early when traffic is much lighter.

• During toll suspensions, continue to have cash available at all times. Just because tolls are suspended on one segment of the Turnpike does not mean they are suspended system wide. When you approach a plaza at which the tolls are suspended, SLOW DOWN and be conscious of other motorists.

• Have a specific destination in mind and the route planned well in advance of your departure. When you travel be sure to carry any appropriate maps along inside your vehicle.

• When possible evacuate tens of miles instead of hundreds of miles.

• Please pack a lot of patience and be prepared for delays. Significant traffic delays are inevitable in a state as densely populated as Florida. Again, it is important to try and avoid the rush and depart earlier rather than later.

• In the event of the approach of a major hurricane that requires a mass evacuation of south Florida, The Governor and emergency management officials may order the Turnpike to reverse the south bound lanes and operate a segment of the Turnpike as a one way north bound evacuation route. If this so called ‘Contra-Flow’ plan is enacted, please make note of the hours it will be in effect and go to
www.floridasturnpike.com where you can review and print out details about the plan.

• Getting back after the storm: If out of the area, be sure to stock up on any items that might be in short supply in the storm affected area. Consider getting extra cash at a working ATM. Fuel up prior to getting to an area that might have limited availability due to power outages. Follow any emergency instructions that may be displayed on the Turnpike’s overhead dynamic message signs.

In the event of a major (category 4 or 5) hurricane targeting South Florida, The Governor, in cooperation with state emergency managers, may enact a one way evacuation (‘Contra-Flow’) plan that would make portions of Florida's Turnpike operate solely in the northbound direction (all southbound lanes and northbound lanes will flow north) to speed those evacuating to safety.

Please note: On Florida’s Turnpike, Contra-Flow will be considered only as a last resort, and will not be enacted for a standard hurricane evacuation. 

Would be evacuees should not wait for Contra-Flow and should instead plan on leaving sooner rather than later.

In the unlikely event that Contra-Flow is ordered, please click on the following links and print any of the included materials that may pertain to your situation.

Click Here for more information on Tropical Storm Hanna.

Click here and here for pictures from the aftermath of Gustav.

(Photos courtesy of NOAA)

Click here for ways you can donate to the victims of Hurricane Gustav.

Click here for Operation Stormwatch.

Click here for the National Hurricane Center

Click here for trash information for Broward County

Click here for trash information for Miami-Dade County