Hurricane Irma is now officially the strongest hurricane on record. The Category 5 storm’s winds were 185 mph as of the 2am AST update from the National Hurricane Center, and forecasters say it could strengthen even more as it nears the eastern-most Caribbean islands.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency Monday in all 67 counties to give local governments “ample time, resources and flexibility” to prepare for the storm.
People in the Keys are putting up hurricane shutters and wooden boards on homes and businesses.Trucks are hauling away boats and people are packing in preparation for leaving. Visitors in Monroe County were given a mandatory evacuation order, to be on the road and out by sunrise this morning.
Scott has also ordered the suspension of road tolls across the state as Hurricane Irma. The Governor says tolls will be suspended to keep traffic flowing as residents begin to evacuate coastal areas in the potential path of the dangerous Category 5 storm.