Any Florida Treeper who finds themselves in need of help, please feel free to use the comment section and we’ll work earnestly to assist. Prayers for all.
At 200 PM EDT (1800 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Matthew was located near latitude 25.7 North, longitude 78.4 West. The hurricane is moving toward the northwest near 14 mph (22 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue today with a turn toward the north-northwest tonight or early Friday. 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.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles (260 km). Nassau in the Bahamas reported 97 mph (156 km/h) sustained winds earlier today when the northern eyewall moved over that island. The estimated minimum central pressure is 939 mb (27.73 inches).
Hurricane conditions are expected to first reach the hurricane warning area in Florida by late today and will spread northward within the warning area through Friday. Tropical storm conditions are first expected in Florida within the next several hours.
Hurricane conditions are possible in the hurricane watch area in northeast Georgia and South Carolina by early Saturday, with tropical storm conditions possible on Friday night. (read more)
Turn your refrigerator or freezer to the coldest setting in anticipation of losing power – open only when necessary #FLPrepares
— FL Division of Emergency Management (@FLSERT) October 6, 2016
Consider putting water in your freezer to help retain temp if power fails.
Following the most recent NHC update on #HurricaneMatthew, I've activated an additional 1,000 @FLGuard members: https://t.co/TvLNP3B0JP
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 6, 2016
The state has a 110,000 meal capacity a day, which can be delivered using 24 Emergency Response Vehicles, 31 canteens, and mobile trailers
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 6, 2016
https://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=26.165298896316042&lon=-78.65661621093751&wxstn=0&zoom=8&radar=1&sat=0&cam=0&severe=0&fronts=0&lightning=0&sst=0&sstanom=0&fire=0&rep=0&surge=0&tor=0&hur=1&models=0