Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in a century, was expected to hit Florida on Sunday morning, bringing massive damage from wind and flooding to the fourth-largest state by population. The storm could regain strength and hit the Florida Keys as a Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful designation by the National Hurricane Center, with sustained winds of 160 miles per hour (258 km per hour). A hurricane watch was issued Thursday morning as Irma, a Category 5 storm with 175-mph winds edged closer to South Florida, as preparations for the storm have already left some of the state's gas stations dry, a crisis which the governor said has become a "top priority." (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

- Irma trained its sights on Florida and officials warned more than 5 million people that time was running out Friday to evacuate ahead of the deadly hurricane as it followed a path that could take it from one end of the state to the other. “So if you are in an evacuation zone and you need help, you need to tell us now.”

The National Hurricane Center issued hurricane and storm surge warnings for South Florida on Thursday night. This is a catastrophic storm like our state has never seen,” Governor Rick Scott told reporters, adding that the storm’s effects would be felt from coast to coast in the state. Authorities in Florida have ordered 5.6 million people – a quarter of the state's population – to evacuate, warning that those who do not leave cannot expect rescue services to reach them once Irma hits. "I can guarantee you I don’t know anybody in Florida has ever experienced what’s about to hit south Florida – they need to get out and heed the warnings.”

According to the latest Hurricane Irma path update from the NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC), the storm is now Category 4 but remains “extremely dangerous”. McMaster said he will wait for the National Hurricane Center’s 5 p.m. advisory before announcing his decision, but that state officials are prepared to evacuate if need be. In Florida, mandatory evacuations orders included parts of Miami-Dade County, Broward County east of US 1, Palm Beach County, low-lying parts of Brevard County, and Monroe County, home to the Florida Keys. Further up Florida's coast, officials in Flagler County issued voluntary evacuations for coastal areas, while Brevard County in the Space Coast area issued a mandatory evacuation order for the barrier islands, Merritt Island and some mainland low-lying areas along the Indian River Lagoon

"Those who live in mobile or manufactured homes or in other flood-prone areas are also vulnerable and should evacuate whether on the mainland or the barrier islands," county spokesman Don Walker said.
Approximately 5.6 million people in the U.S. states of Florida and South Carolina have been asked to evacuate.