MIAMI -- Florida's Emergency Operations Center remained active Thursday. All eyes are on the tropics where Hanna, Ike and Josephine are all churning away.
While it appears Hanna will pass Central Florida by, Florida's greatest threat right now is Hurricane Ike.
Emergency Director Craig Fugate reiterated his message of preparedness at Thursday's EOC briefing.
“Be smart, be safe, be a survivor, that's our message as we go into the weekend,” Fugate said.
Gov. Charlie Crist advised residents to stay out of the waters since the three storms could bring heavy winds and cause beach erosion.
Forecasters said Ike has become a dangerous Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic with maximum sustained winds near 135 mph.
That makes Ike the third major hurricane of the Atlantic season, which has had five hurricanes total. Bertha and Gustav were the other major hurricanes.
As of 11 p.m. Thursday, Ike was about 475 miles north-northeast of the Leeward Islands. It is moving west near 14 mph.
Death Toll In Haiti Nearly Doubles
The death toll from Hanna in Haiti has nearly doubled.
The storm dumped inches of rain on the country, flooding out streets and homes.
The government announced Thursday night nearly 150 people died as a result of the storm.
Hanna swirled over Haiti for four days before moving away.
Hanna's devastation comes days after 79 others died from Hurricane Gustav.
FEMA Flooding Help
As the state prepares for a possible hit from Hanna, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is making sure it's ready to respond.
FEMA opened an operations center in Sanford on 520 West Lake Mary Boulevard Wednesday morning.
The center will be available for people dealing with flooding from Fay and more flooding if Hanna strikes.
Residents and officials are keeping a close eye on the St. Johns River as Hanna approaches because of the fear of flooding.
The office will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. until the threat passes.
For more information on how to apply for assistance, you can call FEMA directly at (800) 621-FEMA.
Hanna's Position at 2 a.m.
- Position: 27.2 North, 77.2 West
- Distance From Wilmington, N.C.: 490 miles south
- Movement: 18 mph northwest
- Winds: 65 mph
- Minimum Central Pressure: 984 mb (29.05 inches)
- Read Full NWS Advisory
Ike's Position at 11 p.m.
- Position: 23.6 North, 59.5 West
- Distance From Leeward Islands: 475 miles north-northeast
- Movement: 14 mph west-northwest
- Winds: 135 mph
- Minimum Central Pressure: 945 mb (27.91 inches)
- Read Full NWS Advisory
Josephine's Position at 11 p.m.
- Position: 15.1 North, 33.8 West
- Distance From Cape Verde Islands: 630 miles west
- Movement: 10 mph west-northwest
- Winds: 45 mph
- Minimum Central Pressure: 1002 mb (29.59 inches)
- Read Full NWS advisory
Track the paths of Hanna, Ike and Josephine with our Hurricane Tracker and downloadable map, available at the News 13 Hurricane Center.
Need help getting ready for a hurricane? News 13 on Demand, Bright House Networks Digital Cable Channel 313, has a Hurricane Center filled with vital information on what you can do to prepare for a storm. In the Severe Weather section, News 13's meteorologists show you how to be safe when a storm strikes.
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