Even a tornado watch was in effect for dozens of Florida and Georgia counties until 8 a.m. ET on Friday. There are life threatening conditions, Florida Gov. Rick Scott appreciated. He urged residents not to drive into standing water and to avoid downed power lines, saying crews are hard at work to ensure limited disruptions. 6,000 members of the national guard ready to be mobilized in the area. Apalachicola, Tallahassee, St. Petersburg and other cities were affected.
The National Hurricane Center warned that Hurricane Hermine became a Category one and could move into southeastern Georgia It’s expected to deluge coastal Mid-Atlantic states from Virginia to New Jersey beginning early Saturday. “It’s not much you can do. You just got to bring everything you can. Lock down the house and pray,” one of the residents in Alligator Point said. In Panama City, a popular Labor Day destination, organizers canceled one of the major tourist draws, the Gulf Coast Jam. Many states declared emergencies.