Hurricane watch

On Monday, as the storm collected strength east of the Bahamas, officials warned of a "dangerous storm surge" of up to 5 feet and heavy rainfall that could ...

The storm's slow speed and massive size — extending up to 275 miles out from its center — mean its effects may be felt across the state. "While this storm does not, at this time, appear that it will become much stronger, I urge all Floridians to be prepared and to listen to announcements from local emergency management officials," he said. In Florida, the hurricane watch extends from the Volusia-Brevard county line east of Orlando south to Hallandale Beach, between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. The storm, which currently has maximum sustained winds of about 45 miles per hour, is expected to near hurricane-level speeds by Wednesday night. We're not forecasting rapid intensification at this time," Rhome said. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for half of the state's counties.