Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wants Floridians to be wary of Hurricane Dorian, even though most projections have it skirting just east of the coast. Dorian is already the most powerful hurricane in recorded history and if it was to make landfall in Florida, it could be as destructive as past storms like Hurricane Michael or Andrew.
"Hurricane Dorian has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm with now 185 mph sustained winds," DeSantis said Sunday. "To put that in perspective that's significantly stronger than Hurricane Andrew which reached landfall at 165 mph. [And] it's significantly stronger than Hurricane Michael which reached landfall at 160 mph."
Both Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Micheal in 2018 were Category 5 hurricanes. As of right now, Dorian's maximum sustained wind speeds are currently registered above both of those storms.
"Florida has had one hurricane in our history, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 that reached at [Dorian's] level and what was total total destruction," DeSantis said. "The strength of this storm can not be underestimated."
During the news conference, which was held at the Tallahassee Emergency Operations Center, DeSantis announced that St. Johns County had initiated a mandatory evacuation order for those in Zones A and B ahead of potential impacts from Dorian.
He also said that at the time, no bridge closures had been announced.
"The Coast Guard makes that decision based on wind speed," DeSantis said. "Bridges [are] remaining open for as long as they can safely be open."
DeSantis said that now is the time to prepare, as Hurricane Dorian slowly moves through the Bahamas.
Another main update that was announced by DeSantis was the suspension of eight toll roads in Florida.
RELATED: Governor DeSantis suspends tolls on several roadways across Florida as Hurricane Dorian approaches
DeSantis said that Dorian will continue to be watched and monitored and that Floridians should stay vigilant and heed the warnings of officials.
"Let's hope for the best, but let's just be prepared and take the steps necessary so that we can protect everyone."