FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ The hurricane warning for Broward County was dropped Thursday night, as Hurricane Matthew's projected path veered north, appearing to remove the risk that South Florida would experience the worst of the storm.
The warning was replaced with a tropical storm warning. The hurricane warning for Palm Beach County was maintained.
But considerable danger remains. The National Weather Service warned that sustained winds of up to 70 mph, with gusts of up to 95, were possible from Boca Raton to Jupiter and farther north.
"Now is the time to urgently hide from the wind," the weather service said in a warning issued at 8:22 p.m. "Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury or loss of life."
The warnings against complacency came after storm tracks from the National Hurricane Center showed the core of the storm missing Broward and Palm Beach counties.
The 10 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center located the center of the storm 65 miles east-northeast of West Palm Beach, moving northwest at 13 mph. But forecasters cautioned that the storm, which has maximum winds of 130 mph, is large and some parts of South Florida could still experience hazardous hurricane-force winds.
"The more northward movement of Matthew today has significantly improved the forecast for Miami-Dade County and much of the interior," said Robert Molleda, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service said, after the updated forecast came out. "There is also some improvement for Broward, Palm Beach and the Lake Okeechobee area, but these areas are still under higher threat."
Even if the eye remained well off shore, the storm still could generate hurricane-force winds on land. Palm Beach International Airport reported a 50 mph gust Thursday night.
"Matthew is an extremely dangerous hurricane that will move just offshore the coast of Palm Beach late this evening and into tonight," the National Weather Service said in an advisory issued after the new track came out. "It is expected to remain a Category 4 hurricane as it moves near the coast, bringing the potential for extensive damage across northeast Palm Beach County."
The updated storm track reduced the time period during which Broward and Palm Beach counties may see hurricane-force or tropical-force winds.
Palm Beach County can expect hurricane-force winds from 8 p.m. to midnight Thursday, with hurricane-force gusts from 7 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday. Broward County is not expected to experience hurricane-force winds, although there is a slight risk of them from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Winds of tropical-force, which means from 39-73 mph, are expected to last until 6 a.m. Friday in Palm Beach County and until midnight in Broward County.
At 6 p.m. the storm was 90 miles southeast of West Palm Beach, moving northwest at 14 mph.
A wind gust of 59 mph was reported Thursday afternoon at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, as the rain bands of Hurricane Matthew start sweeping over South Florida. A weather station at Lake Worth Pier reported a sustained wind of 38 mph, just short of the minimum for tropical strength of 39 mph, and a gust of 45 mph.
More than 17,300 Florida Power & Light Co. customers in South Florida were without power at 5 p.m. Thursday, as bands of winds from Hurricane Matthew started coming ashore. Of those, 4,800 were in Palm Beach County; 5,650 in Broward and 6,880 in Miami-Dade were without power at that time, FPL said.
During the day, as many as 45,240 in South Florida lost power, with some customers being restored at least temporary.
President Barack Obama issued an emergency declaration for Florida on Thursday. An emergency declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief and authorizes federal funding for disaster relief.
Broward County announced all roads would be closed at 3 p.m., although there would be no enforcement.
About 150,000 people were ordered evacuated in Palm Beach County Wednesday night, as the storm's projected course shifted closer to South Florida.
The evacuation order, which will not involve the forceable removal of anyone, applies to residents of barrier islands, mobile homes and low-lying areas. Broward announced a voluntary evacuation for the beach, mobile home residents and those in low-lying areas.
Palm Beach County's emergency management director said he is concerned people are not taking evacuation orders seriously.
As winds picked up, only 1,600 people were in the county's 15 shelters as of 11 a.m., said Bill Johnson, director of Palm Beach County Emergency Management. About 75 people are in the county's shelter for residents with special medical needs.
"Your window is getting shorter and shorter," he said. "If you need to move, move now."
Florida Gov. Rick Scott urged residents of evacuation zones to leave immediately.
"Time is up," he said in a statement Thursday morning. "You have to evacuate now if you are in an evacuation zone. To everyone on Florida's east coast, if you are reluctant to evacuate, just think of all the people the Hurricane has already killed. You and your family could be among these numbers if you don't take this seriously."
A flood watch has been issued for Palm Beach County that will be in effect until Friday afternoon.
Scott activated another 1,000 members of the Florida National Guard, bringing the total to 2,500. He announced a suspension of tolls on Florida's Turnpike and other roads in the affected areas.
The storm's forecast path placed the central Florida coast near the center of the cone of possibilities for the storm's core.
The projection also increased the disturbing possibility that somewhere off Georgia or the Carolinas the storm could loop to the south and make another run at South Florida next week.
Broward County's Emergency Operations Center in Plantation was at full activation Thursday, with more than 300 representatives of law enforcement, fire-rescue, water and utilities agencies.
Broward Mayor Marty Kiar said "widespread power outages" are predicted in Broward by Florida Power & Light, which has 10,000 extra workers in Florida to help.
Broward and Miami-Dade counties announced voluntary evacuations. All counties opened emergency shelters. Delray Beach announced a curfew from 6 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport have closed.
The possibility that South Florida could be struck by a storm of at least Category 3 strength represents the greatest hurricane threat to the region in many years. A Category 3 storm, which produces winds of 111-129 mph, is capable of causing "devastating" damage, according to the hurricane center.
The current forecast calls for the storm to be a low-end Category 4 storm. A Category 4 storm will cause "catastrophic damage," according to the hurricane center.
"Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls," according to the hurricane center. "Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months."
Although wind is the major hazard, the National Hurricane Center said northern Palm Beach County and coastal areas to the north could experience dangerous storm surge, as the wind pushes ocean water onto land.
Although Matthew is not expected to produce rain comparable to the torrents dumped on Haiti, the storm could bring several inches to some areas.
To make room for the rain to drain off land, the South Florida Water Management District, which operates the region's main drainage system, has lowered canal levels throughout the region.
"The system is poised and in a good position," said John Mitnik, the district's chief engineer.
Matthew could bring about 4 inches of rain across Palm Beach County, with about 2 inches in Broward County and 1 inch in Miami-Dade County, according to the water district.
In Broward County, storm surge is considered to be less of a threat, which means fewer evacuations are likely, said Miguel Ascarrunz, Broward County's director of emergency management.
"The storm-surge threat is minimal at this time," he said at a briefing at the county Emergency Operations Center in Plantation.
But the county wants people in mobile homes, coastal communities or low-lying areas to seek shelter.
The Coast Guard closed Miami, Miami River, Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach and other southeast Florida ports. The Coast Guard set Port Condition Zulu, which establishes a safety zone around the ports, prohibiting traffic in or out without permission and any ship-to-shore activities.
A second storm in the tropics has reached hurricane strength. Hurricane Nicole is spinning about 345 miles south of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. There are no watches or warnings linked to Nicole. The storm is moving north-northwest, roughly in the direction of Bermuda, at 8 mph.
