Hurricane Irma:  Hurricane Warning In Effect

Update as of 5 a.m., Sunday, Sept 10

A Hurricane Warning is currently in place for the City of Hollywood.  As of  4 p.m. Saturday, Sept 9th a countywide curfew is in effect for Broward County. All residents should remain sheltered indoors throughout the duration of the storm.

Tropical Storm conditions arrived last evening with hurricane conditions possible in South Florida and the Florida Keys through this evening. Hurricane Irma is expected to produce 8 to 15 inches of rain in South Florida with up to 20 inches in isolated areas. Maximum sustained winds are currently near 130 mph with higher gusts. Irma restrengthened overnight to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. On the forecast track, the eye of Irma should move over the lower Florida Keys in the next few hours, then move near or over the southwestern coast of the Florida Peninsula later today through tonight.  Irma should then move inland over the Florida panhandle and southwestern Georgia Monday afternoon.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles (130 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 220 miles (350 km). Tornadoes are possible through tonight, mainly across southern, central, and eastern portions of the Florida Peninsula.

Storm surge and the tide are forecast to cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is could reach 2 feet above ground if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide. The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds, where the surge is expected to be accompanied by larger than normal waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.

The City of Hollywood continues to closely monitor Hurricane Irma.

Curfew/Evacuations/Shelters

Broward County has ordered a county-wide curfew that is in effect as of 4:00 p.m. Saturday and will remain in effect throughout the duration of the storm. A mandatory evacuation was ordered in Broward County for Zones A and B. In Hollywood this is the barrier island and areas east of US-1. Under a mandatory evacuation, eastbound traffic onto the barrier island at Hollywood Boulevard and at Sheridan Street is restricted.

Emergency Operations Center Activation

The City’s Emergency Operations Center continues to be fully activated. The City has activated its Hurricane Call Center. This call center can be reached by calling: 954.967.4EOC (4362). Broward County is also operating its Hurricane Hotline which is 311 or 954.831.4000.

Residents are advised to remain inside today and during and after the storm.

Please continue monitoring the storm on various news outlets and check the City’s website www.hollywoodfl.org and twitter feed for updates.