Hurricane Warning Issued For Volusia County

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Hurricane season sign sky

Volusia County, FL -Just before 11am today, the NWS in Melbourne issued a Hurricane Warning for Volusia County. That extended the warning area from Sebastian Inlet to the Volusia/Flagler County line.

Earlier reporting: Governor Rick Scott was in Daytona Beach this afternoon where he met with Volusia County officials to discuss preparations for Hurricane Matthew.

After speaking with County leaders, Scott held a press conference where he urged Floridians to take the threat of Hurricane Matthew seriously. He opened the conference by calling the storm deadly and saying, "multiple people have already been killed by this major storm. We do not want to see another life lost. Protecting life is our number one priority. If Matthew directly impacts Florida, there will be massive destruction that we haven't seen in years. This is a deadly storm that is approaching our coast, I can not stress that enough."

Yesterday, Governor Scott issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for every county in the state of Florida due to the severity of the storm.

For a video of Governor Scott's press conference, go to the News Daytona Beach Facebook page.

Update: Governor Rick Scott will be in Daytona Beach today to visit the Volusia County EOC ahead of Hurricane Matthew. Scott's visit is set for 12:30PM as the county prepares for the effects of the storm now moving north through the Caribbean.

Earlier reporting follows:

Volusia County Emergency Management is keeping a close eye on the progress of Hurricane Matthew and officials are urging residents to prepare for the worst.

"As they say, we'd rather plan for the worst and hope for the best," said Jim Judge, Director of Volusia County Emergency Management. "This is certainly a very dangerous and intense hurricane."

As of Monday, Hurricane Matthew's forecast has the storm moving through the Bahamas on Tuesday and Wednesday. From there it will move northward offshore and parallel to the east coast of Florida on Thursday and Friday. Volusia County is now in the forecast cone of error for Matthew.

“Tropical storm force winds are a possibility Thursday and Friday, and a tropical storm watch may be posted as early as Tuesday depending on the future track of the storm,” said Judge. "“At a minimum, we are expecting a threat for rough surf and rip currents all week and possible beach erosion from the storm as it moves up the coast.”

Emergency Management is encouraging people to go over their individual preparedness plans and to make sure they're stocked up on emergency supplies in case Volusia County ends up being significantly affected by the hurricane. “We want people to take the time now, before the storm is anywhere near us, to review their plans and make sure they have at least a two-week supply of food, water and other necessities,” he said. “The last thing we want is for people to not be prepared and then the track shifts west and catches people off guard and unprepared.”

For a list of items that should be in your disaster supply kit, go to Volusia.org/Emergency.

Residents should also prepare for the possibility of an evacuation order. Most people prefer to stay with friends or relatives who live inland, but for those without an alternative there will be hurricane shelters open across the county. For more info on creating a personalized family disaster plan, go to FloridaDisaster.org, RedCross.org, or Ready.gov.

Finally, Judge is encouraging everyone to pay attention to the news so they know Matthew's up-to-date forecasts. To sign up to receive emergency phone or email notifications from Volusia County Emergency Management, like their Facebook page or follow @VCEmergencyInfo on Twitter. You can also go to Volusia.org/Emergency to sign up for notifications and to get more info on emergency preparedness.

Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2016.