Story last updated 11:05 p.m. ET Monday:

A dangerous category 4 hurricane, Matthew has strengthened to sustained winds of 145 mph with higher gusts as the storm drifts slowly to the north at 7 mph.

Matthew has been lashing at Jamaica and Haiti, bringing flash flooding and gusty wind. Unfortunately, conditions will get much worse for Haiti tonight and Tuesday, with upwards of 40 inches of rain in the forecast and life-threatening mud slides likely.

The current track is expected to continue with slight fluctuations, then a gradual turn toward the northwest is in store by Wednesday. Closer to home, the models have shifted slightly west and so has the “cone of uncertainty,” which could have a huge impact on our weather late in the week.

Beyond Wednesday, models have shifted west. Any more slight shifts west will bring much bigger impacts to our area.

This could mean a higher threat for tropical storm force winds along our east coast by Thursday night or early Friday through Friday night, as well as squalls of heavy rain, the potential for serious beach erosion and coastal flooding during high tide.

There are still plenty of questions we cannot answer at this time.

Right now, a ridge of high pressure over Bermuda is showing signs of a slight shift west. A decaying trough in the southeastern U.S. is expected to hold in the Gulf of Mexico but may begin slipping southwest away from us. This would allow Matthew to slide closer to Florida.

Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed an executive order, declaring a state of emergency for every Florida county due to the severity of the hurricane.

“Hurricane Matthew is a life-threatening category 4 hurricane and we must all take it seriously," Scott said while visiting emergency management officials in Hialeah on Monday. "If Hurricane Matthew directly impacts Florida, there could be massive destruction which we haven’t seen since Hurricane Andrew devastated Miami-Dade County in 1992.

"That is why we cannot delay and must prepare for direct impact now."

Attorney General Pam Bondi also activated Florida's price gouging hotline. People can call this hotline if they believe a business has dramatically increased the price of food, ice, gas, hotels, lumber and water during a state of emergency.

The hotline number is 1-866-9-NO-SCAM.

There are still several factors to monitor, so the best course of action right now is to prepare. We remain in the peak of hurricane season, and you should always have your hurricane kit and plan ready.


The International Space Station flew over Hurricane Matthew Monday afternoon and took this image. (NASA)

  • SUMMARY OF INFORMATION — 11 p.m. update
    • Location: 16.9N, 74.6W
    • About 100 miles S of Tiburon, Haiti
    • About 190 miles SW of Port Au Prince, Haiti
    • Maximum sustained winds: 145 mph
    • Present movement: N at 7 mph
    • Minimum central pressure: 934 mb (27.58 inches)
    • Hurricane Warning: Jamaica; Haiti; several Cuban provinces; the southeastern Bahamas, including the Inaguas, Mayaguana, Acklins,
      Crooked Island, Long Cay, and Ragged Island; central Bahamas, including Long Island, Exuma, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Cat Island
    • Hurricane Watch: Cuban province of Camaguey; Turks and Caicos; northwestern Bahamas, including the Abacos, Andros Island, Berry
      Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence
    • Tropical Storm Warning: Dominican Republic from Barahona westward to the border with Haiti
    • Tropical Storm Watch: Dominican Republic from Puerto Plata westward to the border with Haiti

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