Monroe County Office of Emergency Management
Hurricane Ike update – 11:15 a.m.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for the entire Florida Keys from Ocean Reef south and west to the Dry Tortugas.
Keys resident and visitor evacuations are in progress. Evacuations for residents in the Lower Keys and Key West began at 8 a.m. Sunday. Start time for the Middle Keys including Marathon is at noon. Those residing in the Upper Keys, including Key Largo, Islamorada and mainland Monroe County, should depart beginning at 4 p.m. The evacuation is to continue at least through noon Monday.
Officials in Monroe County are monitoring the evacuation. A scan of Florida Department of Transportation traffic cameras late Sunday morning indicates traffic is flowing smoothly on the Overseas Highway.
Tolls on Card Sound Road have been lifted to assist in the movement of traffic out of the Keys. The Snake Creek drawbridge in Islamorada and the drawbridge at Jewfish Creek in Key Largo will no longer open for boat traffic to avoid any traffic delays.
Based on the storm’s current projected track, the Key West National Weather Service forecasts tropical storm force winds should begin impacting the Keys early Tuesday morning and lasting until late night Tuesday, or early Wednesday morning.
Based on the storm’s current projected track, Key West weather forecasters believe storm surge will not exceed four-and-a-half feet and could be less.
All Keys county and state parks are closed.
Keys hospital emergency rooms are to remain open until 7 a.m. Monday. They may remain open longer if there are enough personnel to man them.
The last commercial airline flight out of the Key West Airport is at 7 p.m. Sunday and there are still a few seats available. Rental car facilities are to remain open until 10 p.m. The Key West field, as well as the airfield at Florida Keys Marathon Airport, is to remain open for general aviation traffic until noon Monday.
There are still rental cars available at the Key West airport. They are to remain open for rentals as long as cars are available, or until the terminal closes at 10 p.m. Sunday.
Postal Service is closed and there is no access to post office boxes.
Monroe County public schools are closed Monday and Tuesday.
Check Monroe County's web site for bus schedules heading out of the Keys. The web site address is www.monroecounty-fl.gov.
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ADDITIONAL HELP AND RESOURCES
Keys Visitors Assistance: (800) 771-KEYS
Visit Florida Hotel Hotline: (800) 287-8598
Monroe County Emergency Information: (800) 955-5504
County Public Access Television: Channel 76 on Comcast Cable
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