DeSantis had already declared a state of emergency for some locations, but on Saturday he extended the measure to the entire state, while urging residents to prepare for a storm that could severely affect large swathes of Florida.

“This storm has the potential to develop into a major hurricane and we encourage everyone to be prepared,” DeSantis said, adding that he was “coordinating with all state and local government partners to monitor potential impacts. of this storm”.

The move frees up emergency protection funds and activates relief organizations and local security forces, the governor’s office said. The order stresses that there is a risk of storms, flooding, dangerous winds and other weather conditions throughout the state.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Storm Ian is expected to rapidly strengthen in the coming days and is expected to become a daytime hurricane before moving over western Cuba and up the west coast of Florida into the mid of the next week.

On Saturday evening, Storm Ian recorded winds of 75 kilometers per hour while it was about 370 kilometers south of Kingston, Jamaica.

A Miami Center expert said it’s still unclear where the storm will hit the state the hardest.

It’s “too early to tell” where the impact will be greatest, so at this point, “the message for anyone living in Florida is to follow the forecast and prepare for the impact of this. tropical system,” said John Cangialosi.

However, in the North Atlantic, post-tropical cyclone Fiona made landfall in Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast on Saturday and swept homes into the sea, ripped roofs off and left more than 500 people without power. . Canadian authorities have no record of any deaths or injuries.