Hurricane Irma, downgraded to a Category 3 storm ahead of its expected Sunday landfall, has shifted west. Floridians are preparing and bracing for the impact across South Florida, on both west and east coasts.
As of Saturday afternoon, the storm was considered "extrememly dangerous," according to the National Hurricane Center.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency. Officials imposed mandatory evacuation orders, affecting 5.6 million Florida citizens, including parts of the Miami metro area and the Florida Keys.
Scott said Irma is "powerful and deadly" and will likely be a storm as bad as, if not worse than, Hurricane Andrew was 25 years ago.
With the storm's shift to the west, Irma is taking aim at the Tampa region. Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay were shuttering their parks Saturday evening and planned to remain closed Sunday and Monday.
As they braced for impact, many Floridians took to social media to share how they were getting prepared.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee
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