Mayor Randall Henderson updates on conditions while ABC News’ Tom Llamas reports from the ground in Fort Myers.
It’s just getting worse, George. Get inside, Amy. We have the mayor of ft. Myers joining us now by phone. Mayor, we have seen Tom out there in ft. Myers all through the morning. They are gusting, George, 40 to 50 for sure. What kind of conditions are you facing the next several hours? What’s your biggest concern? The deterioration of our weather pattern. We’re bracing for a direct hit. We’re bunk erred in. We will be glad when Irma moves on. The initial tracks had this storm tracking further up on the east coast. Well, that’s a great question. Predictions were showing right up the middle of the peninsula. One side of the storm was into the gulf of Mexico. The other into the atlantic. We were always prepared for of worst-case scenario. So you have several hours ahead. What have you told the people of ft. Myers about the next few coming up? I assume everybody is in place right now and supposed to stay there? We are athe stage where it is not recommended that movement take place at this time. In a strange turn of fate, since the storm has tilt to the west, it relieved a little concern because we can given to receive supplies from the east and the northeast more readily. Early it was worried that the storm would consume the entire peninsula and there would be a great delay getting backup, supplies and aid from the north. Mayor, I know it’s going to be a harrowing several hours ahead. Thanks for your time. Now to Tom Yanes. Reporter: My hat just flew up. We spoke maybe 15 minutes ago when we were broadcasting moments ago. We just hit 65 with our wind gauge. That means it is picking up 10 miles per hour, those wind gusts, in 15 minutes. It tells you we are getting closer and closer to the hurricane force gusts. The wind line is blowing east to west. That is how the Irma hurricane force winds. You can see the straight line of palm trees and how they are moving. We are in front of the marina. There is a father of storm surge. We are 10 feet up from where the water is. You can see the angry currents under the bridge that connects ft. Myers to Cape Coral. You can see the strong currents, the white caps. Every hour that water is getting higher and higher. This is a ghost town where we were. People were driving around earlier. We are not seeing people out anymore. It has gotten very dangerous. They are listening to ft. Myers mayor who we heard say stay off the roads. Florida highway patrol are tough customers. They are pulling all their troopers off the roads until the winds die down. Things are getting very dangerous. They will get much worse. We are only at 65 miles per hour on the wind gusts. And irmaing we know is much more powerful than that. So it is just getting started, George. We are seeing the winds more powerful in Miami.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
