Florida Braces for Hurricane Dorian’s Impact this Weekend

All of Florida is under a state of emergency and authorities are urging residents to stockpile a week's worth of food and supplies as Hurricane Dorian gathers strength and aims to slam the state as soon as Monday as a Category 4 storm.

At 11 a.m., the center of Category 2 hurricane was 255 miles east-northeast of the southern Bahamas. It was moving to the northwest at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, an increase from 105 mph winds from the 5 a.m. advisory.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.

"It's going to impact the entirety of Florida, and residents need to be prepared," Acting FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor said Friday morning on CNN's "New Day." "So, take the time now ... to understand what your local risk is."

Hurricane watches have been issued for the northwestern Bahamas, where Dorian is expected to hit Sunday as a Category 3 storm, the National Hurricane Center said.

It is then forecast to roar toward the US mainland Monday evening into Tuesday morning at major-hurricane strength, though experts warn that forecasts are subject to change.

"There is a wide cone of uncertainty of the storm, especially since it is still days from landfall on Florida," CNN meteorologist Rob Shackelford said. The cone extends from Key West up to around Jacksonville, a distance of 500 miles, he added.

The storm is likely to grow in size, CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen said. That means that regardless of where it makes landfall, much of Florida -- including inland cities like Orlando and west coast cities like Tampa -- could see hurricane force winds and heavy rain. Storm surge could impact much of the state's east coast.

In the northwestern Bahamas, the risk of life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds this weekend continues to increase. Rainfall totals of 6 to 12 inches are expected, with isolated amounts of 15 inches in the northwestern Bahamas, which may cause flash flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center. The central Bahamas can expect 1 to 2 inches, with isolated totals up to 4 inches.