You ryan young and karen mcginns. Ryan, youre still getting the brunt of it in clear water. We went from tampa to clear water to st. Pete, back to clear water. I can tell you the wind is relentless. This has been going on for hours. We talked about the fact we have seen debris flying through art. We also switched positions a little bit. We are going to walk out toward the street here. One of the things we noticed is the side ways water that just sort of blows in different directions. We have seen sort of the wind chris crossing. We even have gusts up to 850 mil 80 miles an hour. Some of the signs have started to come apart. We also noticed billboards have started to sheer a little bit. We have been watching that large bi billboard up there, so far so good. The decisions that people made to stay in their homes, some people were told they needed to evacuate but they wanted to stay in their homes. As we walk out here, can you see the difference in the wind, don. It has been relentless in terms of gusts and the direction keeps changing. So the wind wasnt this strong from this direction, we changed position from under the building. It is a chris cross of winds and you think about the pounding of a roof or small space. Can you understand what some homes are going through. In the last half hour, we noticed an Emergency Vehicle on the way to a call. Law enforcement officials are putting their lives on the line. First we have seen on the road. And it seems like, you see my camera man getting them around a little bit, wind is picking up Even Stronger as we talked to you. We will see what happens overnight. But so far every time we think there is a break in the wind, we seem to get stronger, don . All right. I want you to be safe. Ryan, we will get back to you. Ryan young in clear water florida. Stephanie elam in tampa. Stephanie, when we saw you last, you were out there stephanie, right there. Stephanie rb out in the street in downtown tampa, what are you seeing now . Yeah, winds picking up there. I took a beating. Im getting to know what ryan is talking about in clear water. It surprises you when it happens here. Wind is so strong that im watching water going down the side of the street here. The wind is so strong it changes the direction of water flowing down to the drain. Pushes it back and wind stops and it pushes back the other way. Thats how strong the wind is when it comes through here. And for the most part, i can tell that you downtown tampa, folks have heeded warnings. I did talk to folks yesterday who said they would stay here in their high rise building and just ride it out. They may feel the swaying more but they are planning on staying here. But for the most part, people have heeded warnings. Take a look down here. Look down the street. You can see, hopefully can you see, rain coming down in bands. I think i see a couple more people out there. And this car coming down this way as well. Which there is a curfew in effect here in tampa that started at 6 00 p. M. And that is through the duration of the storm. For the city of tampa. I mayors made it clear they do not want people out here. Because things are falling. Things can start falling. For the most poorart, i see cal frawns. But we also know this is just the beginning of it for us. We will see more. Winds will pick up. Rain will pick up. We will see more of that here. Even if we did get less of a hit than we thought we might get, it is still very serious out here. Its nothing to play with. That wind can catch you off guard. It does blow you around. And no joke. So unfortunately, im seeing people out here still. But it does seem like most people here in tampa heeded warnings and have stayed away from this area right now. Now i want to get to karen in the cnn weather center. She joins us now. Give us the latest forecast for irma. Look like this is the most don, we will see perhaps the most impact right across tampa. Its position puts it about 35 miles to the south southeast of tampa. This is a water vapor image and what i noticed most strikingly is that this southwestern edge has got a little bit more dry air into it. Thats because it is not sitting out over the open waters any more. It doesnt have anything that will fuel this system any more. Once it has made land fall now. But here eat worst part is as irma continues to trek towards the north, we are going to start it see tampa on the back side of this so that water starts coming in. What do we estimate . Well original estimates were maybe 5 to 10 feet. Thats about 24 hours ago. Now we are looking at a different animal. As wind comes back around, thats going to draw that with thor into that tampa bay. Maybe between 1 and 3 feet. Still substantial. May not be what we are looking at 24 hours ago. But still kind of a superlative amount, if you consider that most of these homes, beautiful lovely homes, that have been built on these canals and through the bays are going to be very vulnerable. Then what will happen, this transitions, just from the east of familiar, up towards gainesville, florida. Perhaps as category 1. Still has legs even as we go into monday Early Morning. In southern georgia, it is the drenching rain fall that will be very problematic but not just in south georgia. Also coastal areas. Dont be surprise fed some of the rain fall amounts amount to 10, 15 inches, certainly possible. This is the wind forecast. There you can see winds right now offshore tampa. Offshore some of these other coastal communities to the north of tampa. But once youre on the back side of this, thats where we see real problems. Then it transitions to the north. How long will this last . Could be over the next three to five hours. We will see that is very dramatic. Then we see this transition more towards the north and even into atlanta. Gusty winds, we are seeing perhaps downed trees and power lines. About 3. 5 million customers without power. The estimate on that is that is about half of the customers that Florida Power and light has. So when they go into restoration and do restructuring of all of the power grid that is necessary there, that is going to be a huge undertaking. And thats just one element of what we are seeing with irma. It is going to be the electrical grid. It is going to be rebuilding of homes. It is going to be different infrastructures that perhaps over time have been neglected. But it has taken irma to really meet its match in the state of florida where it made land fall at marco island around 3 30 in the afternoon. We had some wind gusts there reported at 140 miles an hour. So don, irma continues to make its trek more towards the north. It is just now about 35 miles to the south southeast of tampa. Karen, ive got to ask you. So listen, we talk about flooding and storm surge, where are the storm surge concerns right now . It is all in this area from ft. Myers, florida. There you will see bands coming ashore. That is because on the south side of this system, still for tampa, still going out. So in the next couple of hours as irma transitions more north, tampa is on the back side of this and that water will start rushing into some of those bays even north of tampa. And right now ft. Myers is seeing that as well. Maybe 1 to 3 feet storm surge is what we are expecting. But i wouldnt diminish that. Those dont sound like staggering numbers. But we know for the financial district in miami, theyve had essentially the flooded areas due to the storm surge. They did have a lot of rain fall there as well. But this storm surge is so destructive and i know a lot of folks that they look at tampa bay or some of those other canals and see water rush out when in fact in the next couple of hours that water is being pushed in again. Karen, thank you very much. Appreciate that. Hurricane irma spreading destruction across florida. Bren in orlando for us right now. Bren, looks like you are getting blown around there. Reporter yeah, don. We were told that beginning of the worst for orlando would hit around midnight and irma really arrived on time. It is eerie. Were in downtown orlando. We have Tall Buildings creating alley ways and im standing in one. I can tell you, im here, a whole sheet of water coming down from this direction and next thing i know im hit by it. And almost like you were standing in the ocean and you see a wave coming in. Turn your back to it and it is knocked over. Certainly this as strong as a wave would be but a lot of water gushing out. In this direction we are blocked by our Hotel Building but in this direction can i tell what you im seeing is just the trees sort of bending over. Wind tunnel is extremely bad over there. Whats worse is an erie sound. We keep hearing the almost car crashing sounds. Thats what we are hearing. They keep coming and crashing on to the concrete. Hearing one after the other. Sounding like many car crashes happening on the street. We are getting a lot of wind and weve been paying attention to this light post right here. That has been really shaking. But as youve been talking all throughout the newscast, don, there is a lot of projectiles, particularly here to mydb behind me, to my right. Where there is an entire construction site. We have two cranes and tons of supplies. What one person told me, even a nail that isnt tied down at a construction site can turn into a bullet. And with these wind gusts, you never know, a home or person, and according to this hour, a lot of people inside safely, probably hopefully getting some sleep. Because its not twoing to stop for a another few hours. Very wise person concerning me all day watching you guys stand out there. Thank you, bren, appreciate it. Daytona beach, sarah, youre on the east coast. On the east coast of florida. What are are you dealing with . Let me just tell you don that basically what is happening and we apologize and lights going on and off and a lot of rain and wind effecting our equipment as it is effecting this whole entire street. This is a1a. We are on the back side of a huge hiurricane grate. This actually is about 60 to 70 miles an hour. Thats the heaviest weve seen over the past few hours. We are talking about Tropical Storm force winds. 40 miles an hour is category 1 winds. And right now quite a bit blowing coming straight down a1a. And we are also seeing a lot of projectiles, you have been hearing from everyone, thats the danger here. Things like tops the things that cover lights are flying around. Tops of trash cans flying around. And this wind, im an small woman, as you know, don, im a chunky girl, and it is blowing me around when the gusts come really hard. This is nothing to play around with. Everyone is told over and over and over again that you really have to respect this wind. The reason we are out here is because this is our job. We choose to do this and we get paid to do this. But we are here to be eyes for you. The witnesses for you. So you folks at home that are worrying about your homes, worrying about your businesses, worries about your family that is in the way of the storm, you can see what is going street to street where we were but you dont have to put yourself or your family in danger. This is an incredibly strong storm. And we are about 225 miles from the eye of the storm. So were nowhere near the eye. Yet we see the incredible winds. We are also on the east coast while the storm eye is on the west coast, don. Thank you, sarah. Youre a beautiful woman no matter what size you are and there is nothing wrong with having a little curve. Thank you, sarah. I appreciate it. When we come back, irma, pounding florida coast to coast with violent winds and torrential rains as it moves forth. Discover card. Hey. What can you tell me about your new Social Security alerts . Oh well alert you if we find your Social Security number on any one of thousands of risky sites, so youll be in the know. Ooh. Sushi. Ugh. Being in the know is a good thing. Sign up online for free. Discover Social Security alerts. When heartburn hits fight back fast with tums chewy bites. Fast relief in every bite. Crunchy outside. Chewy inside. Tum tum tum tum tums chewy bites. Oh, you yeah ht butch. butch growls at man hes looking at me right now, isnt he . 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Esurance was born online and built to save. And when they save, you save. Thats home and Auto Insurance for the modern world. Esurance. An allstate company. Click or call. Here are your live pictures from orlando. This is our breaking news tonight. Violent winds and torrential rains as Hurricane Irma pounds florida from coast to coast. Joining me on the phone in ft. Myers is ben henman, executive Vice President and ceo of fort miles miracle, from the m minnesota twins. Youre in ft. Myers right now and you didnt evacuate. What does your yard, what does your neighborhood look like right now . The neighborhood has trees down. Debris everywhere. Roof tiles. Storm shutters came off from windows. There was water in the drive. I have a lake behind our unit. And the lake filled up more. There is water he in the circle drive around. Mild debris. Stuff everywhere. It was so dark at the time it ended. Trees down, debris ef where and water filling up. How can you compare this to a tornado . Can you . When i first moved here in november everyone told me about hurricanes. Being a kid from kansas, you get limited warning and then it just comes through and is there and gone, unless its a big one. I chased them for a while . High school and college. Not a smart thing to do but we were way far away watching them develop. This is way worse. We saw it earlier in the week. Up the east coast. Then you see the eye headed straight for you. It is pretty agonizing to be able to see that and then when it finally comes, it sits on you for so much longer than a tornado. And it affects you. Weve been without power since 9 00. We still dont have it right now. That is probably, you know, the worst aftermath. Ive got to say, i wasnt able to click my heels together three times and say theres no place like home with this one. Not account hurricane. I know youre with the minor league teams, ft. Myers miracle. How are you hoping to help your community tomorrow morning . You know, its interesting. Harvey just hit houston. Minor League Baseball put together to help out harvey hooks club. In the moment it liked like irma could possibly head this way, we were in ton tact with something called grandiose to think about ideas. I called minor League Baseball and said if there is relief i want to be one of the first out there with ft. Myers minor League Baseball to help lead the charge. Our ownership just matched for the harvey relief. We raised 6,000. We collected water, toilet paper. Question flooded and our ground was drenched. As a mainor league team youre the front porch of the community and weve had people coming together naturally for 25 years. This is our 25th season celebration this year. As Front Porch Community we will lead the community in relief effort any way we can. We all know the damage of all of the surges, and any of the winds in lee high and that got the eye. And ft. Myers will need more than a miracle. That is why minor League Baseball is so great. Thank you, sir. Thank you. We appreciate it. Good luck to you, okay . Thanks, i appreciate anything can you do. Absolutely. When we come back, Hurricane Irma still slamming florida, leaving a trail of destruction across the state. As king midas, i expect a lifetime guarantee. And so should you. On struts, brakes, shocks. Does he turn everything to gold . Not everything. At midas were always a touch better. Book an appointment at midas. Com itwhats possible. Nk rethink the experience. Rethink your allergy pills. Flonase sensimist allergy relief uses unique Mistpro Technology and helps block 6 key inflammatory substances with a gentle mist. Most allergy pills only block one. And 6 is greater than one. Rethink your allergy relief. Flonase sensimist. Lrich matte lipstick. S new color riche matte. 16 shades pulse with lush comfort. Nondrying. Never flat. Its addictive. Matte addiction. New color riche matte. From loreal paris. These live pictures coming at you from tampa, florida tonight. You can see they are getting wind. Not that much rain at moment but it comes and goes. Hurricane irma just really barreling through florida. People who live in the keys are beginning to assess the damage there. On the phone with me now is randy, resident of the keys and business owner. He and his family rode out the storm. Randy, when i spoke to you on friday, you know i was worried about you. We were concerned. So take us through, tell us what happened. You hunkered down and didnt evacuate. Well, don, you know, our plan was to just ride it out. And we knew we were in a very secure strong house and we were on high ground and it did come through the upper keys. We did not get the eye like they did down in the lower keys, key west area. But we did get some pretty substantial winds for quite a while. A lot of damage up here with trees. I did not see any structural damage with homes. There was some flooding. There were boats that sank. And all in all the keys faired pretty well up here. We did have a tide surge like they were talking about. But it wasnt as severe as it could have been. Were you scared there for a moment at moments . There was concern as it was approaching, you know, coming this way. Going left. Going right. You know, we just kept watching the weather minute by minute and it kept going to the west, going to the west when it was down near cuba. Plus it was hit by mountains in cuba. It got knocked down a little bit. We were pretty we were ready