About 115 Miles Per Hour, thats a major hurricane, category three. We have confirmation that, from the naples airport that we did have maximum sustained winds of 112 Miles Per Hour, with gusts as high as 135 Miles Per Hour. At the present time, the max winds have come down a little bit. Theyre about 110 Miles Per Hour, and the system now continues acceleration to the north at about 14 Miles Per Hour. At the present time, the center of the system is just north of the naples area, and its moving away from that region. We expect the system to continue up the coast of florida in the next couple of days crossing the tampa area later tonight and into early tomorrow. Were forecasting this to maintain hurricane intensity through the tampa area as most likely category one hurricane. So well be anticipating Hurricane Force gusts, sustained winds of Tropical Storm force possibly sustained of Hurricane Force, also storm surge up to 58 feet in that area and, again, very heavy rainfall with totals up to about 15 inches. What weve seen in terms of storm surge is that we were anticipating the values of 10a 15 feet from the captiva area down to cape sable, and what weve seen so far is that the naples pier, we saw an observation of the water level, and it rose about 4 feet in about a half hour. And at that point we lost connection with the observation. So that anticipated, rapid rise of the water is actually occurring now as we speak. As we look at the, back to the radar. As were getting that return flow pushing up into the naples area, we are seeing the water levels come up very, very quickly. So thats going to remain a very dangerous situation over the next several hours and into tomorrow. In the miamidade, broward and palm beach area, were gradually seeing the winds come down, but within the last hour were still seeing sustained winds of Tropical Storm force in the Miamidade County area. So the winds are going to be very slow to subside in this area. We do expect them to come down in the next couple of hours, but that hasnt happened yet. So you need to be, remain or very cautious. Its not really time to go outside yet, and were entering the nighttime hours, so theres a lot of debris, a lot of hazards. So recommendation is to really stay where you are until you get the all clear. With that, this concludes the 5 p. M. Eastern daylight time briefing from the National Hurricane center. Shepard lets get straight to Steve Harrigan whos live in naples. The storm is now about 5 miles north of naples, 30 miles south of fort myers. How you doing . Reporter shepard, were doing fine here. It feels like the eye of the storm has just passed over naples and now is just ending. It was remarkably still here, no breeze at all, no rain, now a light drizzle is starting again. That could mean the eye has passed, and we could see some more bands of storm. And if you can take a look, you can see some of the damage here [audio difficulty] 130 mileanhour winds. You can see some down trees there. Its branches, full trees that were snapped off so far in this wind storm. More downed trees here, and everywhere you look really you see major trees downful but what you dont see when you look at the houses, you dont see major structural damage to houses. You see parts of the roof knocked off, but as far as buildings tossed aside or outer walls destroyed, were not seeing that. The worrisome thing [audio difficulty] is a rise in floodwater. That high area where we were, weve just been able to walk one block during this calm eye of the storm. Theres already a foot of water here where im standing, and it might go considerably deeper judging by the street signs. So the concern now with the first band passed, the first edge of that eye wall has passed, were going to get more bad weather, but this could be the real concern at my feet, the danger of a possible surge from anywhere from 1015 feet. Trees down, buildings from our Vantage Point largely intact, but the looming danger is this floodwater. Shepard, back to you. Shepard steve, youve moved your location, or is this the same spot you were in in the height of it all . Reporter were a block away. We just came through this water. Weve come around about a block to get a low Vantage Point at the damage. We could just see palm trees and branches down where we were, but when were getting into a neighborhood here, we can see actual significant damage to trees, trees actually snapped in half and probably some power lines down as well. But a startling amount of flooding as well. Probably three or four feet just in the distance with those down trees judging by the street signs, shepard. Shep shp i wonder what the back of the eyes going to be like there. Normally when the eye passes over and the back wall comes, itll hit you like a hammer. Reporter right. Were going to its starting to rain a little bit more now, so were going to get the equipment back out of this rain and see what kind of a back end it has, shepard. Shepard all right. Steve harrigan, get to safety. Appreciate it. Our senior meteorologist, janice dean, is live in the extreme weather center. Reporter and look at the wind gusts that we received, category four wind gusts in the naples area, 142 Miles Per Hour. Marco island where we had second landfall around 3 35 eastern time, big pine key, were not done yet. Lets take a look at those landfalls, key west, around the key west area, thats cudjoe key at 9 a. M. This morning around 130 mileperhour sustained winds. 3 35 at marco island and the potential for another landfall later on this evening, overnight tonight. And lets zoom in, and ill show you exactly where steve steve hn is. Theres marco island, theres naples. Hes going to start to see the back side of this storm, shepard, in the next, you know, i would say 1520 minutes. I also want to make mention that were not getting in some of this radar reporting. So this is not filling in because the keys are not reporting. This is the radar from tampa, so youre not seeing the full scope of the radar and the potential for the back side of the storm to come in. This will give you an indication though of the back side move anything over the region that we just saw Steve Harrigan, i would say within the next 2025 minutes hell start to feel that. Still the potential for storm surge up and down the west coast and the tornado risk. We have had a dozen reports of tornadoes on the east coast of florida. This remains a high risk for these spinups as these outer bands scrape across land, and this is a very wide system. 220 miles from the center of the storm is the Tropical Storm force winds and 80 miles from the center of the storm still Hurricane Force winds. We just got the latest update, winds at 110 Miles Per Hour, that is a strong category two storm. But, again, i stress that this is a storm surge story for the west coast of florida, all very lowlying areas, so 510 to 15foot storm surge is still going to put these areas at risk for a lot of water over the next several hours. Shepard, still watching that. The storm surge will be the risk over the next 1218 hours. The whole state of florida still under a hurricane warning, 18 Million People, and that stretches into georgia as well. Back to you. Shepard weve just gotten an indication, janice, of a 4foot rise in the storm surge in the last about 38 minutes there in naples, and still rising. Reporter yep, absolutely. And this is going to be a really finish you know, that is the the National Hurricane center has been telling us forecasters if there is the number one story that you have to get out there, it is the storm surgeriesing. The winds, of course, are going to be excessive, theyre going to cause damage, the tornadoes are are going to cause a high risk especially across the east coast, but its the storm surge. Its that water level rise. Ive seen a lot of reports on twitter because the winds have been pushing the water out, right . And people are saying, oh, my gosh, the water has been pushed out of the bay, the problem is the water is going to come back with a venn since, and some people say its vengeance, and some people say its almost like a slowmoving tsunami with all of the water being pushed back into the bay from these counterclockwise winds. Shepard it has been quite a thing to watch. Janice dean in the weather center, this is not over. If youre in the fort myers, lee county area or north of there, lehighing acres, theres more coming. Fox 13 in tampa will tell you the storm is still headed in that direction. Theyve got live pictures and a live shot up from fox 13. Excuse me, oh, my goodness, quite a thing to see. And this is Steve Harrigans camera right there in naples. We know that were kind of in the eye or had been on the back side of this storm, weve been watching the radar. Theres a lot of rain, some heavy wind and some serious storm surge thats on the way. You can see palm fronds are down. Thats pretty normal. Well be interested to know how bad the damage is, especially down in marco island and then in naples through which it is now passing and then as it moves forward up to fort myers. From the current track, it looks like the eye of the storm may actually pass to the east of fort myers. So the storm, the land curves up and to the left, up and to the west and juttes out more into the water. And as the if the storm continues in a direct north movement, then we believe that the storm is going to move to thest to east of fort myers which, for fort myers, would be very good news because youre on the drier side of the storm, the storm surge would happen in an opposite direction at least for a short period of time. But thats not to say anyone is out of the woods yet. Continue to heed the advice of local managers. Stay inside, stay off the roads, do not go outside. This is their warning, this isnt me. This is from the emergency managers. Theyve asked us to remind all of our viewers in florida, stay inside, do not go out during the eye of a storm because the back side of that storm can really, really get you. Eleven minutes past 5 00 on the southwest florida coast, and the rains are pounding. It just depends on where you are. Jesse is riding out the storm in naples. Is the, is the eye over you now, jesse, or is it still howling . Its still howling a little bit. We should be seeing the first signs of the eye any second, and as im saying that, the trees look like theyre starting to stand back up a little bit straighter. Its been pretty scary here for a while. Shepard im guessing youre on the north side of naples. Yep, about as far north as you can get. Shepard well, that makes perfect sense, because the identify the storm has left naples proper, and youre probably 6, 7 miles north of there, i guess, huh . Yeah, just about that, yep. Shepard so what was the last 30 minutes like . The last 30 minutes was about as scary as it could have gotten. Our pool cage has started to kind of deteriorate. What we could see before we were unable to see for about the last 2030 minutes. The trees have been bent almost in half, and some of the trees are not standing. So its been a little bit scary for a while. Shepard what about damage to property, have you had any . Just so far the pool, the screen has started to come in, weve lost a little bit of the aluminum framing on the pool cage, but so far thats all we can see. Weve not been anywhere where we can see major damage yet. Unfortunately, were not in our own home, so the unknown the is the most scary, not knowing what our own home is looking liker at this point. Shepard and generally speaking, where is that, jesse . Its exactly 5 miles south of where we are now. So theyre definitely in the eye of the storm currently, i would guess. We live in a woodframe house, and thats a little wit more intimidating to be in. So we came to a little bit of a safer place for a while. Shepard and im guessing youre really glad you did. Do you have your family with you . I do. I actually have my inlaws with me now. My family is also in a much safer place. A little further south, but they are also in a very safe home, and weve been in good contact with them, very thankful to still have some cell service. Shepard i know that. Jesse lithgow live from naples, they rode out the storm in a safer place than her wooden home. Thanks so much for talking with us. For those of you in fort myers and up the coast in the tampa st. Pete area, the storm is on the way. Has it weakened . It has. Its still a category two hurricane. Maximum sustained winds, 110 Miles Per Hour, capable of producing tornadoes and lightning and heavy downpours and far from resolved. This storm will weaken in the days ahead, will head in the general direction of alabama and then head generally speaking toward memphis where therell be a hoe pressure system about birmingham sometime tomorrow amp, but theres a lot more to endure tonight. Well watch as it heads into fort myers at Fox News Channel coverage continuese right after this. Was for langoustine ravioli. A langoustine is a tiny kind of lobster. A slight shellfish allergy rules that out, plus my wife ordered the langoustine. I will have chicken tenders and tater tots. 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Out with the grain, in with the farmraised chicken. Healthful. Flavorful. Beneful. Live in orlando, im bill hemmer as our coverage continues here on the Fox News Channel, tracking the path of Hurricane Irma. As we watch the eye move its way through naples, the storm only moments ago was downgraded to a category two. Winds now dropping off a little bit, but the speed of the storm has picked up. Earlier today at day break it was moving around 8 miles an hour, now it has increased substantially at 14 miles an hour. This monster of a storm will continue to move through the northern part of florida and affect places like are sarasota and st. Petersburg and tampa, eventually here in orlando where the skies have darkened over the past hour alone and the bands of rain start to work their way into the metropolitan area here in orange county. As we await on that, john mixon is on the phone, retired Lieutenant Commander of the u. S. Coast guard. Hes live in jacksonville is, florida, by temperature, sir. You had by telephone, sir. You had evacuated to tampa, you worked your way to jacksonville, and what are you doing now . Hey, good afternoon. Yep, i live in Hernando Beach just north of tampa, and my family and i were in man story evacuation zone, concern mandatory evacuation zone, so we put the final toughs on the house early this morning and drove just south of jacksonville to stay with family. Bill you know, with the coast guard thats your lifes to work. You think you made the right call to leave . Oh, absolutely. There wasnt, there was no debate this time. Some evacuations can be debatable for personal reasons, but in this case it was safety applies, there was no option due to the potential storm surge. Bill yeah. You think about the people who left miami and went to naples, and then they left naples and went to tampa or left miami and went to orlando, and then they were chased off to tampa as well, and you wonder about making that decision. How difficult was that for you and your family, sir . It was incredibly difficult up to a point, and then the decision became very easy. Initially with the data so far out, we had to make the decision on a personal level as to whether to stay or go based on what our house could hand and what we could handle and what we were prepared for. So it was definitely an emotional decision. But bill yeah, help us understand what was it that convinced you nows the time to leave . I made my final decision with my family and i yesterday morning early. We got the final update, saw that the westerly track was coming up, saw the storm surge predictions, and that was the final, that was the final one. I had some personal limits. Weve been through hermine last year, so we knew kind of what our neighborhood could handle, and as soon as we got the prediction that more than that was headed to us, we started putting on the last boards and getting out. Bill how do you think the states cone so far . Its done so far . Its fantastic. Its a great response. We had plenty of lead time in this one. Some of the other hurricanes, especially gulf hurricanes, you dont have quite as much leeway time. This time we did, and i think the state, federal government, United States coast guard have all done an outstanding job preparing, and i think theyre really postured for an outstanding response as tough as its going to be. Bill bad luck to you, sir, and thank you for your time. My best to you and your family. Thank you, appreciate it. Bill john mixon, retired u. S. Coast guard waiting the storm out in jacksonville, florida, where the impact of this storm will be felt very soon. Griff jenkins, meanwhile, standing by live in napeings, florida. Weve been watching this now for about two hours. The eye of the storm came onshore in naples i want to say around 3 30 local time, so youve been in it, griff, for about two hours, and conditions now are what . Reporter you know, bill, we had about 30 minutes ago the harshest winds weve seen, and now theyve calmed down much. Im not sure if we have a bit of an eye center over the top of my po