Hurricane Matthew Update
October 6, 2016
  
  
Dear Residents, Business Owners and Visitors:

As we prepare for Hurricane Matthew to enter our area today, we would like to remind you that while it may seem calm right now you should continue to take measures to stay safe.  The storm is projected to begin effecting Miami Beach as early as this morning. The National Hurricane Center has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for most of Miami-Dade County, including Miami Beach. A Tropical Storm Warning means that sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph are expected within 36 hours of impact. 

 Please remember that all beach access east of the dunes is closed, as well as the beachfront restrooms.

 All city facilities are closed and will reopen on Monday, October 10 for normal business hours. 

 All sidewalk cafes are closed.

 HURRICANE EVACUATION CENTERS
 No mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for the City of Miami Beach. However,  Miami-Dade County has activated four shelters.  If you feel unsafe in your home, you may seek shelter in the following Hurricane Evacuation Centers:
  • Michael M. Krop Senior
    1410 NE 215 Street
    North Miami, FL 33179
     
  • Booker T. Washington Senior
    1200 NW 6 Avenue
    Miami, FL 33136
     
  • Robert Morgan Senior
    18180 SW 122 Avenue
    Miami, FL 33177
     
  • Darwin Fuchs Pavilion - Pet Friendly Shelter
    10901 SW 24 Street
    Miami, FL 33165 
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Miami-Dade Transit announced that public transit service will cease its operation today at 9 a.m.  We will follow the same approach with the city's trolley service.  Emergency bus service is provided by Miami-Dade County in case of an evacuation, please contact 311 for additional information.

 The Venetian and 71 Street/JFK causeway bridges will be in the locked down position, boats will not be allowed to pass through until the storm has passed to ensure vehicle traffic flow. This does not mean that access to the city will be closed.

 All Citi Bikes are being removed and will not be available until after the storm has passed.

 EVENTS AND MEETING CANCELLATIONS
 All board and committee meetings taking place at City Hall on Thursday and Friday have been cancelled, including Thursday's Special Master Hearing (all cases will be rescheduled) and Board of Adjustment. For an updated list of closings, please visit our Facebook and Twitter  pages.

 POWER OUTAGES - FPL 
 www.FPL.com   
 Florida Power and Light (FPL) outage and restoration information is available by calling 1.800.4.OUTAGE (1.800.468.8243) or through their website at FPL.com/powertracker . This phone number may also be used to report a downed power line.

 It is important to note that the impact of the storm, which is expected to include high winds and heavy rains, could last up to two days. During this timeframe, FPL restoration efforts may be delayed due to it being unsafe for workers to operate bucket trucks in wind conditions exceeding 35 mph. For more information on the status of outages in your area, please visit the FPL website.

 SCHOOLS AND MIAMI BEACH PARKS & RECREATION
 Miami-Dade County Public Schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday.

 The Miami Beach Parks & Recreation Department has closed our pools, recreation centers and tennis centers today as well as all programming, including after schools programs, classes and all extra-curricular activities on Thursday and Friday. For a complete list of closures, click here .

 PREPARATIONS AND FLOODING EXPECTATIONS
 Now is the time to have a plan in place, and begin to execute that plan. Make sure your hurricane kits are complete and you have all your supplies ready. We ask that residents DO NOT cut trees and place piles for pickup, as this causes hazardous conditions as the winds pick up.

 Residential garbage pickup is cancelled for tomorrow and Friday. Residents should not leave garbage or garbage cans out and should ensure all loose items are brought inside.

 A storm water system, ours included, is generally built to handle typical rain events. Our system has also been designed to accommodate sea level rise. But no system is ever designed to handle a tropical storm or major hurricane. Early predictions for the effects of Hurricane Matthew in Miami-Dade County include the possibility of receiving up to 10 inches of rain in isolated areas. This is more water than our storm water system (pumps) have been designed to handle. This, combined with the potential of storm surges of at least one foot above normal high tides, mean that you should expect standing water on the streets and minor to moderate flooding conditions during the peaks of the storm. All of the currently installed pump stations, as well as temporary pumps will be deployed to make every effort to reduce the flooding as much as we can.

The Resident Information Center is currently activated and will be available to respond to questions about the storm.  Residents with questions should call 305.604.CITY (2489).

 There have already been incidents of price gouging reported.  Residents who suspect price gouging should report the information to the Attorney General's Price Gouging Hotline at 1.866.966.7226.

 Most importantly - stay tuned to the local news media for updates. For more information and preparation recommendations, please visit our website  and view our  hurricane guide .  For updates from the City of Miami Beach, please follow us on Facebook and Twitter .

 Thank you,
 
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