Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has issued a state of emergency for 26 counties in the path of Hurricane Dorian, projected to reach Category 3 strength by the time it reaches the state this weekend.

“Every Florida resident should have seven days of supplies, including food, water and medicine, and should have a plan in case of disaster,” DeSantis said on Wednesday. 

“Because of the uncertainty in the track of this storm, every resident along the East Coast needs to be ready,” said Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz.

Declaring an emergency allows Florida to activate emergency operations and measures to prepare for the storm. Hurricane Dorian is presently 45 miles or so northwest of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and headed for Puerto Rico, with wind speeds reaching up to 80 miles per hour near its center.