Hurricane Matthew continued its slowly churn northward Wednesday leaving devastation in its wake and threatening to cause serious damage in Central Florida.
The Category 3 storm now covers an area larger than the state of Texas.
Matthew's winds continued to top out at more than 120 mph Wednesday and could cause storm surges of up to 15 feet as it passes over the Bahamas.
It is still possible the storm's path could move even farther west, Channel 9 meteorologist Brian Shields said.
"While things are going to shift over the next 24 hours, the risk of a direct hit from Matthew is possible," he said. "People need to prepare now."
At any point along the coast, hurricane conditions will be possible for a 12-hour stretch and storm damage could be significant and unprecedented, Shields said.
"We have never, ever seen anything like this in Central Florida," he said. "Matthew is the greatest weather threat we've ever faced."
Current forecasts are showing the gigantic storm drifting farther west, which will have significant implications for Florida.
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