Apocalyptic scenes are playing out across Florida, as million try to flee before Hurricane Irma strikes. 

In the usually bustling city of Miami, the streets and beaches are eerily empty and businesses boarded up. Meanwhile, Floridians sit in hours-long traffic jams on all roads leading north, hoping to seek shelter with friends and family.  

The latest forecasts show the storm hitting south Florida a little earlier than expected, with dangerous winds and storm surges starting as early as Saturday night. 

It's then expected to track directly up the center of the state and over the Georgia state line by the start of next week. 

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the new forecast is a bad omen for Miami, a city of nearly half a million residents.  

CNN meteorologist Tom Sater said that the new forecast 'puts Miami in the worst possible position'. 

Just before 5am ET Friday, the hurricane was centered about 55 miles northwest of Great Inagua Island and battering the northeast coast of Cuba. It's located about 495 miles southeast of Miami.

Irma weakened from a Category 5 storm to Category 4 on Friday morning with maximum sustained winds near 155 mph, but it remained a powerful hurricane and it could intensify again as it enters warmer than normal waters. Irma's core is expected to hit Florida early Sunday morning, but its tropical force storm winds can arrive as early as Saturday morning.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued hurricane warnings for South Florida and the Keys late Thursday night as Irma tracks toward the state. A storm surge has also been issued for the same area. 

Evacuation orders are in effect for the southern tip of Florida and for most counties all the way up the east coast - and they continue to multiply by the hour. Residents in coastal areas of Georgia, including Savannah, are also under evacuation.  

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Florida residents flee Hurricane Irma as traffic backs up on I-75 at its intersection with the Florida Turnpike on Thursday