Officials urge residents to stay home, secure belongings and prepare for outages

Officials used the briefing to deliver practical preparedness guidance for residents in coastal and low-lying areas. The Governor advised: "Stay out of the water. Stay away from boats... Don't go near boats. Just be smart if you live in those coastal areas," and emphasized checking on neighbors and preparing emergency supplies.

Other tips included moving vehicles out of low-lying areas to avoid flood damage, preparing for power outages with flashlights and charged cell phones, and reporting downed power lines. Officials said local emergency operations centers are the coordination point for county resource requests and encouraged residents to follow local instructions.