See what happens when you go to sleep 'round here?

You wake up and the damn forecast track has made some loopey changes and not in your favor. That blows. Anyhow, wish us luck!

Dade, Broward And Keys Now Under Hurricane Watch (In case anyone is wondering, I'm in Broward)
Parts Of The Bahamas Placed On Alert
Drop To Tropical Storm Strength Expected To be Temporary

(CBS4 News) MIAMI Ernesto lost steam and was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm Sunday, but forecasters at the National Hurricane Center still issued a hurricane watch for the entire Florida Keys and as of Monday morning, Miami and Broward Counties as well.

During their 8 a.m. advisory, the National Hurricane Center still reported that Ernesto was a tropical storm, though a hurricane watch has been issued for the Southern peninsula of Florida from Deerfield Beach South to Key West in the east coast. Along the west Coast, the hurricane watch was in effect from the City of Chokoloskee to the southernmost point along the west. All of the Florida Keys are under Hurricane watch.

"I don't want anyone to overly focus on the downgrading. It has a good chance to regain hurricane status," said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center.

Visitors were ordered to leave the Keys and Gov. Jeb Bush issued a state of emergency because of the possibility that Ernesto could threaten much of the state.

The National Hurricane Center's Sr. Hurricane Specialist Dr. Richard Knabb, spoke to CBS4's Craig Setzer and confirmed that the storm's future track may cause substantial issues for South Florida.

"It certainly looks like it's going to impact a significant portion of Florida before it's all over," said Max Mayfield, the director of the National Hurricane Center.

Ernesto was 1 mph above the threshhold to be a hurricane Sunday, but weakened as it plodded toward Cuba's southeastern corner. Still, the hurricane center cautioned that Ernesto may strengthen significantly as it moves toward Florida. Monday, according to the Miami-based hurricane center. Forecasters there cautioned, though, that the storm could regain hurricane strength before its anticipated arrival Monday on Cuba's southeastern coast.

Many Keys residents took notice, stocking up on supplies and shuttering their homes.

"Thank God I started today," said David Kidwell of Stock Island, who spent Sunday buying plywood and screws to secure his windows. "Tomorrow will be chaos."

The hurricane watch, meaning hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours, was posted for the entire Keys and came a few hours after the Monroe County Emergency Management office told tourists to postpone any immediate plans to travel to the island chain and ordered those already there to leave.

At Key West Airport, tourists were lined up for a flight out, after being told they had to leave the island chain. Famous Duval street was still busy Sunday night, even though many tourists were told they had to leave their hotels.

Tolls were lifted on Card Sound Road, and the 18-mile-stretch between Key Largo and Florida City was ordered closed overnight due to construction but has since reopened. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department says traffic northbound was not especially heavy, despite the evacuation order.

Shelters are opening at 4 locations Monday morning, and schools were ordered closed in Monroe.

All travel trailers and recreational vehicles were ordered off the islands immediately. Mobile home residents were also urged to evacuate.

"Key Westerners are used to this kind of stuff," said Jim Bernard, an assistant manager at a Home Depot in Key West.

His store was bustling Sunday, as customers bought generators and other storm-preparation equipment, just in case. Forecasters said the Keys could begin feeling Ernesto's effects by early Tuesday.

"We put up the storm shutters today and we're hitting the grocery store tomorrow," said Keys resident Ben Cassis, who, along with his father-in-law Ken Michaud, spent nearly $2,500 on a generator.

The state of emergency directs counties to activate their emergency management offices and activates the National Guard, among other things. Bush also canceled his scheduled trip to New York for several meetings Monday, choosing instead to stay in Tallahassee and monitor storm developments.

"It's on a track toward the Florida peninsula early this week and all of Florida is in the area that's being threatened, from the Keys all the way up to the Panhandle," said Michael Brennan, a meteorologist at the hurricane center.

Ernesto, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, lashed Haiti and the Dominican Republic Sunday with heavy rain, prompting fears of mudslides and flooding. The storm was expected to move over Cuba, then bring rain and wind to southern Florida, the National Hurricane Center said.

Ernesto could take aim at South Florida if it turns north quickly, Mayfield said, or potentially head toward the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico -- and possibly making landfall anywhere on the western side of the peninsula or perhaps the Panhandle.

"You don't know where to go. You don't know where it's going to blow," said tourist Jim Rogers of Lodi, N.J., who spent Sunday preparing to leave the Keys. "You don't want to be in Key West."

The island chain is connected by just one highway, U.S. 1. Traffic was steady, but moved smoothly, Sunday along that road. Key West International Airport was expected to remain open until at least Monday night.

Elsewhere in South Florida, emergency management officials in Miami-Dade and Broward County are taking a watch and wait attitude. Broward county plans to place it’s emergency operations center on the lowest alert level Monday morning. Miami-Dade officials are monitoring the progress of the storm.

Florida Power and Light has begin the process of getting repair crews ready should the storm hit, and South Florida water managers are checking canal levels and water supplies in preparation for a possible arrival by Ernesto.

Florida's emergency management center in Tallahassee was partially activated Sunday, and several counties around the state were expected to follow suit Monday. Emergency officials encouraged people across the state to monitor the storm, check emergency supplies and disaster plans -- a familiar theme, considering that Florida has been hit by eight hurricanes in the past two years.

"The message to Floridians is that Ernesto bears watching," said Mike Stone, spokesman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management.