Citrus County is expected to feel the effects of Hurricane Frances today, with winds up to 60 mph early this morning, and then diminishing as the day progresses.
Emergency officials made the evacuation order mandatory for all mobile home residents and people living in low-lying areas.
Three shelters are open.
For Citrus County, the weather forecast calls for tropical storm winds of 40 to 60 mph, accompanied by torrential driving rain. Gusts could reach 70 mph.
Forecasters expect as much as 10 to 15 inches of rain to fall today.
"We've revised the rainfall amount to a higher level, because the storm is moving slower," said Jessica Sanderson, public information officer for the county government.
A mandatory evacuation of all mobile homes and for residents in low-lying areas and people with special medical needs took effect at 2 p.m. Saturday, and emergency officials opened three shelters to accommodate the public.
The shelter at Forest Ridge Elementary School, 1000 N Forest Ridge Blvd. in Beverly Hills, can handle people with special medical needs.
Two other shelters for the general public are open at Inverness Middle School on Middle School Drive off U.S. 41 N in Inverness and Lecanto Primary at the Lecanto school complex off County Road 491, about 1 mile south of State Road 44 in Lecanto.
The shelters will offer some food and drinks, but people also are encouraged to bring their own.
Coolers with food and beverage are allowed. Shelter seekers are advised to bring whatever medications they need for a 24-hour stay. People should also bring comfortable bedding materials, board games and books.
No pets or alcoholic beverages are allowed at shelters. A representative from Animal Services will be at each shelter to transfer pets to the animal shelter in Inverness.
Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church in Crystal River is canceling its Sunday services.
The National Weather Service placed Citrus under a flood watch until the storm passes.
The slow movement of Frances will bring heavy rainfall with total amounts of 8 to 12 inches north and east of the track of Frances and 4 to 8 inches south and west of the track, the National Weather Service advisory states.
The potential exists for Hurricane Frances to slow significantly as it moves through Central Florida.
This would cause significantly higher rainfall and extreme flooding would be possible, even as Frances weakens over land to a tropical storm or depression, as rainfall amounts are not related to the strength of the winds, according to the National Weather Service advisory.
A storm surge of 1 to 3 feet above normal will accompany Hurricane Frances as it moves northwest over the gulf and winds become onshore, according to the National Weather Service advisory. High tides for today will be at 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. along the Citrus coast. The sandbag distribution stations will not be open today, Sanderson said.
Also, all emergency personnel, such as road patrol deputies and firefighters, will not be on the roads once the winds reach 50 mph, she said.
The emergency operations center of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office is staffing three Citizens Information lines providing local emergency updates regarding the storm and and evacuations. The numbers are 746-6555, 746-5470 and 527-2106.
Pinellas 
