Lakeland was maybe 20-25 miles west of the eye, which was maybe 5-8 miles across.
...Weakening Charley moving rapidly northeastward over the Orlando area...
at 9 PM EDT...0100z...all warnings are discontinued along the West Coast of Florida.
A Hurricane Warning remains in effect from Cocoa Beach Florida to Cape Lookout North Carolina on the southeast U.S. Coast.
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect from Jupiter Inlet to Cocoa Beach Florida...and for Lake Okeechobee.
A tropical storm watch remains in effect from Cape Lookout to Chincoteague Virginia including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds and for Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point.
At 9 PM EDT...0100z...the center of Hurricane Charley was located near latitude 28.4 north...longitude 81.4 west or about 15 miles south-southwest of Orlando Florida.
Charley is moving toward the north-northeast near 25 mph and a gradual increase in forward speed is expected tonight and Saturday. The center of the hurricane will pass near Orlando in the next hour...and it should move across the northeastern portion of the Florida Peninsula into the Atlantic later tonight.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 90 mph with higher gusts. Further weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours. However hurricane force winds are spreading across Florida near the path of the center of the hurricane. McCoy Airport in Orlando has just reported sustained winds of 61 mph with a gust to 83 mph.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 85 miles.
The estimated mimimum central pressure is 965 mb...28.50 inches.
Storm surge flooding in the Florida Keys is subsiding. Storm surge flooding of 10 to 15 feet is occurring near and south of where the center moved inland. Storm surge flooding of 4 to 7 feet is expected along the northeast Florida and Georgia coasts with lesser flooding to the north and south.
Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are likely along charleys path across portions of the eastern United States. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods.
Isolated tornadoes are possible across portions of the Florida Peninsula tonight.
Repeating the 9 PM EDT position...28.4 N... 81.4 W. Movement toward...north-northeast near 25 mph. Maximum sustained winds...90 mph. Minimum central pressure... 965 mb.
For storm information specific to your area...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 11 PM EDT.
Forecaster Beven