DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Hurricane Matthew could carve a trail of destruction as the storm makes its way up Florida’s east coast.

People in the Jacksonville area are preparing for the storm. On Jacksonville Beach on Thursday afternoon it was a ghost town and Matthew’s winds were already kicking up waves on the beach.

Evacuation orders were issued Wednesday. Some people waited to the last minute to leave town, including three roommates who spent the day getting everything they could off the ground floor of their apartment.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office tweeted on Thursday that they were disappointed in the lighter than expected traffic out on the road. They did not think that people were leaving.

Bridges don’t close until the winds are over 35 miles per hour.

Late Thursday the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office told people not to try and leave anymore. Instead, residents still in the area should stay inside. Here’s what the sheriff’s office said: “Stay where you are at, do not leave. Do not go outside to check the weather once you wake up in the morning. Do not go outside until you hear from us that it is safe to do so. That will probably be mid Saturday once the storm weakens. We ask for your compliance for your safety. We will update our Twitter account at:www.twitter.com/jsopio with the latest information as long as we are able to do so.”

COUNTY BY COUNTY CLOSINGS:

Weather Resources/Maps To Track Matthew:

http://wx.wfla.com/oembed/app_promo/weather-app_dl.html?