The Villages was hunkering down in advance of the anticipated arrival of Tropical Storm Eta.
Swimming pools and outdoor recreation centers will be closed.
All executive golf courses will be closed.
All dog parks will be closed.
Entertainment at the town squares has been canceled for Thursday night.
Gate arms have been removed, Community Watch personnel have been told to stand down from gate staffing and The Villages Charter School campus, along with schools across Sumter County, have been closed. Lake-Sumter State College was also set to switch to virtual learning on Thursday.
Evans Prairie, Hacienda Hills and Belle Glade championship golf courses will be closed through at least Sunday, Nov. 15.
Citizens First Bank announced it would delay the opening of bank locations until noon, but added that decision could be subject to update depending on the severity of the storm.
Data from the Air Force Reserve Reconnaissance aircraft and NOAA Doppler weather radars indicate that maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph (110 km/h) with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km) from the center. A wind gust to 60 mph (96 km/h) was reported Wednesday afternoon at Punta Gorda, while a gust to 55 mph (89 km/h) was reported in St. Petersburg. Slow weakening was expected as Eta approaches the west coast of Florida Wednesday tonight, followed by rapid weakening after landfall occurs on Thursday.
Eta is expected to produce the following rainfall totals:
• West and central Florida, through Thursday: 2 to 4 inches, with maximum storm total accumulations of 6 inches.
• North and South Florida, through Thursday: An additional 1 to 2 inches, with isolated maximum storm total accumulations of 4 inches, in North Florida and 20 inches in South Florida.