The devastating storm, which struck Haiti with winds gusting up to 145mph yesterday, is making its way northwards after also hitting Jamaica and Cuba.
It is forecast to move towards the Sunshine State later in the week and remain a powerful hurricane until at least Thursday night, the National Hurricane Center said.
South-eastern Florida was under hurricane and tropical storm warnings, while South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley declared a state of emergency.
Evacuations are expected in South Carolina later today to allow more than one million residents to leave the area before the storm hits.
“It is probable that electricity will be cut in some areas as a precaution and communication equipment will be unreliable,” the FCO added.
A number of cruise itineraries have been altered by lines across the region including Carnival, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian and Disney Cruise Line.
Cruise lines are currently monitoring the hurricane’s path to see its effect on sailings from ports including Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral.
