Gov. Charlie Crist has issued an emergency declaration for the entire state of Florida in advance of Hurricane Ike.

Ike was still in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday afternoon, but forecasts showed it could make landfall in Florida next week as a possible Category 4 hurricane. It could also miss the state, as did Tropical Storm Hanna.

Crist said Floridians should be prepared for winds exceeding 115 mph, flash flooding, ocean rip currents, and tornadoes.

Lee County Emergency Operation Center officials are calling on all county residents to be wise, alert, and prepared for Ike, as the county is well within the five-day forecast cone and will enter the three-day forecast cone over the weekend.

EOC plans to be fully activated at 8 a.m. Monday if Ike stays on its projected path.

In a statement released on Friday, EOC urges residents use the weekend to get their hurricane kits ready with food, water, fresh batteries, medications and games for children.

Should an evacuation be ordered for mobile homes, low-lying areas, and sub-standard housing, important papers, clothing, shoes, soap, toiletries and linens should be at the ready.

An additional 260 tons of sand will be delivered to local fire departments on Monday.

The EOC is still at activation level two, which means prepare, but will move into a level one activation on Monday mornings.

Potential shelter openings and evacuations will be discussed during a briefing at Lee County EOC, 8 a.m. Monday.

Meanwhile, on Sanibel, the Sanibel City Council has called a special emergency meeting for today at 1 p.m. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held at Mackenzie Hall, 800 Dunlop Rd.

As of 8 p.m. Friday, a hurricane watch was in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands as well as the southeastern Bahamas.

The eye of Ike had reappeared and the storm still was heading towards the Bahamas.

As of 8 p.m., the eye was located about 315 miles north-northeast of San Juan Puerto Rico and about 420 miles east of Grand Turk Island.