Jeb Bush weighs in as hurricane menaces Florida

''Good God, who would have thunk it,'' Bush said. (. . .)

State officials said that local communities were gearing up to deal with the storm and that 17 shelters would soon open. An estimated 7,500 National Guard were on alert and ready to be deployed if needed.

''We're used to catching those first storms here in North Florida,'' said Chris Floyd, emergency services director of the Capital Area Chapter of the Red Cross in Tallahassee. ``We've got a lot of experience. Not that we necessarily want it to happen here, but I believe we're as prepared as we can be.''

The 5 p.m. EDT forecast called for the center of Alberto to make landfall in the Big Bend area Tuesday morning as a borderline Category 1 hurricane with winds of about 75 mph, but most of its weather reached land long ahead of the center.

Isolated tornadoes were possible throughout much of the state, particularly in Central Florida and the Panhandle.

''Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,'' said forecaster Richard Pasch of the National Hurricane Center in West Miami-Dade County.

Bush issued a state of emergency for the entire state, an action that triggers laws against price gouging and gives him the power to waive tolls, activate the National Guard and close state facilities.