5 Red Cross shelters in Tennessee ahead of Irma's arrival

Waves crash over a seawall at the mouth of the Miami River from Biscayne Bay, Fla., as Hurricane Irma passes by, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

by: Associated Press

Posted: Sep 10, 2017 / 03:28 PM CDT

Updated: Sep 10, 2017 / 03:28 PM CDT

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The American Red Cross has opened five shelters in Tennessee ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma.

According to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, two shelters are open for evacuees in Nashville and one each in Chattanooga, Johnson City and Memphis.

In addition, the Tennessee Department of Tourism is providing a list of available hotel and motel availability to visitors at Tennessee Welcome Centers. Tennessee is a destination for some Floridians fleeing the hurricane that made landfall Sunday.

The State Emergency Operations Center in Nashville is monitoring Irma’s movement toward Tennessee and preparing to assist local jurisdictions.

Forecasters expect the storm to be a tropical depression by the time it arrives near Jackson by late Tuesday or early Wednesday, bringing wind gusts up to 55 mph and up to 3 inches of rain.