Miami a ‘Ghost Town’ Ahead of Hurricane Irma

KEY LARGO, FL - SEPTEMBER 08: The roads are empty after most residents have already evacuated as Hurricane Irma heads towards the the Florida Keys on September 8, 2017 in Key Largo, Florida. The entire Florida Keys are under a mandatory evacuation notice as Hurricane Irma approaches the low-lying chain of islands south of Miami. Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images

The normally bustling Miami and its namesake beach have been deserted ahead of Hurricane Irma.

Photos shot Thursday and Friday show empty beaches, empty streets, and empty highways in Miami, a city of 500,000 people.

The airport was totally deserted, according to photos and videos uploaded to social media.

The National Hurricane Center said Irma weakened from a Category 5 storm to a Category 4 system---but it still packed winds of 150 mph.

A popular tourist area of South Beach is deserted during a mandatory evacuation in advance of Hurricane Irma in Miami Beach, Florida, September 8, 2017. Florida Governor Rick Scott warned that all of the state's 20 million inhabitants should be prepared to evacuate as Hurricane Irma bears down for a direct hit on the southern US state.SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images