ORLANDO, Fla. -- Hurricane Wilma accelerated toward Florida and got stronger along the way, threatening the storm-beleaguered state with 115 mph winds and raising concerns about thousands of Keys residents who defied mandatory evacuation orders.

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Forecasters said Wilma could intensify as it approached Florida, and they were correct: The storm regained Category 3 status Sunday evening, in large part because the system hadn't been affected by wind shear officials hoped would impede Wilma's path and reduce its intensity.

Landfall was expected by daybreak, probably near the state's southwest corner.

Yet with the strongest winds on the storm's right side, officials feared a strong storm surge could cause widespread problems in the Keys.

The latest projected path of Hurricane Wilma continues to show the storm pulling across the state by Monday at 8 a.m. south of Naples, Fla., according to Local 6 News meteorologist Tom Sorrells.

Some weakening, probably back to Category 2 status, was expected by landfall. But by late Sunday night, forecasters saw no evidence of wind shear that they hoped would reduce the storm's intensity.

Landfall was expected to be accompanied by flooding from a storm surge of up to 17 feet on the state's southwest coast and 8 feet in the low-lying Keys island chain.

Orange County residents can expect tropical-storm force winds from 30 to 40 mph with the possibility of higher gusts. The hurricane should impact Orange County between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m bringing up to four inches of rain in some areas.

Most of Central Florida can expect showers and thunderstorms Monday.

At 5 a.m. on Monday, Wilma was centered about 75 miles west-northwest of Key West, 80 miles southwest of Naples and moving northeast at about 20 mph. Hurricane-force wind of at least 74 mph extended 85 miles from the center and wind blowing at tropical storm-force reached outward 230 miles, the hurricane center said.

Gov. Bush Asks For Disaster Declaration

With Hurricane Wilma approaching, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has written his brother, President George W. Bush, asking that the state be granted a major disaster declaration for 14 counties.

The southern half of the state is under a hurricane warning, and an estimated 160,000 residents have been told to evacuate.

Gov. Bush declared a state of emergency Saturday.

Watches, Warnings

A hurricane warning remains in effect for all of the Florida keys, including the Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay, along the Florida west coast from Longboat Key southward, and along the Florida east coast from Titusville southward, including Lake Okeechobee.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect along the Florida west coast north of Longboat Key to Steinhatchee River, and along the Florida east coast north of Titusville to Flagler Beach.

A tropical storm watch remains in effect along the east coast of Florida from north of Flagler Beach to Fernandina Beach.

Wilma Bears Down

By Sunday evening, tornado warnings were already posted around parts of the state, and officials in central Florida's Hardee County were investigating tornado-touchdown reports. Wilma's outer bands lashed areas of the Keys and southwest part of the state, and a waterspout was spotted off Key West.

It was markedly different than conditions Sunday morning in the Keys, where recreational boaters basked in sunny conditions and some residents went about their normal routine.

"We were born and raised with storms, so we never leave," Ann Ferguson said from her front porch in Key West. "What happens, happens. If you believe in the Lord, you don't have no fear."

Some 100 Key West parishioners attended mass at a Catholic church where a grotto built in the 1920s is said to provide protection from dangerous storms. Ray Price took his usual stroll down Duval Street to check out the ocean.

"Another day in paradise," Price said.

Some shared that attitude further north on the mainland. At an RV park in Fort Myers Beach, Leonard Hasbrouck stood bare-chested as a fire truck rolled by blaring a warning.

"Mandatory evacuation," a firefighter shouted into a loudspeaker. "You are hereby ordered to leave your residence by the board of county commissioners of Lee County, Fla."

"They came by yesterday," Hasbrouck said. "I told them, 'I'm not going to ask you to rescue me.'"

Tropical storm-force winds of at least 39 mph were expected to begin lashing the state late Sunday, and the core of the hurricane was forecast to slice across the peninsula Monday, the core speeding northwest at up to 25 mph.

"We anticipate heavy power outages and flooding," Gov. Bush said. He said the National Guard was on alert, and state and federal officials had trucks of ice and meals ready to deploy.

Wilma killed at least three people along Mexico's Caribbean coast, where resort hotel lobbies were gutted and three feet of water blocked highways. Then, the storm turned hard toward Florida and gained speed.

The storm was anticipated for days, but George Delgado of Miami didn't cover the windows of his house with plywood until Sunday. He waited until the last minute to make sure the effort was necessary.

"I was hoping it would turn some other way," Delgado said.

Weary forecasters also monitored Tropical Depression Alpha, which formed Saturday off the Dominican Republic and was briefly a tropical storm, the record 22nd named storm for the Atlantic season. It was the first time the hurricane center exhausted the regular list of names and had to turn to the Greek alphabet.

Mercifully, Alpha wasn't considered a threat to the United States.

In the Keys, this was the fourth mandatory evacuation order of the season. The Key West Convalescent Center loaded 97 residents into ambulances Sunday to take them to nursing homes up the coast. Lower Keys Medical Center had already evacuated eight patients on Saturday.

"Unfortunately we're getting really good at this," convalescent center administrator Joe Smith said.

On Florida's Gulf Coast, evacuation orders covered barrier islands and coastal areas in Collier and Lee counties, such as Fort Myers Beach, Marco Island, Sanibel and parts of Naples.

Visitors crossing the bridge into Marco Island Sunday were greeted by an electric sign that flashed, "EVACUATE," "EVACUATE."

At the Germain Arena near Fort Myers, about 850 people hunkered down at a Red Cross shelter, pitching tents and setting out mats on the ice rink where a minor-league hockey team plays. Cots and sleeping bags lined hallways outside the rink.

Jean Moore of Fort Myers was worried about coming to an arena after seeing the bedlam at the New Orleans Superdome during Hurricane Katrina.

"I'm surprised to find things so calm here," she said. "As you can see, even the children are calm. They're not rowdy or screaming. I'm just amazed at how quiet it is."

David Bright sat nearby on a chair, a Bible perched beside him. He's old enough to remember plenty of other hurricanes, including destructive Donna in 1960.

"I'm just doing a lot of praying that things will work out," he said. "I'm born and raised right here in Fort Myers, Fla., and just know you don't play with them."

Watch Local 6 meteorologist Tom Sorrells, Larry Mowry and Michele Cimino for your latest forecast.