It's a very well organized storm with a closed eye wall. Last I heard it was back up to a category 4. Even off the coast it could be deadly, however, it will not kill everyone. But the potential would be there for you and/or one or more family members to be among those that did perish.
Just as everyone did not die in Andrew, which made landfall as a category 5, but it was several long hours of hell for those that did survive. Believe me.
Then the aftermath can be just as devastating, because there is no place to get anything. Even money, not that it will do you any good anyway. Nothing is open for miles around. Movement in a vehicle, if you are lucky enough to have one still operating, is extremely hard and always limited. In many cases it is impossible, because of debris in the roadways. Any provisions you had may have been destroyed by the storm depending on how hard you were hit. It may be several days before you even have a place where you can sleep, not just hours.
The one good thing about a hurricane that stays off the coast and does not make landfall the winds will be somewhat diminished as the winds on the eastern side of the eye wall are the strongest winds of the hurricane. So they would remain out in the ocean. The bad thing is that by not making landfall the hurricane remains more intact.
But with a storm of this size it is prudent to get the heck out of dodge. Material things can be replaced. Life cannot.
bump!