Irma Now Forecast To Make Landfall At Category 5

September 8, 2017 News, Weather

The newest projected path for Hurricane Irma shows it regaining strength after it passes Cuba and making a Florida landfall as a Category 5 storm. Irma is then expected to move over Florida and then continue through Georgia and west over Huntsville, Alabama as it loses hurricane status.

With the current projected path, Irma will make landfall in the Keys and the southwestern tip of Florida early Sunday morning. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.

On Friday morning, Irma was headed for the Bahamas with 180 mph sustained winds with gusts over 200 mph. It is expected to cause extensive damage in the islands. The storm slowed down to about 12 mph as it moved in a slightly more westerly direction. It is expected to make landfall in the Keys and then in Southwest Florida near Naples.

***THIS IS AS REAL AS IT GETS***

***NOWHERE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE SAFE***

***YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO EVACUATE***

Please RT. #Irma pic.twitter.com/VWLMEDWoUs

— NWS Key West (@NWSKeyWest) September 8, 2017

#Irma latest track shows Cat 5 at landfall and slight shift west pic.twitter.com/jdQ1JQxzql

— Brian Shields (@BShieldsWFTV) September 8, 2017