The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns “potentially catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane Irma” is heading towards southernmost Florida and could enter the Gulf of Mexico early next week.
The chance of direct impacts from Irma later this week and this weekend is increasing in the Florida Keys and portions of the Florida Peninsula,” NHC officials wrote in the 11 a.m. advisory. However, it is too soon to specify the timing and magnitude of the impacts.”
Irma is currently exhibiting sustained winds of 180 mph. It is continuing to move due west (270 degrees) at 14 mph with a very low barometric pressure of 27.50 inches (931 mb). The center of the storm is located at 16.8 N, 58.4 W, or 225 miles east of Antigua.
The NHC forecast model shows the storm beginning a slight northwesterly turn on Wednesday. By Sunday forecasters call for the storm to cross somewhere between Cuba and Orlando, Florida, by Sunday. Officials advise there is a high degree of error in their four t0 five-day forecast on the storms movement and eventual landfall. The current model shows the storm entering the Gulf of Mexico, just off the coast of Florida on Sunday morning.
Officials stated the following:
1. Irma is a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane and will bring life-threatening wind, storm surge, and rainfall hazards to portions of the northeastern Leeward Islands beginning later today and the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico beginning tomorrow. Preparations should be rushed to completion before the arrival of tropical-storm force winds later today in the Leeward Islands and tomorrow morning in Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
2. Hurricane watches have been issued for portions of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, and Irma could bring dangerous wind, storm surge, and rainfall to those areas on Thursday and Friday.
3. Irma could directly affect the remainder of the Bahamas and Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane later this week. Residents in these areas should monitor the progress of Irma and listen to advice given by officials.
4. The chance of direct impacts from Irma later this week and this weekend is increasing in the Florida Keys and portions of the Florida Peninsula. However, it is too soon to specify the timing and magnitude of the impacts. Elsewhere, it is too early to determine what direct impacts Irma might have on the continental United States. Everyone in hurricane-prone areas should ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place.
Tropical Storm Jose is following on the heels of Hurricane Irma. It is currently predicted to turn towards the northwest before it reaches Puerto Rico, NHC models currently state. Forecasters say Jose is expected to intensify over the next three days. This is the first advisory on Tropical Storm Jose. Movement and predictions are based on limited historical information at this time.
Follow complete coverage of Hurricane Irma and Tropical Storm Jose on Breitbart News.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.