Bloggytown

        
Tweet

Email

Print
Share

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Bloggytown

Hurricane Irma is now a Category 5 storm

Posted By Colin Wolf on Tue, Sep 5, 2017 at 8:34 AM

click to enlarge

Photo via NASA

Irma has been upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane this morning as it heads towards the Caribbean and Southern United States, reports the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

With sustained winds of 175 mph, Irma is now an "extremely dangerous" hurricane and the most powerful hurricane in the Atlantic since Felix in 2007.

According to the NHS, "there is an increasing chance of seeing some impacts from Irma in the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Keys later this week and this weekend."

The storm "is moving into waters that are warmer and [are] a very favorable environment for even further development," said Heather Tesch of The Weather Channel.

8 am Special Advisory: #Irma is now a category 5 #hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) More: https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/QU1LWq7QsA
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) September 5, 2017

A state of emergency has been issued for all counties in Florida, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. "In Florida, we always prepare for the worst and hope for the best, and while the exact path of Irma is not absolutely known at this time, we cannot afford to not be prepared," said Florida Gov. Rick Scott in a statement released late Monday. "Current forecast models have Florida in Irma's path — potentially impacting millions of Floridians," said Scott. "While the exact path of Irma is not absolutely known at this time, we cannot afford to not be prepared."

Related Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for Florida in response to Hurricane Irma

Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for Florida in response to Hurricane Irma

By Colin Wolf

Blogs

Scott also says he spoke with President Trump, who offered his full support.

Though Irma is still about 1,500 miles away from Florida, parts of Southern Florida are now in the five-day forecast track cone, with Central Florida still in the cone of uncertainty.

click to enlarge

Photo via NOAA

For more information on how to prepare for Irma, visit FLGetAPlan.com

Tags: Hurricane Irma, Category 5, storm, Video, Image

We welcome readers to submit letters regarding articles and content in Orlando Weekly. Letters should be a minimum of 150 words, refer to content that has appeared on Orlando Weekly, and must include the writer's full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes. No attachments will be considered. Writers of letters selected for publication will be notified via email. Letters may be edited and shortened for space.

Email us at feedback@orlandoweekly.com.

Orlando Weekly works for you, and your support is essential.

Our small but mighty local team works tirelessly to bring you high-quality, uncensored news and cultural coverage of Central Florida.

Unlike many newspapers, ours is free – and we'd like to keep it that way, because we believe, now more than ever, everyone deserves access to accurate, independent coverage of their community.

Whether it's a one-time acknowledgement of this article or an ongoing pledge, your support helps keep Orlando’s true free press free.

« Californian artist Patrick Martinez… | Pam Bondi launches price-gouging ho… »

More Blogs »