While Houston residents continue to battle record flooding from Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma begins its approach toward the United States. Irma is a Category Three hurricane that is expected to transform into a Category Four hurricane within the next 24 hours, as it makes its way toward the U.S.
Keeping A Close Eye On Hurricane Irma
Meteorologist Ruan Maue explained that the storm could become even worse than predicted. “I’d be surprised if [the] storm didn’t become a Cat 5 during the next 5-7 days,” he said. According to the National Hurricane Center, Irma is currently a Category Three storm with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour, but it has the potential to strengthen to a devastating Category Five with winds that could top out at 180 miles per hour or more.
The National Hurricane Center reported, “Irma has become an impressive hurricane with intense eyewall convection surrounding a small eye. Satellite estimates continue to rapidly rise, and the Dvorak classifications from both TAFB & SAB support an initial wind speed of 100 kt. This is a remarkable 50-kt increase from yesterday at this time.”
Based on current projections, Hurricane Irma will make its first landfall in the eastern Caribbean sometime in the middle of next week. Computer models suggest that the storm will make landfall in the United States either in Florida or in the Gulf of Mexico.
Meteorological Scientist Michael Ventrice of the Weather Channel described the forecasted windspeeds of up to 180 miles per hour as “the highest windspeed forecasts I’ve ever seen in my 10 years of Atlantic hurricane forecasting.”
The exact path that Hurricane Irma will take is still unknown. The Weather Channel has reported that the “most likely” path of Irma has the storm passing directly over Antigua, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic sometime in the middle of next week. At this time, Hurricane Irma is one to keep a close eye on. Especially if you’re near the path of possible destruction.
Watch the video below for more information on Hurricane Irma:
Sources:
IFL Science
The Anti Media
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National Hurricane Center
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