Irma intensifies to an 'extremely dangerous' Category 5 hurricane on its track toward the U.S.
By Angela Fritz and Greg Porter September 5 at 7:56 AM
Hurricane Irma strengthened overnight to a dangerous Category 5 as it barrels toward the Greater Antilles and Southern Florida. It’s likely that Hurricane Irma will affect the U.S. coast — potentially making a direct landfall — this weekend.
Tuesday morning, NOAA Hurricane Hunters found the storm’s maximum wind speeds are 175 mph. It now ranks among the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasts suggest it will reach southern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico this weekend.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for portions of the Leeward Islands and the Greater Antilles, including Puerto Rico.
The National Hurricane Center called Hurricane Irma an “extremely dangerous” storm on Tuesday morning. “Preparations should be rushed to completion in the hurricane warning area,” the forecasters wrote in their 8 a.m. update. Devastating winds, a major storm surge and flash floods are all likely in the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico in the next 48 hours.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/09/04/its-becoming-more-likely-hurricane-irma-will-at-least-affect-u-s-if-not-make-landfall/?utm_term=.3595419ca35a&wpisrc=al_alert-national&wpmk=1
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