Mandatory evacuation of residents and tourists in the Florida Keys as Hurricane Irma strengthens to a category FIVE storm
Hurricane Irma strengthened to a Category 5 storm on Tuesday
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Irma had sustained winds of 185mph, making it the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean
It’s expected to hit the Leeward Islands tonight or early Wednesday
From there, it will continue on through Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Cuba
It’s still unclear where the storm will turn as it inches toward the U.S.
It could make landfall in Florida, Georgia or the Carolinas
It could also turn west into the Gulf of Mexico or east into the Atlantic
A mandatory evacuation has been issued for the Florida Keys
Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency on Monday
ASHLEY COLLMAN
DAILYMAIL.COM
5 September 2017
Hurricane Irma strengthened into a dangerous Category 5 storm Tuesday as it roared toward the northeast Caribbean on a path that could take it to the United States.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Irma had sustained winds of 185mph, making it the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean.
Four other storms have had winds that strong in the overall Atlantic region, but they have been in the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico where the usually warmer waters fuel tropical cyclones.
Experts say Irma’s strength is a result of unusually warm water for that part of the Atlantic.
The center said there was a growing possibility that the storm’s effects could be felt in Florida later this week and over the weekend, though it was still too early to be sure of its future track: ‘Everyone in hurricane-prone areas should ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place.’
So far, a state of emergency has been called in the state and a mandatory evacuation is under way in the Florida Keys. Schools there are also cancelled until further notice.
Irma’s center was expected to move near or over the northern Leeward Islands late Tuesday and early Wednesday, the hurricane center said. The eye was then expected to pass about 50 miles from Puerto Rico late Wednesday.
Authorities warned that the storm could dump up to 10 inches of rain, cause landslides and flash floods and generate waves of up to 23 feet.
Government officials began evacuations and urged people to finalize all preparations as shelves emptied out across islands including Puerto Rico.
‘The decisions that we make in the next couple of hours can make the difference between life and death,’ Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello said. ‘This is an extremely dangerous storm.’
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