Editor's note, as shown on CNN news a few minutes ago. Miami is in direct path of what has now been upgraded to a class four hurricane. Anyone considering traveling to Miami should watch this situation closely!
THE LATEST models show that Hurricane Irma could head towards Florida after the Caribbean amid rising fears that the peninsula could be hit.
By ALICE FOSTER
Hurricane Irma expected to get stronger
The National Hurricane Centre has said that Irma has now been upgraded to a category four hurricane as it heads towards the Carribean.
NHS Atlantic Ops tweeted: “#Irma has become a category four hurricane. Preparations within the warning area should be rushed to completion.”
The NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC), based in Miami, has told Americans along hurricane-prone parts of the coast to get an escape plan in place.
Hurricane Irma continues to move west-southwestward towards the Leeward Islands.
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Hurricane Irma remains a category four storm but has strengthened with maximum wind speeds now hitting 140 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Agency has warned.
The hurricane is 410 miles east of the Leeward Islands.
Forecasters predict the storm will strengthen further in the next 48 hours with Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands now receiving warnings.
The latest update from the NHC said: ““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.
“In addition, rough surf and dangerous marine conditions will begin to affect the southeastern US coast by later this week.
“Otherwise, it is still too early to determine what direct impacts Irma might have on the continental United States.
The islands of Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Martin, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten and St Barts have all been issued with hurricane warnings.
NHC Latest images of Hurricane Irma's position show it heading towards Florida
“However, everyone in hurricane-prone areas should ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place, as we are now near the peak of the season.”
The most recent NHC maps show that tropical storm force winds could reach Miami on Florida’s southeastern tip in five days time.
The storm track reveals that Hurricane Irma could be nearing Cayo Coco on the northern coast of Cuba by Saturday September 9.
Cayo Coco is just over 400 km (about 250 miles) away from Miami in Florida.
Hurricane Irma remains a category four storm but has strengthened with maximum wind speeds now hitting 140 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Agency has warned.
The hurricane is 410 miles east of the Leeward Islands.
Forecasters predict the storm will strengthen further in the next 48 hours with Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands now receiving warnings.
The latest update from the NHC said: ““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.
“In addition, rough surf and dangerous marine conditions will begin to affect the southeastern US coast by later this week.
“Otherwise, it is still too early to determine what direct impacts Irma might have on the continental United States.
The islands of Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Martin, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten and St Barts have all been issued with hurricane warnings.
NHC Latest images of Hurricane Irma's position show it heading towards Florida“However, everyone in hurricane-prone areas should ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place, as we are now near the peak of the season.”
The most recent NHC maps show that tropical storm force winds could reach Miami on Florida’s southeastern tip in five days time.
The storm track reveals that Hurricane Irma could be nearing Cayo Coco on the northern coast of Cuba by Saturday September 9.
Cayo Coco is just over 400 km (about 250 miles) away from Miami in Florida.
NHC Hurricane Irma path update: Tropical storm force winds may reach Miami in Florida in five days time.
The NHC has said that Irma is expected to bring life-threatening wind, storm surge, rip currents and torrential downpours to the northeastern Leeward Islands.
The most recent update said: “On the forecast track, the center of Irma will move near or over portions of the northern Leeward Islands Tuesday night and early Wednesday.”
The Leeward Islands will be hammer by rainfall with as much as 10 inches (25cm) in some areas leading to water levels that could be 9ft (3m) higher than normal levels, the NHC said.
But after this point, long-range spaghetti models are showing a wide spread of possible tracks because there is still uncertainty over where Irma will go next.
Meteorologist Ryan Maue said the latest GEFS model system continue trend west with “many solutions over south Florida & in eastern Gulf of Mexico”.
He said there was a similar track from the ECMWF, adding: “South Florida should closely monitor progress of Hurricane Irma.”
NHC Hurricane Irma path update: Latest storm track
The NHC has said that Irma is expected to bring life-threatening wind, storm surge, rip currents and torrential downpours to the northeastern Leeward Islands.
The most recent update said: “On the forecast track, the center of Irma will move near or over portions of the northern Leeward Islands Tuesday night and early Wednesday.”
The Leeward Islands will be hammer by rainfall with as much as 10 inches (25cm) in some areas leading to water levels that could be 9ft (3m) higher than normal levels, the NHC said.
But after this point, long-range spaghetti models are showing a wide spread of possible tracks because there is still uncertainty over where Irma will go next.
Meteorologist Ryan Maue said the latest GEFS model system continue trend west with “many solutions over south Florida & in eastern Gulf of Mexico”.
He said there was a similar track from the ECMWF, adding: “South Florida should closely monitor progress of Hurricane Irma.”
NHC Hurricane Irma path update: Latest storm track
It is not yet known where and when Hurricane Irma might strike the US coast next week. It could also curve back out to sea.
The Weather Channel said: “For now, all residents along the East Coast and Gulf Coast should monitor the progress of Irma.
“Locations from Florida into the Southeast US have the potential to see impacts from Irma first, but that is subject to change.”
AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said: “Irma is a serious threat for the Caribbean islands and United States.”
GEFS Hurricane Irma path update: Latest GEFS modelHurricane Warnings have been issued for Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St Kitts, Nevis, Saba, St Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy.
Hurricane Watches are in effect for British and US Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra. Dominica is under a Tropical Storm Warning.
The owner of the Food Center in St Thomas on the Virgin Islands reported a 50 per cent increase in traffic as people tried to stock up in vital supplies ahead of the storm.
"It's kind of dwindling down now, everybody's pretty much stocked up," store owner Ahed Daas said. "You make sure you have fuel in your generator and hope it's not that bad when it does arrive."
In a recent NHC discussion, forecaster Robbie Berg said the hurricane would turn westward later today and then west-northwestward within 48 hours.
He said: “It’s becoming increasingly likely that Irma would maintain a west-northwestward heading on days 3 through 5, and the track guidance shifted significantly westward on this cycle during that period.
NOAA NHC Hurricane Irma path update: Latest storm track from the NOAA's NHC
“Remarkably, the track models are very tightly clustered through day 5, which increases the confidence in the westward shift of the latest NHC forecast.”
Weather expert Dr Marshall Shepherd Weather said Hurricane Irma is 'grave threat' to the Caribbean and appears to be an ‘equally worrisome’ threat to the US mainland.
“As the National Hurricane Center notes, it is too early to know the specific 'where and when' of downstream impacts on the US mainland," he wrote on the Forbes website.
“However, the statement about models being clustered indicates that there is growing consensus on how meteorological patterns are setting up to steer the storm.
“My meteorological ‘eye’ sees a threat to Florida to the Carolinas (and possibly even a slight chance of moving into the Gulf of Mexico).”
“Remarkably, the track models are very tightly clustered through day 5, which increases the confidence in the westward shift of the latest NHC forecast.”
Weather expert Dr Marshall Shepherd Weather said Hurricane Irma is 'grave threat' to the Caribbean and appears to be an ‘equally worrisome’ threat to the US mainland.
“As the National Hurricane Center notes, it is too early to know the specific 'where and when' of downstream impacts on the US mainland," he wrote on the Forbes website.
“However, the statement about models being clustered indicates that there is growing consensus on how meteorological patterns are setting up to steer the storm.
“My meteorological ‘eye’ sees a threat to Florida to the Carolinas (and possibly even a slight chance of moving into the Gulf of Mexico).”
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