Saturday morning Irma updates
At 1000 AM CDT, the eye of Hurricane Irma was
located by a reconnaissance plane and radar near latitude 22.8
North, longitude 79.8 West. Irma is moving toward the west along
the north coast of Cuba at near 9 mph. A northwest motion
is expected to begin later today with a turn toward the north-
northwest on Sunday. On the forecast track, the core of Irma will
continue to move near or over the north coast of Cuba later today,
and will reach the Florida Keys Sunday morning. The hurricane is
expected to move along or near the southwest coast of Florida Sunday
afternoon.
Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph with higher
gusts. Irma is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale. Irma is forecast to restrengthen once it
moves away from Cuba, and Irma is expected to remain a powerful
hurricane as it approaches Florida.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from
the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195
miles. Caibarien, Cuba recently reported a wind gust to
124 mph.
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is
expected to reach the following HEIGHTS ABOVE GROUND if the peak
surge occurs at the time of high tide…
Cape Sable to Captiva…10 to 15 ft
Captiva to Ana Maria Island…6 to 10 ft
Card Sound Bridge through Cape Sable, including the Florida
Keys…5 to 10 ft
Ana Maria Island to Clearwater Beach, including Tampa Bay…5 to 8
ft
North Miami Beach to Card Sound Bridge, including Biscayne Bay…4
to 6 ft
Isle of Palms, South Carolina to Fernandina Beach…4 to 6 ft
Clearwater Beach to Ochlockonee River…4 to 6 ft
Fernandina Beach to North Miami Beach…2 to 4 ft
The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of
onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and
destructive waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative
timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over
short distances. For information specific to your area, please see
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office.
The combination of a life-threatening storm surge and large breaking
waves will raise water levels ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS by the
following amounts within the hurricane warning area near and to the
north of the center of Irma. Near the coast, the surge will be
accompanied by large and destructive waves.
Ragged Island in the Bahamas…15 to 20 ft
Central and Northwestern Bahamas…3 to 6 ft
Northern coast of Cuba in the warning area…5 to 10 ft
WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected to continue within the
hurricane warning area along the north coast of Cuba through today.
Hurricane conditions are expected in portions of the northwestern
Bahamas today, and in portions of the Florida peninsula and the
Florida Keys tonight and Sunday.
Hurricane and tropical storm conditions are possible within the
watch area on Sunday.
RAINFALL: Irma is expected to produce the following rain
accumulations through Wednesday:
Northern Cuba…10 to 15 inches, isolated 20 inches.
Southern Cuba…5 to 10 inches, isolated 15 inches.
Western Bahamas…3 to 6 inches, isolated 10 inches.
The Florida Keys…10 to 20 inches, isolated 25 inches.
The Florida peninsula and southeast Georgia…8 to 15 inches,
isolated 20 inches.
The eastern Florida Panhandle…3 to 6 inches, isolated 8 inches.
Rest of eastern Georgia, western South Carolina, and western North
Carolina…4 to 8 inches.
Western Georgia, eastern and northern Alabama, and southern
Tennessee…2 to 5 inches.
In all areas this rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods
and, in some areas, mudslides.
TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible today and tonight over
southern Florida.
