Posted on 09/09/2017 2:08:31 PM PDT by NautiNurse
The entire Florida Peninsula and points north are poised to experience Hurricane Irma after the storm hugged Cuba's northern coastline. Thousands of Floridians who evacuated the Atlantic cost to Gulf Coast areas found their safe shelter under direct threat from Hurricane Irma as the forecast shifted W Friday night and Saturday. Hurricane Irma's prolonged interaction with Cuba diminished its strength to Category 3.
Irma is forecast to increase in strength as it crosses the FL Straits. The Florida Keys experienced strong outer bands while Irma grazed the N Cuba coastline.
Mash image to find lots of satellite imagery links
Public Advisories
NHC Discussions
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Key West, FL
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Tampa Bay, FL
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Orlando, FL
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Miami, FL
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Melbourne, FL
NOAA Local Weather Statements/Radar Jacksonville, FL
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Charleston, SC
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Wilmington, NC, FL
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Buoy Data SE US & GOM
Buoy Data NC/SC/GA
Hurricane Irma Live Thread I
Hurricane Irma Live Thread II
It better start heading NW right now if it plans to go directly over Key West.
Over Tampa Bay
The view shows the forces that will start turning the storm. It cannot progress much further west without encountering northerly steering currents.
The northwest turn appears to be underway, still think Irma is on track to move close to Key West around 0100-0200h EDT and to make a grazing landfall around Punta Gorda to Sarasota, but it won’t move very far inland if at all until it reaches the start of the panhandle. At this point I do not expect a panhandle direct hit but chances are definitely higher than at any time earlier. Will update my forecasts around midnight EDT.
Bookmarking ..
Extremely Extreme Extremist wrote:
“Southern MS/AL must evacuate now. Not trying to be disruptive or hysterical, but I called it on the previous thread.
I said never in the history of recorded hurricanes did a hurricane take a sharp, near 90-degree hairpin turn in a direction. Hurricane Donna was the closest, and even that one swooped through western FL and then hooked Northeast.
This monster is going to pass over western FL and go into the Gulf. It is going to regroup in the Gulf and return to CAT 5 status due to the warm waters. It will directly affect Southern MS and AL, and possible NOLA. If it strikes MS, it will raise the Miss. River levels to unprecedented levels and cause significant flooding throughout the valley and up into Missouri and Illinois.
I work in transportation logistics. We have several major plants near Mobile AL that’s shutting down. They are on notice, and residents in these areas should be too.”
Key West will be hit, but will it be a direct hit?
After Key West, TWC states Euro Model then places Irma’s eye over Naples, (forgot the time).
If the eye is west of Key West tomorrow morning, all bets are off.
Tampa Bay.
That is a monster storm. What is that - 800 miles across?
Such a stark contrast from the past eight horrible years.
Where is the shear they talked about earlier today?
Irma appears to be moving that ridge slightly backward. It’s a question of momentum and mass. We know why she is slowing forward motion. At any rate, Havana now getting slammed.
I thought the same thing. I don’t remember anything like that during Obama’s time.
Katrina II ?
It spans from St. Petersburg to Bradenton.
I agree. I read that VP Pence lead the prayer.
Ah, you are correct.
Check out the green circled low in post 417 - that is forecast to shear the system as it moves further north.
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