11 PM EDT Advisory Info: As of the 11 PM EDT advisory, Irma was a category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 165mph, a minimum central pressure of 920 millibars, and was moving west-northwest at 16mph.
Advisories:
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Jupiter Inlet southward around the Florida peninsula to Bonita Beach, as well as for the Florida Keys, Lake Okeechobee, and Florida Bay.
A Hurricane Watch is east coast of Florida north of Jupiter Inlet to Sebastian Inlet and for the west coast of Florida north of Bonita Beach to Anna Maria Island.
Track Forecast for Irma: Irma will continue to move west-northwest, through the Southern Bahamas, along the southern flank of a ridge of high pressure until Saturday.
Then, on Sunday, a shortwave tough will erode the ridge of high pressure. This will cause Irma to turn northward and make landfall in Southern Florida, and continue generally north up the middle of the Florida Peninsula, or either the West or East Coast of Florida, into Monday and potentially Tuesday.
Intensity Forecast: Irma is not expected to weaken significantly prior to landfall — as environmental conditions are generally conducive for strengthening — and Irma will make landfall as an extremely strong category 4 hurricane. However, some weakening will be likely after landfall.
Impacts: Regardless of what track Irma ultimately takes, Irma will bring significant, life threatening storm surge of up to or in excess of 6 – 9′ to the hurricane warned areas (and possibly areas under hurricane watches), along with hurricane force winds and heavy rainfall which will extend well inland all the way up through the Florida Peninsula.
Note: It is important to heed all advice and comply with all instructions from officials regarding Irma, as this is an extremely dangerous storm, and catastrophic, devastating impacts will occur.
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