Irma 9 am Update – Tropical Storm – 5.1 million without power

The latest update on Hurricane Irma shows the storm striking continuing through northern Florida as a category one storm. More than 5.1 million are without power in Florida and Georgia.

This is the most up to date story on Irma but see all of our Irma coverage HERE.

Hurricane Irma’s Current Position and Track

The national weather service is currently forecasting landfall in western Florida. Irma is forecast to head due north and make pass very near Marco Island/Naples and make landfall at Sanibel Island/Ft. Meyers Beach before tracking up the peninsula into Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.

0800 AST/EDT (1200 UTC) Update from National Weather Service

• Location: 29.5N 82.9W 30 miles NE of Cedar Key, Fl
• Strength: 70 mph max sustained winds (Tropical Storm)
• Movement: NNW (340 deg.) at 18 mph
• Pressure: 970 mb

*next update at 11 am EDT – check our Irma update page for new information

Irma is a tropical storm with a very large wind field. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) mainly to the west of the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 415 miles (665 km).

Watches and Warnings

Areas under storm surge warning

* South Santee River southward to the Flagler/Volusia County line
* Cape Sable northward to the Ochlockonee River
* Tampa Bay

Areas under storm surge watch

* None

Areas under Hurricane Warning

* None

Areas under Hurricane Watch

* None

Areas under Tropical Storm Warning

* Bonita Beach to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line
* Jupiter Inlet to the South Santee River
* Lake Okeechobee

Areas under Tropical Storm Watch

* None

What to Expect from Hurricane Irma

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…2 to 4 ft
• Captiva to Anna Maria Island…3 to 5 ft
• North Miami Beach to Cape Sable, including the Florida Keys…1 to 2 ft
• Anna Maria Island to Clearwater, including Tampa Bay…2 to 4 ft
• South Santee River to Fernandina Beach…4 to 6 ft
• Clearwater Beach to Ochlockonee River…4 t 6 ft
• Fernandina Beach to Jupiter Inlet…3 to 5 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.

WIND: Hurricane conditions should continue over portions of the northern Florida peninsula for the next several hours. Tropical storm conditions will continue across other portions of the central and northern Florida peninsula, and spread into the eastern Florida Panhandle and southern Georgia this morning. Tropical storm and hurricane conditions are expected to spread northward across the remainder of the warning areas through today.

Rainfall: Irma is expected to produce the following rain accumulations through Wednesday:

• The Florida Keys and southern Florida peninsula: additional 1 inch.
• Central Florida peninsula: additional 1 to 3 inches.
• Northern Florida peninsula and southern Georgia: additional 3 to 6 inches with storm total amounts of 8 to 15 inches.
• Central Georgia, eastern Alabama and southern South Carolina: 3 to inches, isolated 10 inches.
• Central Florida Panhandle, western Alabama, northern Mississippi, southern Tennessee, northern Georgia, northern South Carolina and western North Carolina: 2 to 4 inches.

TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible across northeast Florida and southeast portions of Georgia and South Carolina through tonight.

SURF: Swells generated by Irma are affecting the southeast coast of the United States. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

When to Expect Hurricane Irma and Where

INIT 11/0900Z 28.9N 82.6W 65 KT 75 MPH…INLAND
12H 11/1800Z 30.8N 83.7W 55 KT 65 MPH…INLAND 17 miles east of Thomasville, Ga
24H 12/0600Z 33.0N 85.7W 35 KT 40 MPH…INLAND 72 miles SE of Birmingham, Al
36H 12/1800Z 34.5N 87.8W 25 KT 30 MPH…INLAND
48H 13/0600Z 35.5N 89.0W 20 KT 25 MPH…POST-TROP/INLAND
72H 14/0600Z…DISSIPATED