Hurricane Irma - Keep an Eye on it's path.

[Mividamialma]

Hurricane Irma on Thursday strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane over the eastern Atlantic and was headed towards the Caribbean, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory. Irma is currently headed towards the Caribbean, but it will take about a week before it reaches land.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hurricane-irma-1.4270070

Claims that it may be just as dangerous as Harvey and if it stays on it's current path it could run right up the entire island, making landfall as a Category 4. Right now winds are 115mph and gaining strength and speed.

[Mividamialma]

Irma's current path.

[quepasa]

Still to early to say which path it's going to take, but sure looks scary.

[Mividamialma]

If it goes along the projected path it will hit Cuba directly but agreed....it's too early to say what the actual path will be.

[Mividamialma]

While much of the United States' focus is still on Texas and the destruction left behind by Hurricane Harvey and it's historic rainfall, powerful Hurricane Irma is rapidly intensifying in the open Atlantic and poses a major threat to the Caribbean and potentially the United States next week.

Irma was named as a tropical storm on Wednesday morning and by Thursday afternoon it had strengthened into a large Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 115 mph.

Such explosive strengthening is known as "rapid intensification," defined by the National Hurricane Center as having its wind speed increase at least 30 knots (35 mph) in 24 hours.

"Irma has become an impressive hurricane," the National Hurricane Center said on Thursday, noting the rapid intensification, and saying "this is a remarkable 50 knot [58 mph] increase from yesterday at this time."

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/weather/topstories/powerful-hurricane-irma-could-be-next-weather-disaster/ar-AAr44XL?li=AAacUQk&ocid=spartandhp

[quepasa]

Hurricane season , and especially September and October , is always a stressful time when one ( at least me )  is constantly looking at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ for the latest news. Irma sure seems to be a big one .

[wolfcub]

If it goes along the projected path it will hit Cuba directly but agreed....it's too early to say what the actual path will be.

Although they can change none of the models currently show it hitting Cuba.

https://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/atlantic/2017/hurricane-irma

[Mividamialma]

Although they can change none of the models currently show it hitting Cuba.

https://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/atlantic/2017/hurricane-irma

A week away is still too soon to say WHAT path it will take. It picked up 50 knots just over night, it can go anywhere at this point.

[wishbone]

hmm we will need to wait till next week with fingers crossed

[Mividamialma]

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/category-5-hurricane-irma-to-threaten-lives-property-in-the-northern-caribbean/70002638

[Mividamialma]

"By Friday, Cuba and the Bahamas could begin to be severely impacted. These areas should prepare for devastating hurricane conditions."

[Mividamialma]

"Computer models show the system eventually heading near the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba on Friday into Saturday"

[gallofino]

This does not look good for Cuba, Haita, DR, Puerto Rico, US VI and the Leeward Islands.  Cat 5 this morning.  Going to be terrible for millions either way.

[Mividamialma]

Agreed gallofino. My FIL is getting the house boarded up this week. In the past, hurricanes that have hit our end, has been mostly heavy winds and rain but the winds are enough to take out windows so we're making sure to protect them for this one.

[Aguacate]

Hopefully we'll remain somewhat south of the main track - NOAA is currently predicting Tropical Storm force winds for us on Thursday night / Friday morning, but that's still enough to bring down trees etc.

My biggest preoccupation is my terrace (attached), it's taken us more that two years to grow the plants across the framework and I have it earmarked as work space. Don't really want to have to start again.

Doesn't look good for the north coast though. Let's just hope it tracks even further north.