8:00AM IRMA update, NHC Advisory #41A. Irma slowed to a CAT 4 as she passed Cuba. Maximum sustained winds 130, down from 155 moving WNW 12 mph, pressure is 937, up from 930. Rising is good. The lower the pressure, the more powerful, the more potential for tossing stuff around. Basically all of Florida is going to get hurricane force (74 mph+) winds as it passes your area. But Florida homes are built for this. NHC reports the center of Irma will move near Cuba today, near the Florida Keys Sunday morning, then near the SW coast of Florida Sunday afternoon. Hurricane (74mph+) and tropical storm conditions (39mph+) are possible in central and north Florida by Sunday.
Irma will move to near Tampa, FL, around 2 am Monday. During the day Monday Irma should begin to lose some strength as it continues northward into West Central Georgia by 2 am Tuesday.
Tropical storm force winds extend out up to 195 miles. <3 Florida is only 160 miles wide so we’re all going to get at least 74mph winds for the maybe 12 hours it takes her to pass. <3 No need to freak out if you’re shuttered up. Lock windows if not, if you can get something to cover the window (dresser, etc.) then do, close interior doors. Put electronics on tables in case you get some water. Remember the storm will slow as she crosses land.
Hurricane conditions (winds of 74mph+) are expected in portions of southern and central Florida and the Florida Keys tonight and Sunday. Get inside and stay there, get cozy, keep phones etc. charged up while you’ve got power.
Even if Irma makes landfall in Key West — 330 miles south of Melbourne — by the time Irma gets to Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton we in Melbourne/Palm Bay will begin feeling the hurricane force (74mph+) winds
Our storm surge will only be as high as up to 2-4 feet. It may not even be that.
Our rain can be up to 8-5 inches. It may not even be that and it may not be that high in your area.
We’ll be on the other side of this by Monday night with very little damage. Remember utility workers are on standby to deploy to each area as soon as Irma passes thru. You’ll see the convoys of their vehicles from all other states and they’ll flood into each area and get you restored in short order. Wave to them when you see them on the road, they are our heroes!
This storm can also dissipate at any moment, it happens all the time. This is a good time to remind yourself of your best storm experiences instead of the worst.
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