- Irma likely to be a major hurricane all the way to Florida
- Direct impacts possible in south and southeast Florida Sunday and Monday
- Preparations should be completed in South Florida by Saturday morning
Major Hurricane Irma is still a Category 5 storm and still a significant threat to the entire peninsula of Florida.
As of 5 am Thursday, the official forecast from the National Hurricane Center includes landfall as a Category 4 storm in southeast Florida near Miami Sunday morning. Considerable uncertainty still exists, however, in when and where the storm will make a turn to the north, which will play a significant role in how severe the impacts at any given location will be. For example, it is still entirely possible that Hurricane Irma will move into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and hit portions of southwest Florida near Naples or Fort Myers. Conversely, a track further to the east of Florida’s Atlantic coast is also just as possible. Regardless of the exact path Irma decides to take, all Floridians are strongly encouraged to have a plan, be ready to act on it, and stay informed.
