This will be a very short update considering the monumental size and scope of Irma, as I’m actually planning to go fishing momentarily. I’ll collaborate with some other WeatherTogether bloggers and have a much more comprehensive blog reviewing Irma later this week.
Irma passed through the Florida Keys earlier this morning as a large Category 4 with peak sustained winds of 135 mph and is now approaching Naples, Florida. It should make landfall there in the next couple hours as a Category 4 storm.
Credit: NWS
Irma hung over Cuba a little longer than expected, and this helped temporarily weaken the storm to a Category 3 before growing back into a Category 4 as it crossed the Straits of Florida. As the water vapor satellite image above shows, air on the western side of the storm is currently preventing further intensification.
However, Irma is still an incredibly dangerous storm and is driving a catastrophic storm surge into SW Florida. A webcam by Key West captured some waves knocking down an observer trying to film the storm. Needless to say, this is a very dangerous thing to do!
Here are some peak wind gusts so far:
