It’s official: Hurricane Irma is now the most powerful storm ever recorded in Atlantic Ocean. With evacuation orders issued and winds exceeding 185 mph and Hurricane Jose following behind, the destruction is predicted to be catastrophic and it could be beyond comprehension.
Hurricane Allen’s top speed when it hit was 190 mph in 1980. Then in 2005, Hurricane Wilma hovered around 175 mph. The only thing that mildly compares to Hurricane Irma is the great Florida Key storm of 1935 that wiped entire homes off the map. Winds at the time were recorded at 185 mph.
That’s where Hurricane Irma is now, but some weather researches warn Irma could break the 1-5 Category Model and define a potentially new “Category 6” storm category standard if some dire weather forecasts hold true. Read more…
If Irma continues to stay on its present course it will reach the Florida Straits where it will combine with extremely warm coastal waters which could give Hurricane Irma an adrenaline shot and boost winds to over 225 mph, declared Kerry Emanuel, meteorology professor at MIT.
“People who are living there (the Florida Keys) or have property there are very scared, and they should be,” Professor Emanuel warned. Irma is likely to make landfall somewhere in Florida over the weekend. Meteorologist Rick Reichmuth explains Hurricane Irma’s troubling track:
If you must evacuate, please take your pets with you! Read more about Hurricane Irma’s potential impact on Florida.
