{"id":83136,"date":"2017-09-05T17:32:23","date_gmt":"2017-09-05T21:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=83136"},"modified":"2017-09-05T18:01:21","modified_gmt":"2017-09-05T22:01:21","slug":"superstorm-irma-at-185-mph-bearing-down-on-the-islands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=83136","title":{"rendered":"Superstorm Irma at 185 mph bearing down on the islands."},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Irma winds remain at 185 mph, affecting Caribbean islands<\/h1>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"sub-headline\">Effects could be felt in South Florida by Friday<\/h2>\n<p>By Peter Burke &#8211; Local10.com Managing Editor , Betty Davis &#8211; Chief Meteorologist , Julie Durda &#8211; Meteorologist , Max Mayfield &#8211; Hurricane Specialist<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/cdnapisec.kaltura.com\/p\/2031101\/sp\/203110100\/embedIframeJs\/uiconf_id\/36218821\/partner_id\/2031101?iframeembed=true&amp;playerId=media-preview_0_0_1mvphbum&amp;entry_id=0_1mvphbum&amp;flashvars[streamerType]=auto\" width=\"640\" height=\"395\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div id=\"p_p_id_101_\" class=\"portlet-boundary portlet-boundary_101_  portlet-static portlet-static-end portlet-borderless portlet-asset-publisher \">\n<div class=\"portlet-body\">\n<div class=\"portlet-borderless-container\">\n<div class=\"portlet-body\">\n<div class=\"asset-full-content default-asset-publisher no-title\">\n<div class=\"asset-content\">\n<div class=\"journal-content-article\">\n<section class=\"mod-wrapper mod-story\">\n<div class=\"mod-body\">\n<div class=\"story-content\">\n<p><strong>PEMBROKE PARK, Fla.<\/strong> &#8211; Hurricane Irma remains a Category 5 storm Tuesday as the Caribbean starts to feel the effects of the hurricane as it also remains a threat to South <a class=\"_magnetEntNameitent_211-1\" href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/topic\/Florida?entityid=48297&amp;lang=en\">Florida<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As of the 5 p.m. advisory, Irma was moving west at 14 mph with sustained winds of 185 mph and 220 mph gusts.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a very efficiently operating hurricane at the moment here,&#8221; said Local 10 Hurricane Specialist <a class=\"_magnetEntNameitent_211-1\" href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/topic\/Max%20Mayfield?entityid=1877688011&amp;lang=en\">Max Mayfield<\/a>. &#8220;I see no reason for this to weaken significantly.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>By late Tuesday afternoon, Irma was close to making a pass at the northern Leeward Islands in the next few hours.<\/p>\n<p>All of South Florida remains in the cone, although the new forecasts show the storm slowing as it reaches close to the mainland.<\/p>\n<p>Almost all models show Irma making a northerly turn and heading somewhere near Florida.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re going to have to prepare as if it&#8217;s coming here,&#8221; added Mayfield. &#8220;It&#8217;s great to pray for the best, but prepare for the worst.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Although some fluctuations in intensity are likely in the next few days, forecasters are calling for Irma to remain a major hurricane and take a turn to the west-northwest Tuesday night.<\/p>\n<p>Mayfield warns people to not focus on intensity because if it hits, it will be bad no matter the strength.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The difference between getting hit by a Category 4 or Category 5 is the difference between getting hit by a freight train or a semi,&#8221; said Mayfield. &#8220;They&#8217;re both bad.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Hurricane warnings have been issued for several Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.<\/p>\n<p>The core of the storm is forecast to move over or near portions of the northern Leeward Islands by Tuesday night or early Wednesday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mod-wrapper wrapper-media photo left\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/weather\/hurricane\/south-florida-in-forecast-cone-of-hurricane-irma#\" data-toggle=\"modal\" data-target=\"#imageStoryDialog\"> <span class=\"crop-photo\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media.local10.com\/photo\/2017\/09\/05\/Irma5PMModelsTuesday_1504645270192_10552008_ver1.0_640_360.jpg\" alt=\"Irma5PMModelsTuesday_1504645270192.jpg\" \/> <small class=\"copyright\"><\/small> <\/span> <\/a><\/div>\n<p>Local 10&#8217;s <a class=\"_magnetEntNameitent_211-1\" href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/topic\/Julie%20Durda?entityid=2695013641&amp;lang=en\">Julie Durda<\/a> said South Florida should begin to feel the effects of Irma by Friday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mod-wrapper wrapper-media photo left\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/weather\/hurricane\/south-florida-in-forecast-cone-of-hurricane-irma#\" data-toggle=\"modal\" data-target=\"#imageStoryDialog\"> <span class=\"crop-photo\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media.local10.com\/photo\/2017\/09\/05\/Hurricane%20Irma%20US%20and%20European%20computer%20models_1504616873118_10510589_ver1.0_640_360.jpg\" alt=\"Hurricane Irma US and European computer models Sunday 2 p.m. as of Sept 5\" \/> <small class=\"copyright\"><\/small> <\/span> <\/a><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;Nobody can tell you exactly where that northward turn is going to occur,&#8221; Local 10 News hurricane specialist Max Mayfield said.<\/p>\n<p>Mayfield said the wind field is forecast to expand as it gets closer to Florida.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t forget that the storm-force winds, if they extend out 200 miles away from that center, well then, you know, we&#8217;re going to feel the impacts way before this center gets close to us,&#8221; Mayfield said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mod-wrapper wrapper-media photo right\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/weather\/hurricane\/south-florida-in-forecast-cone-of-hurricane-irma#\" data-toggle=\"modal\" data-target=\"#imageStoryDialog\"> <span class=\"crop-photo\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media.local10.com\/photo\/2017\/09\/04\/Irma%20Wind%20Field%20Thursday%202%20pm_1504582460862_10510530_ver1.0_640_360.jpg\" alt=\"Irma Wind Field Thursday 2 pm\" \/> <small class=\"copyright\"><\/small> <\/span> <\/a><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s too soon for specifics on landfall or specifics on the impact, but you should definitely have a plan and be ready to act,&#8221; Local 10 News chief certified meteorologist Betty Davis said.<\/p>\n<p><em>Download the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/media.local10.com\/document_dev\/2017\/05\/23\/2017%20Max%20Mayfield%20Betty%20Davis%20Hurricane%20Survival%20Guide_1495568199980_9823357_ver1.0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Local 10 Hurricane Survival Guide<\/a>\u00a0 and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/news\/download-the-free-max-tracker-hurricane-app\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">T<\/a><\/em><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/news\/download-the-free-max-tracker-hurricane-app\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">he Max Tracker<\/a>\u00a0mobile app for\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/max-mayfields-hurricane-tracker\/id549890546?mt=8\">iOS<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.justhurricanes.mia.app&amp;hl=en\">ANDROID<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"copy\">Copyright 2017 by WPLG Local10.com &#8211; All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<p>___<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.local10.com\/weather\/hurricane\/south-florida-in-forecast-cone-of-hurricane-irma\">http:\/\/www.local10.com\/weather\/hurricane\/south-florida-in-forecast-cone-of-hurricane-irma<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Irma winds remain at 185 mph, affecting Caribbean islands<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=83136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83136\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=83136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=83136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=83136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}