Hurricane Irma Advisory Number 42
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL112017
1100 AM EDT Sat Sep 09 2017
...IRMA CONTINUES TO POUND THE NORTH COAST OF CUBA...
...FORECAST TO RESTRENGTHEN WHILE HEADING FOR SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE
SUMMARY OF 1100 AM EDT...1500 UTC...INFORMATION
ABOUT 90 MI...145 KM ESE OF VARADERO CUBA
ABOUT 175 MI...285 KM SE OF KEY WEST FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH...205 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 280 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...941 MB...27.79 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
The Storm Surge Warning has been extended from Chassahowitzka to the
The Storm Surge Watch has been extended from north of the Suwanee
River to Ochlockonee River and from north of the Volusia/Brevard
County line north to Isle of Palms, South Carolina.
The Hurricane Warning for the east coast of the United States
has been extended northward to Fernandina Beach, and the Hurricane
Watch has been extended from north of Fernandina Beach to Edisto
The Hurricane Warning for the Gulf of Mexico coast has been
extended to the Aucilla River. The Hurricane Watch is now in
effect from west of the Aucilla River to Indian Pass.
A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued from north of Edisto Beach
to the South Santee River.
A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued from west of Indian Pass to
the Okaloosa/Walton County Line.
The government of Cuba has extended the Hurricane Warning to the
The government of the Bahamas has adjusted the Hurricane Warning
to only include Andros Island, Bimini and Grand Bahama.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
* Volusia/Brevard County line southward around the Florida
peninsula to the Suwanee River
* Florida Keys
* Tampa Bay
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...
* North of the Volusia/Brevard County line to the Isle of Palms,
* North of the Suwanee River to Ochlockonee River
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Fernandina Beach southward around the Florida peninsula to
the Aucilla River
* Florida Keys
* Lake Okeechobee
* Florida Bay
* Cuban provinces of Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus,
Villa Clara, Matanzas, and Havana
* Andros Island, Bimini and Grand Bahama
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* North of Fernandina Beach to Edisto Beach
* West of the Aucilla River to Indian Pass
* Cuban provinces of Holguin and Las Tunas
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Cuban provinces of Holguin, Las Tunas
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* North of Edisto Beach to South Santee River
* West of Indian Pass to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line
property should be rushed to completion.
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible
within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours
before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force
winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
Interests elsewhere in Cuba and the southeastern United States
should monitor the progress of Irma.
For storm information specific to your area in the United
States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please
monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service
forecast office. For storm information specific to your area outside
the United States, please monitor products issued by your national
At 1100 AM EDT (1500 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Irma was
located by a reconnaissance plane and radar near latitude 22.8
North, longitude 79.8 West. Irma is moving toward the west along
the north coast of Cuba at near 9 mph (15 km/h). A northwest motion
is expected to begin later today with a turn toward the north-
northwest on Sunday. On the forecast track, the core of Irma will
continue to move near or over the north coast of Cuba later today,
and will reach the Florida Keys Sunday morning. The hurricane is
expected to move along or near the southwest coast of Florida Sunday
Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph (205 km/h) with higher
gusts. Irma is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale. Irma is forecast to restrengthen once it
moves away from Cuba, and Irma is expected to remain a powerful
hurricane as it approaches Florida.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from
the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195
miles (315 km). Caibarien, Cuba recently reported a wind gust to
124 mph (200 km/h).
The minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force plane was 941
mb (27.79 inches).
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is
expected to reach the following HEIGHTS ABOVE GROUND if the peak
surge occurs at the time of high tide...
Cape Sable to Captiva...10 to 15 ft
Captiva to Ana Maria Island...6 to 10 ft
Card Sound Bridge through Cape Sable, including the Florida
Keys...5 to 10 ft
Ana Maria Island to Clearwater Beach, including Tampa Bay...5 to 8
North Miami Beach to Card Sound Bridge, including Biscayne Bay...4
to 6 ft
Isle of Palms, South Carolina to Fernandina Beach...4 to 6 ft
Clearwater Beach to Ochlockonee River...4 to 6 ft
Fernandina Beach to North Miami Beach...2 to 4 ft
The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of
onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and
destructive waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative
timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over
short distances. For information specific to your area, please see
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
The combination of a life-threatening storm surge and large breaking
waves will raise water levels ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS by the
following amounts within the hurricane warning area near and to the
north of the center of Irma. Near the coast, the surge will be
accompanied by large and destructive waves.
Ragged Island in the Bahamas...15 to 20 ft
Central and Northwestern Bahamas...3 to 6 ft
Northern coast of Cuba in the warning area...5 to 10 ft
WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected to continue within the
hurricane warning area along the north coast of Cuba through today.
Hurricane conditions are expected in portions of the northwestern
Bahamas today, and in portions of the Florida peninsula and the
Florida Keys tonight and Sunday.
Hurricane and tropical storm conditions are possible within the
RAINFALL: Irma is expected to produce the following rain
accumulations through Wednesday:
Northern Cuba...10 to 15 inches, isolated 20 inches.
Southern Cuba...5 to 10 inches, isolated 15 inches.
Western Bahamas...3 to 6 inches, isolated 10 inches.
The Florida Keys...10 to 20 inches, isolated 25 inches.
The Florida peninsula and southeast Georgia...8 to 15 inches,
isolated 20 inches.
The eastern Florida Panhandle...3 to 6 inches, isolated 8 inches.
Rest of eastern Georgia, western South Carolina, and western North
Carolina...4 to 8 inches.
Western Georgia, eastern and northern Alabama, and southern
Tennessee...2 to 5 inches.
In all areas this rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods
and, in some areas, mudslides.
TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible today and tonight over
SURF: Swells generated by Irma are affecting the southeastern
Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast coast of the
United States today. These swells are likely to cause
life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult
products from your local weather office.