Hurricane Irma breaking storm records

For present location of Hurricane Irma as of 8:14 PM Tuesday night, September 5th, 2017, see the satellite image below…

Intensity forecast for Irma

According to Dr. Phil Klotzbach, Irma is tied with Rita (2005) and Mitch (1998) as the fifth strongest hurricane in Atlantic records going back to 1851, based on maximum wind speed. Irma is the first Atlantic hurricane outside of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico known to attain 180-mph sustained surface winds. The lowest central pressure measured outside the Caribbean and Gulf was 919 mb in Hurricane Gloria (1985), versus Irma’s most recent central pressure of 927 mb, but Irma could end up breaking this record as well. The highest winds of any Atlantic hurricane are 190 mph, set by Hurricane Allen (1980), and Irma may approach that record.

Update:

Storm already making waves in Philipsburg…

Photo’s by Milton Pieters