TALLAHASSEE, Florida — From Key West to Pensacola, Florida’s 20.6 million residents are likely to feel the impact of Hurricane Irma as the storm hits the state.
**UPDATES BELOW**
UPDATE 9 a.m. ET: Naples Daily News: Irma aid could help illegal immigrants according to Gov. Rick Scott.
Naples Daily News’ Maria Perez has the story.
After Hurricane Irma ripped up homes, damaged businesses and flooded roads throughout Southwest Florida, Gov. Rick Scott said Monday that he was going to help all Floridians.
And that could include undocumented immigrants.
“My goal is everybody in our state, we are doing anything we can to take care of them,” said Scott when asked whether assistance would be provided to undocumented immigrants.
(h/t Politico Florida)
UPDATE 8:45 a.m. ET: Curfew lifted in Leon County, FL, location of the state capitol.
UPDATE 8 a.m. ET: Flight have resumed at Tampa International Airport
UPDATE 6 a.m. ET Tuesday: Irma now a post-tropical cyclone. NWS issues final advisory.
The storm located at 33.0°N 85.2°W, moving north at 16 mph, 100 miles east of Birmingham.
Final tallies are offered as follows:
...SELECTED PRELIMINARY STORM TOTAL RAINFALL IN INCHES THROUGH 5 AM EDT ...ALABAMA... EUFAULA MUNI ARPT 3.25 DOTHAN RGNL ARPT 2.76 MONTGOMERY 2.15 ...FLORIDA... FT. PIERCE ST. LUCIE CNTY INTL ARP 15.91 OVIEDO 14.76 CHEKIKA 13.83 INLIKITA 7 WNW 13.63 GAINESVILLE 2.4 NW 12.22 MIMS 8.5 W 12.11 NAPLES 11.87 NATIONAL KEY DEER NWR 11.74 OVIEDO 1.6 SE 11.54 CACHE 11.49 STARKE 11.33 WEST MELBOURNE 11.21 JACKSONVILLE 9.6 SE 11.17 FLEMING ISLAND 2.2 S 11.11 SWITZERLAND 4 WSW 11.11 PANTHER WEST 11.08 ORTEGA 1 WNW 11.00 UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 3 NW 10.42 FORT MYERS INTL ARPT 10.33 SUMMERFIELD 3 SSE 10.04 OASIS RANGER STATION 9.67 OKEECHOBEE COUNTY ARPT 9.65 FORT LAUDERDALE EXEC ARPT 9.57 ORLANDO/SANFORD ARPT 9.42 OCHOPEE 9.27 OLUSTEE 3 N 9.17 ALACHUA 5 SE 8.61 MILES CITY 8.26 BELLAIR 3 W 8.11 OPA-LOCKA AIRPORT 7.99 ORLANDO EXECUTIVE ARPT 7.68 FORT WHITE 4 SE 7.57 INTERLACHEN 4 NW 6.22 TALLYRAND 2 NNW 6.15 DAYTONA BEACH INTL ARPT 5.86 HOLLYWOOD 3.9 SW 4.68 PALM CITY 3.1 NW 4.58 FLEMING ISLAND 1.7 SE 4.56 MIAMI BEACH 3.95 VERO BEACH 2.5 S 3.25 ...GEORGIA... ST MARYS RIVER NEAR KINGSLAND 5SSE 10.12 CUMBERLAND SOUND NEAR ST MARYS 5ENE 9.18 HOMELAND 7.99 THALMANN 5 ESE 7.89 BOYS ESTATE 3 S 7.84 FOLKSTON 10 SW 7.80 SAVANNAH/HUNTER AAF 6.88 KINGSLAND 3 WSW 6.85 ATKINSON 1 WSW 6.66 BRUNSWICK, MALCOLM MCKINNON ARPT 6.32 SAPELO ISLAND 1 NW 5.97 ...SOUTH CAROLINA... EDISTO ISLAND 2 WNW 6.05 BLACKVILLE 2 W 6.01 BEAUFORT MCAS 5.88 SANTEE 5 NNE 5.74 FOLLY FIELD 1 SW 5.67 CHARLESTON INTL ARPT 5.53 EASTOVER 6 SW 4.97 NEW ELLENTON 4 S 4.81 EDGEFIELD 4.12 SUMTER 4.11 COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT 3.14 ...SELECTED PEAK WIND GUSTS IN MILES PER HOUR EARLIER IN THE EVENT... ...ALABAMA... TROY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 45 WEEDON FIELD AIRPORT 43 ANNISTON ARPT ASOS 40 MONTGOMERY REGIONAL AIRPORT 40 ...FLORIDA... NAPLES 2 ENE 142 MARCO ISLAND 1 E 130 LELY 2 ESE 122 BIG PINE KEY 2 NNW 120 QUAIL CREEK ESTATES 2 SSW 112 NORTH PERRY AIRPO 2 WNW 109 KEY BISCAYNE 8 SSE 99 MIAMI INTERNATIONAL 1 W 99 NORTH PERRY AIRPO 3 WSW 98 SWEETWATER 2 NE 96 CAPE CANAVERAL 3 NNE 94 OCEAN REEF 8 SE 93 BELLE MEADE 1 S 92 KEY LARGO 8 SSE 92 OCHOPEE 1 W 92 CACHE AT EVERGLADES 91 KEY WEST 2 W 91 ROYAL PALM RANGER S 4 W 91 CORAL GABLES 1 ESE 90 OCEAN REEF 8 SSE 89 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INTL ARPT 89 MAYPORT NAVAL STATION 87 PORT EVERGLADES 87 DEERFIELD BEACH 3 W 86 JACKSONVILLE INTL ARPT 86 KEY LARGO 1 SE 85 REDLAND 8 NNW 85 FORT MYERS FAA/AP 84 SUNRISE 1 W 84 FLAGLER BEACH 83 GOULDS 1 NE 83 HOMESTEAD PARK 1 WSW 83 OAKLAND PARK 3 NW 83 PINECREST 2 SSW 82 FIU SOUTH CAMPUS 81 HAULOVER CANAL 3 E 81 POMPANO BEACH AIR 1 ESE 81 RSW SOUTHWEST FLORIDA A 81 IMMOKALEE 2 ESE 80 SOUTH MIAMI 2 W 80 FISHER ISLAND 3 ESE 79 FIU NORTH CAMPUS 1 ESE 79 FORT DESOTO PARK 3 W 79 FLORIDA CITY 1 ESE 78 FORT LAUDERDALE 2 W 78 NORTH PERRY AIRPORT 78 SANIBEL 4 ENE 78 SUNRISE 2 E 78 CLEARWATER 4 WNW 77 PARKLAND 2 W 77 WEST MIAMI 2 SE 77 BARTOW 10 SSW 75 DAVIE 2 NE 75 DELRAY BEACH 3 WSW 75 SAINT AUGUSTINE 1 NW 75 LITTLE HAITI 2 SE 74 BUNNELL 72 COUNTRY WALK 1 N 72 HOLIDAY 4 SW 70 INDIAN LAKE ESTATES 2 S 70 LITTLE HAVANA 1 NNW 68 LAUDERDALE BY THE 2 NW 67 PORT EVERGLADES 1 SSE 66 DOWNTOWN SAINT PETE 4 E 65 SANFORD AIRPORT 65 CORAL SPRINGS 1 W 64 DELAND 63 DANIA BEACH 1 NW 62 ST. AUGUSTINE 6 NNW 62 CROSS CITY AIRPORT 61 HIALEAH GARDENS 1 E 61 POMPANO BEACH 61 ...GEORGIA... FORT PULASKI 70 FORT SCREVEN 70 TYBEE ISLAND 1 NNE 65 HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INTL ARPT 64 MIDDLE GEORGIA REGIONAL ARPT 61 SAVANNAH AIRPORT 60 TALLAPOOSA 4 SSE 59 HABERSHAM COUNTY AP 58 VALDOSTA 2 WNW 58 CLEVELAND 57 LITTLE OCMULGEE STATE PARK 57 DUBLIN 54 PERRY 54 COLUMBUS AIRPORT ASOS 53 VIDALIA 53 ATHENS 3 ESE 52 BANKS CROSSING 51 JASPER 2 SSW 48 TUCKER 2 SE 47 MOODY AFB 44 ...NORTH CAROLINA... HIGHLANDS 2 NNW 56 CASHIERS 1 ESE 51 BOOMER 3 ESE 47 BELMONT 45 CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS INTL ARPT 45 ...SOUTH CAROLINA... PARRIS ISLAND 6 E 76 FOLLY BEACH 72 ISLE OF PALMS 1 ESE 68 SULLIVANS ISLAND 1 E 68 BATTERY POINT 1 NNW 66 BEAUFORT 66 CHARLESTON 2 SSW 66 DANIEL FIELD AIRPORT 58 OCONEE COUNTY REGION 58 AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD 55 LANCASTER COUNTY AIRPORT 55 ...TENNESSEE... GATLINBURG 10 S 60 CHATTANOOGA 4 ESE 45
UPDATE 11:35 p.m. ET: Tim Tebow appears with Gov. Rick Scott at a shelter in Jacksonville.
The Florida Times-Union has the story.
UPDATE 11:30 p.m. ET: Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine to Fox News: Miami Beach will be open for business tomorrow
Mayor Philip Levine: Miami Beach will be open for business tomorrow. #Irma pic.twitter.com/UGJD4VyoEL
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 12, 2017
UPDATE 11:15 p.m. ET: Sporadic outages from Irma in Alabama
UPDATE 11:00 p.m. ET: Irma downgraded to a tropical depression.
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 32.4°N 84.9°W, moving north at 16 mph, 5 miles south of Columbus.
UPDATE 8:45 p.m. ET: Reentry into the Florida Keys set to begin tomorrow
UPDATE 8:30 p.m. ET: Gov. Rick Scott assures Florida residents fuel is on the way
UPDATE 8:20 p.m. ET: The Associated Press has video of Irma’s path of destruction in Key Largo.
UPDATE 8:00 p.m. ET: Irma continues to weaken.
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 31.9°N 84.4°W, moving north at 16 mph, 55 miles east of Columbus.
UPDATE 6:00 p.m. ET: Politico’s Matt Dixon reports Hurricane Irma could cost $92 billion in “economic damages” according to Moody’s.
UPDATE 5:35 p.m. ET: Pockets of congestion on Interstates 4, 10, 75 and 95 headed back into various locations in Florida
Report from the Miami Herald’s Kristen Clark
UPDATE 5:25 p.m. ET: Tropical Storm Irma now in Georgia
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 31.5°N 84.0°W, moving north at 17 mph, 10 miles east of Albany.
UPDATE 5:15 p.m. ET: The Florida Times-Union’s Nate Monroe on Jacksonville’s hit by Irma: The winds subsided and the rain stopped. Then the emergency began.
By Monday afternoon, Hurricane Irma had largely finished with Jacksonville. Mother Nature, however, had not.
A cocktail of severe natural forces converged in ways that turned Monday into a slow-motion disaster for downtown, Riverside, San Marco and in other neighborhoods throughout the city that sit along the St. Johns River and the maze of waterways that feed into it.
(h/t Peter Schorsch)
UPDATE 2:30 p.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 30.8°N 83.6°W, moving north at 17 mph, 85 miles east of Tallahassee.
UPDATE 2:15 p.m. ET: Former Univeristy of Florida quarterback and minor league baseball player Tim Tebow added to Gov. Rick Scott’s schedule for meeting about Irma.
UPDATE 1:30 p.m. ET: Images from Jacksonville in northern Florida are coming in. Despite a weaker storm, areas of the city’s downtown have flooded.
UPDATE 1 p.m. ET: As the storm is making its way out of Florida and into Georgia, still over the half the state is without power.
UPDATE 11:45 a.m. ET: A1A in Ft. Lauderdale Beach covered in sand post-Irma.
UPDATE 11:30 a.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 30.3°N 83.1°W, moving north at 17 mph, 70 miles east of Tallahassee.
UPDATE 10 a.m. ET: 6.2 million without power in Florida
UPDATE 9:15 a.m. ET: Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn decries climate change in wake of Irma
UPDATE 8:05 a.m. ET: Irma downgraded to a tropical storm.
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 29.5°N 82.9°W, moving north at 18 mph, 105 miles north of Tampa.
UPDATE 8 a.m. ET: Politico’s Marc Caputo reports Gov. Rick Scott will fly over the Florida Keys in a Coast Guard aircraft to make an assessment and possible delivery of emergency supplied.
UPDATE 7:30 a.m. ET: Record flooding in Jacksonville, FL on the east side of the storm.
UPDATE 7:15 a.m. ET: 4.6 million without power in Florida and Georgia according to the Associated Press.
UPDATE 7 a.m. ET: Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn breathes a “sigh of relief.”
UPDATE 6:30 a.m. ET: Irma downgraded to a Category 1
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 28.9°N 82.6°W, moving north at 18 mph, 100 miles north of Tampa.
UPDATE 12:45 a.m. ET: Tampa Bay Times Monday edition will be an e-edition only issue.
UPDATE 12:15 a.m. ET Monday: Polk County, FL Sheriff Grady Judd sued.
From the Orlando Sentinel’s Krista Torralva and Steven Lemongello:
A man who claims he was denied entry to a shelter unless he underwent a background check is suing Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, who got national attention after saying on Twitter he would jail anyone with an outstanding warrant who tried to seek shelter from Hurricane Irma.
Judd called the lawsuit “frivolous” and said he would not change his policy.
UPDATE 11:35 p.m. ET: Miami Police Department offers a warning for any would-be looters
UPDATE 11:05 p.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 27.5°N 81.9°W, moving north at 14 mph, 50 miles south of Tampa.
UPDATE 11 p.m. ET: From Breitbart’s Trent Baker — CNN’s Bill Weir: Hurricane Irma Damage ‘Unlike Anything I’ve Seen in 25 Years’
“If this is a sample of what we’re going to find in Key West, the southern paradise of the United States as we know it has fundamentally changed,” said Weir.
UPDATE 10:55 p.m. ET: Miami Beach closed to cars until Tuesday at noon.
UPDATE 9 p.m. ET: Hemingway House curator tells MSNBC’s Ali Irma left the house intact and the house’s 54 six-toed cats are safe.
Watch:
WATCH: Curator: Hemingway House in the Keys is intact — and the 54 six-toed cats are safe — after Hurricane #Irma. https://t.co/MwjXQqHx9Z
— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) September 11, 2017
UPDATE 8:15 p.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 26.7°N 81.7°W, moving north at 14 mph, 15 miles north of Fort Myers.
UPDATE 7:30 p.m. ET: Watch — Drone footage of Irma’s aftermath in Naples
UPDATE 6:45 p.m. ET: Curfews are being established all across Florida as Hurricane Irma arrive
UPDATE 6:33 p.m. ET: Still going strong in Miami.
UPDATE 6:29 p.m. ET: Animals acting chill.
UPDATE 6:20 p.m. ET: The storm is now approaching Fort Meyers.
UPDATE 6:18 p.m. ET: NHC reports that water levels in Naples, FL have risen seven feet in the last 90 minutes.
UPDATE 6:13 p.m. ET: More scenes from Florida:
UPDATE 5:20 p.m. ET: Irma downgraded to a Category 2
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 26.2°N 81.8°W, moving west at 14 mph, 5 miles north of Naples.
UPDATE 4:45 p.m. ET: 120 mph+ gusts recorded in Naples.
UPDATE 3:53 p.m. ET: Naples braces for a direct hit.
UPDATE 3:48 p.m. ET: Looters caught on video now caught by law enforcement:
UPDATE 3:38 p.m. ET: Irma hits Marco Island, outside Naples:
UPDATE 3:23 p.m. ET: More views from Miami:
UPDATE 2:30 p.m. ET: Tornado warnings issued for multiple locations in South Florida
UPDATE 2:15 p.m. ET: Looters caught on camera by WPLG in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
UPDATE 2:05 p.m. ET: Irma downgraded to a Category 3
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 25.6°N 81.8°W, moving west at 12 mph, 35 miles south of Naples.
UPDATE 2 p.m. ET: Gov. Rick Scott has requested a major disaster declaration per reports.
UPDATE 1:30 p.m. ET: Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn: “Our day has come”
From Tampa Bay Business Journal senior reporter Ashley Gurbal:
As Hurricane Irma barreled toward the Tampa Bay region Sunday, officials issued grave warnings about the storm’s potential for destruction.
“I think our day has come,” Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said at a news conference. “We have trained for this; we are ready for this. I will tell you in no uncertain terms — and I’m not going to sugar coat it — this is going to be a difficult storm.”
UPDATE 1:15 p.m. ET: Everglades City, FL’s Kent Daniels has images of Hurricane Irma’s arrival to southwest Florida.
UPDATE 1 p.m. ET: 1.5 million without power in Florida…
UPDATE 12:45 p.m. ET: Uber has suspended operations in Orlando, Tampa and Sarasota.
UPDATE 12:40 p.m. ET: Florida AG Pam Bondi reports two law enforcement officers killed from Hurricane Irma.
UPDATE 12:25 p.m. ET: Additional National Guard troops are en route to Florida from other states.
UPDATE 12 p.m. ET: Water is being sucked out of Tampa Bay as Irma is on its way.
UPDATE 11:40 a.m. ET: Downtown Miami flooded with ocean water
UPDATE 11:30 a.m. ET: Construction crane collapses in downtown Miami.
UPDATE 11 a.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 25.0°N 81.5°W, moving west at 9 mph, 80 miles south of Naples.
UPDATE 10:45 a.m. ET: The Miami Herald’s Joey Flechas has video of strong winds and rising water in the Brickell community of Miami
UPDATE 10:30 a.m. ET: The center of Hurricane Irma is now making its way to the Florida mainland.
UPDATE 10:20 a.m. ET: Wind gust of 120 mph detected on Big Pine Key
UPDATE 10 a.m. ET: The National Weather Service in Miami says a wind gust of 82 mph was recorded at the Miami International Airport.
UPDATE 9:30 a.m. ET: Naval Air Station Key West’s Twitter account has uploaded some breathtaking video of Irma’s arrival.
UPDATE 9:25 a.m. ET: Florida Today’s Isadora Rangel reports 100 mph+ wind gusts in the Keys.
UPDATE 9:15 a.m. ET: From FLKeysNews.com’s David Goodhue — City of Marathon: ‘Everything is under water, I mean everything’
UPDATE 8:55 a.m. ET: NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz has footage showing a half-impassable U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys.
UPDATE 8:45 a.m. ET: 381,000 in Florida now without power.
UPDATE 8:30 a.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 24.5°N 81.5°W, moving west at 8 mph, 20 miles southeast of Key West.
UPDATE 5:45 a.m. ET: New ECMWF 00z model has Hurricane Irma not making landfall on the Florida peninsula, but southeast of Tallahassee in the state’s Big Bend Region.
UPDATE 5:30 a.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 24.1°N 81.5°W, moving west at 8 mph, 40 miles southeast of Key West.
UPDATE 2:15 a.m. ET: Hurricane Irma a Category 4 storm once again
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 23.7°N 81.3°W, moving west at 6 mph, 70 miles southeast of Key West.
UPDATE 1:35 a.m. ET: 79 mph wind gust recorded in Key West, FL.
UPDATE 1:30 a.m. ET: Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR), now a Florida resident, told Fox News late Saturday Gov. Rick Scott’s leadership in preparation for Hurricane Irma’s arrival has been “spectacular.”
UPDATE 1:20 a.m. ET: Pasco County, FL Sheriff’s Department is lobbying against gun owners discharging their firearms into the storm.
UPDATE 1:15 a.m. ET: From Breitbart’s Trent Baker — Tampa Mayor: ‘We’re About to Be Punched in the Face’
UPDATE 12:45 a.m. ET: Much of Florida south of the I-4 corridor is presently under a tornado watch until noon Sunday.
UPDATE 12:10 a.m. ET: Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler: “We’ve had 2 tornadoes confirmed touch down.”
Fort Lauderdale Mayor @jackseiler: “We’ve had 2 tornadoes confirmed touch down.” #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/a4VxTOhDBs
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 10, 2017
UPDATE 12 a.m. ET Sunday: CNN reports 65 percent of the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market are out of gas.
Nearly 65% of all gas stations in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale market were without fuel on Saturday, according to estimates from crowdsourcing platform GasBuddy.
More than half of the stations in the West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce and Fort Myers-Naples areas have run dry. In the Tampa-St. Petersburg market, 43.5% of stations are out of gas.
UPDATE 11:55 p.m. ET: Accuweather’s Reed Timmer has video of Irma’s arrival from Duval Street in Key West.
UPDATE 11:10 p.m. ET: From Breitbart Texas’ Bob Price — Trump Stations 1,000 Marines off Florida Coast for Irma Relief Operations
UPDATE 11:05 p.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 23.5°N 81.0°W, moving west at 6 mph, 90 miles southeast of Key West.
UPDATE 11 p.m. ET: Storm surge warnings are being canceled on Florida’s east coast and are being extended on its west coast.
UPDATE 10:50 p.m. ET: Miami-FSU game slated for Sept. 16 rescheduled. More here.
UPDATE 10:45 p.m. ET: Gov. Rick Scott offers a list of shelters opened throughout the state of Florida for evacuees.
UPDATE 10:20 p.m. ET: Hurricane force winds beginning to arrive in the Florida Keys per the National Hurricane Center.
UPDATE 10:10 p.m. ET: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) has activated her state’s National Guard ahead of Irma’s arrival in the Yellowhammer State.
UPDATE 10 p.m. ET: ABC News has footage of Irma’s destruction in U.S. Virgin Islands.
UPDATE 9:45 p.m. ET: Maximum wind gusts of 130 mph+ in Tampa and Fort Myers expected
UPDATE 9:35 p.m. ET: Per the Florida Department of Transportation, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge that connects St. Petersburg to Bradenton has closed in anticipation of Irma’s arrival and will remain closed until the storm has cleared.
UPDATE 9:30 p.m. ET: Alabama Couple Grills Hot Dogs to Feed Florida Evacuees — Breitbart’s Katherine Rodriguez has the story here.
UPDATE 9:25 p.m. ET: Watch: Drone footage of Florida Power and Light preparing to deploy in response to Hurricane Irma
Drone video shows workers with the Florida Power and Light Company get ready ahead of Hurricane #Irma‘s landfall. pic.twitter.com/c3mKxMHjBt
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) September 10, 2017
UPDATE 9 p.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 23.3°N 80.8°W, moving west at 7 mph, 110 miles southeast of Key West.
UPDATE 8:45 p.m. ET: Irma now enters its 10th day as a hurricane, the longest run since 2008.
UPDATE 8 p.m. ET: Rainfall totals 15-20 inches throughout Florida forecasted
UPDATE 7:15 p.m. ET: Waterspout spotted off the shore in Ft. Lauderdale.
UPDATE 6:30 p.m. ET: Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) says 70k already without power at a briefing in Tallahassee.
UPDATE 6 p.m. ET: Jacksonville Beach suspending alcohol sales “until further notice.”
UPDATE 5:30 p.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 23.4°N 80.5°W, moving west at 9 mph, 115 miles southeast of Key West.
UPDATE 5 p.m. ET: Hurricane Irma is moving into the warm waters of the Straights of Florida, where it is expected to intensify.
UPDATE 4 p.m. ET: Tallahassee and Leon County, FL, presently 490 miles from Hurricane Irma, has issued a voluntary evacuation order.
City’s airport also shutting down at 5:40 p.m. local time on Sunday
UPDATE 3:45 p.m. ET: WTSP’s Caitlin McGehee reports not everyone heeded the warning to evacuate Key West ahead of Hurricane Irma
UPDATE 3:30 p.m. ET: Guantánamo Bay U.S. Naval Base “unscathed” from Hurricane Irma.
UPDATE 2 p.m. ET: The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 23.1°N 80.2°W, moving west at 9 mph, 145 miles southeast of Key West.
UPDATE 1:30 p.m. ET: Curfews issued for South Florida municipalities, per the Miami Herald.
UPDATE 12:30 p.m. ET: Irma downgraded to Category 3
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 22.8°N 79.8°W, moving west at 9 mph, 175 miles southeast of Key West.
UPDATE 12 p.m. ET: Another 700k asked to evacuate Florida per the Associated Press
UPDATE 10:30 a.m. ET: Computer models show Irma trekking up Florida’s west coast. However, the EURO and GFS show different predictions as the storm enters northern Florida.
UPDATE 9 a.m. ET: ‘LEAVE NOW,’ Florida Governor Tells 5.6 Million Residents in ‘Irma’s’ Path
Breitbart Texas’ Bob Price has the update here.
UPDATE 8:30 a.m.: Due to the numerous updates, a new live wire page has been started.
Updates are now here. The previous updates are still available here.
UPDATE 8 a.m. ET: Irma once again a Category 4 hurricane. Winds from within the storm have been reduced to 130 mph.
The National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory has the storm located at 22.6°N 79.6°W, moving west at 12 mph, 225 miles southeast of Miami.
Some of the key updates include the extension of watches and warnings by the National Hurricane Center:
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 Chassahowitzka
* Florida Keys
* Tampa BayA Storm Surge Watch is in effect for…
* North of the Volusia/Brevard County Line to the Flagler/Volusia
County line
* North of Chassahowitzka to Suwannee RiverA Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* Flagler/Volusia County Line southward around the Florida peninsula
to Chassahowitzka
* Florida Keys
* Lake Okeechobee
* Florida Bay
* Cuban provinces of Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus,
Villa Clara, and Matanzas
* Northwestern BahamasA Hurricane Watch is in effect for…
* North of the Flagler/Volusia County Line to Fernandina Beach
* North and west of Chassahowitzka to Indian Pass
* Cuban provinces of Holguin and Las TunasA Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Cuban provinces of Holguin, Las Tunas, La Habana, and Ciudad de
la HabanaA Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* North of Fernandina Beach to Altamaha Sound
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor