Good Friday to one and all. We continue with a gorgeous stretch of October weather here in early September. While we enjoy the good stuff, folks across Florida are preparing for a devastating hit from Hurricane Irma. This storm has a chance to impact our weather early next week.
We know the weather around here is nice, so there’s really no reason to go into it very much. Just enjoy it.
Irma continues to push into the Bahamas today…
The forecast track from the National Hurricane Center is a worst case scenario for Florida and brings this thing toward Kentucky…
Given the record water temps in the Bahamas and near Miami, I would not be surprised to see Irma come in as a Cat 5.
The latest GFS model holds with earlier runs and shows the impact on Kentucky…
The Canadian is VERY similar…
The latest Hurricane Models are tightly clustered on a similar scenario playing out…
It goes without saying that this will likely cause major destruction across Florida. The Miami area looks to be in serious trouble, perhaps taking the brunt of the storm surge and highest winds.
Hurricane force winds may engulf the entire Florida peninsula from south to north Saturday into Sunday. We may see hurricane force winds deep into Georgia and South Carolina. Tropical storm force wind gusts may come all the way into Tennessee and southern Kentucky.
The prime time for impact on Kentucky comes Monday night and Tuesday. Bands of heavy rain and storms will likely work through here, but the rain shouldn’t come close to producing what Harvey did here. Winds may be greater, and that’s something for us to watch as we get closer.
What’s left of Irma will then weaken over us Wednesday into Thursday.
I will have another update later today, so check back. Have a good one and take care.
It will be a shark nado when it gets here.
Breezy sprinkles…Remnants keep shifting way west.
Thanks, Chris! Nashville down to 50 the last two mornings. As if refusing to go into the 40s, to hang on to summer a little longer 😉 .
Sparta TN dropped to 43 a few hours ago.
Hurricane Irma down to 150 mph winds, perhaps due to eyewall replacement cycle and/or some interactions with land. But as Chris stated above, still plenty of very warm waters (and thus fuel) ahead. Not much shear as well until near Florida but by then forecasters say that increased shear may be too late to do much to weaken the storm before landfall.
Have a great day everyone. Keep Florida in our thoughts and prayers.
We will not know the exact path of Hurricane Irma till sometime late tomorrow. I have been tracking Irma since Monday, mostly through observation on Goes satellite. Where the turn to the north will be is yet to be determined. The southwestern side of the subtropical high pressure system has extended further west, which makes landfall just east of Key West, or the western edge of the Florida Keys.
Thanks
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT1+shtml/070903.shtml
Thanks
Wow, the 0z run of the NAM was unusual…bad feedback? 12z run out shortly though.
Throw all weather computer models out ! Too slow !
NAM is in. I am not sure how much to rely on the NAM for tropical systems but the noon run is now bringing IRMA through central Florida including Orlando. That confirms the Euro and morning GFS. It appears to me the eastern half of Florida is in dire strait for the entire length of Fl.
What can KY expect out of Irma?
Thanks Chris, for featuring the Goes floater animated satellite on your blog. Easy to track Hurricane Irma.
According to some of the maps I’ve seen, looks like 40-50 mph wind gusts may get all the way into Kentucky.
http://twitter.com/JimWKYT/status/906194816588972033
Don Williams R.I.P
Gentle Giant, you will be missed. We will keep your warm, calming, soulful voice with us always.
http://youtu.be/4qkoZQRbl3s
Lost another good one, Lexington product Troy Gentry.