We still have time to watch Irma as it moves toward the Bahamas on Thursday.

Although it will be over very warm water and is still expected to be a major hurricane, upper level winds and some wind shear will be increasing as it moves more northward.

Eventually the strong upper trough over the Eastern U.S. will begin to pick it up and turn it more northward.

Irma is still expected to be a major hurricane as it moves into or very close to Florida this weekend.

Watches are expected to be issued for parts of Florida Thursday due to Irma.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* British Virgin Islands
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra
* Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the northern border with Haiti
* Haiti from the northern border with the Dominican Republic to Le Mole St. Nicholas
* Southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands
* Central Bahamas

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Cuba from Matanzas province eastward to Guantanamo province
* Northwestern Bahamas

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Dominican Republic from south of Cabo Engano westward to the southern border with Haiti
* Haiti from south of Le Mole St. Nicholas to Port-Au-Prince
* Cuba provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas

  • Jose is upgraded to a hurricane, could become a major hurricane in the Atlantic
  • Katia is also a hurricane now in the SW Gulf of Mexico, no threat to U.S.
  • Watches expected to be issued for parts of Florida tomorrow due to Irma

Latest Updates

2:18 a.m.

Hurricane Irma is passing Puerto Rico and moving toward Dominican Republic.

As of 2 a.m., Irma is 140 miles northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The hurricane warning for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands has been discontinued.

Maximum sustained winds are down to 180 mph. Irma is forecast to remain a powerful category 4 or 5 storm during the next couple of days.

And the storm is moving to the west-northwest at 16 mph.   

The west-northwest movement will continue for the next couple of days. Irma is expected to pass just north of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, and be near the Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas by Thursday evening.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 50 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.

Irma will continue a west-northwest track as it encounters the southwest edge of a ridge of high pressure over the Central Atlantic. This ridge, along with a trough over the United States will be the driving force for Irma late in the week and into the weekend. Depending on exactly where the trough and ridge position themselves as Irma gets closer to the United States will determine the exact track.

This critical aspect to Irma’s track is when it stops traveling west-northwest and gets turned to the north. There is still uncertainty in exactly where that turn to the north might be, but models today have trended with an easterly track with the turn near Cuba or in the southern Bahamas which would take Irma along the east coast of Florida.

Regardless of the specific track, Irma is a large storm with a wind field spanning over 175 miles so even a distant pass at Florida would have significant impacts. 

11:19 p.m.

Irma's eye is passing just north of Puerto Rico as a powerful Category 5 storm.

As of 11 p.m., Irma is 85 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The hurricane warning for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands has been discontinued.

Maximum sustained winds are 185 mph. Irma is forecast to remain a powerful category 4 or 5 storm during the next couple of days.

And the storm is moving to the west-northwest at 16 mph.   

The west-northwest movement will continue for the next couple of days. Irma is expected to pass just north of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, and be near the Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas by Thursday evening.

8:00 p.m. Attorney General Pam Bondi held a press briefing to discuss her office's efforts to curb price gouging in Florida as residents prepare for Irma.

3:50 p.m. - A local state of emergency is declared for Hillsborough County in response to Hurricane Irma. Under the Executive Order, the County Administrator has the authority to carry out all emergency responsibilities delegated by the EPG. The Executive Order also prevents local businesses, vendors, merchants, and any other persons operating a retail business from charging more than the normal average retail price.

3:30 p.m. - Gov. Rick Scott at a media briefing said, "This is bigger than Andrew. It's more wind and significantly more storm surge."

"Every family needs to have a plan. Do not sit and wait. Prepare right now," the governor said."

President Donald Trump posted on Twitter: "Just spoke w/ Governors Rick Scott of Florida, Kenneth Mapp of the U.S. Virgin Islands & Ricardo Rosselló of Puerto Rico. WE ARE W/ YOU ALL!"

3 p.m. - Madeira Beach running out of sandbags because non-residents are taking them. Officials reaching out to other cities for more sandbags.

2:30 p.m. - Attorney General Pam Bondi announced she'll speak at 7:15 Wednesday night about Irma and particularly price gouging. Bay News 9 will carry her remarks LIVE.

2 p.m. - A number of school systems made late-morning and early-afternoon announcements about classes the next few days. Get the full list here.

1 p.m. - The center of the storm was about 65 miles east-southeast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and about 140 miles east of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was heading west-northwest at 16 mph.

11:30 a.m. - Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn signed an emergency declaration for the city in advance of Irma.

10:45 a.m. - The Manatee County Board of Commissioners has declared a local state of emergency for the county. Schools will be closed Friday.

10:15 a.m. - Governor Rick Scott activated an additional 900 members of the Florida Army and Air National Guard to support with planning, logistics and operations in preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Irma

10 a.m. - Hillsborough County has activated its Emergency Operations Center in response to Hurricane Irma. This allows County and partner agencies to better coordinate resources and operations.

9 a.m. - Gov. Rick Scott on Twiter after Wednesday morning news conference in the Keys: Do not sit and wait for #HurricaneIrma to come. It is EXTREMELY dangerous & deadly- it will cause devastation. GET PREPARED NOW.

8 a.m.  - Category 5 Irma passes over St. Martin...Northern eyewall pounding Anguilla.

Hurricane warnings for Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the northern border with Haiti, Guadeloupe and southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.

6 a.m. - Governor Rick Scott directed state offices to be closed in all 67 Florida counties this Friday in preparation for Hurricane Irma.

Make sure to watch our Tropical Updates each hour at :49

• What exactly are the spaghetti plots?
• Information You Need | Supply Checklist


Remember that the spaghetti model plot does not indicate the strength of a system or even development at all. It only predicts where this broad area of low pressure is expected to go.

    Interactive Storm Tracker