Synopsis:
It’ll be a Fall preview this weekend as a large, cool high pressure system works into the region from Canada. Plenty of sunshine is expected with readings five to eight degrees below average for the highs. There’ll be a nip in the air during the night.
Hurricane Irma is a dangerous category 3 hurricane. The storm has weakened due to the interaction with Cuba. Winds are sustained at 125mph as of this writing. The storm is currently moving along the North coast of Cuba. The hurricane will continue to move West Northwest and graze the Northern coast of Cuba today.
Now to Florida. The computer models put the Irma as a dangerous cat 4 near the Southern tip of Florida by Sunday morning. The water temperatures in the Florida Straits are flirting with 90º. In my opinion the hurricane should strengthen some. The combination of a weak upper low over the Southern states and a strong ridge of high pressure near Bermuda will result in the storm taking a dramatic Northerly turn. Where that turn specifically occurs is still up in the air. It now looks like Irma will either take a track directly up the peninsula inland, or off the West coast of Florida making landfall somewhere along the West coast of Florida. If it stays just off the West coast of Florida, just in the Gulf the hurricane will maintain its category 3 or 4 strength. If it goes inland and North it will weaken quicker. Questions that still need to be answered. Yes, the track has shifted West. All preparations should be completed at this time. The map below is the National Hurricane Center track. Much can happen to the anticipated track between now and then. A difference of 50 miles could mean the difference between damaging hurricane force winds or gusts just shy of hurricane force. The cone of uncertainty is shrinking . Flooding rains and storm surge will be of great concern.
The hurricane track now looks to take the decaying hurricane into Georgia as a tropical storm. The risk to the Carolina’s has been greatly diminished.
Will our area feel any affects from Irma? At this point showers may move up from the remnants midweek.
Stay Tuned.
Today:
Mostly sunny. Highs around 70º. North to Northeast winds at 5-10mph.
Tonight:
Clear and very cool. Lows in the upper 50s in the City, the 40s inland. North wind less than 5-10mph.
Sunday:
Sunny. Highs in the lower 70s.
Monday:
Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower to mid 70s.
Tuesday:
Partly sunny. Highs in the lower to mid 70s.
Wednesday:
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs in the lower to mid 70s.
Keep it here for a no nonsense, no hype forecast.