The National Hurricane Center at 5 p.m. Eastern Time upgraded Hurricane Irma to Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph.
Hurricane Irma is located about 720 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands.
Channel 9 certified meteorologist Brian Shields said Hurricane Irma should continue to strengthen over the next several days.
Shields said that by early next week, it will approach the Leeward and Windward islands, where it will likely have an impact, instead of staying out to sea.
It is simply too early to tell where, and if, Irma will be making landfall anywhere in the U.S. Right now, we must just monitor the situation. Even the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico (although much closer) is monitoring Irma's path.
With the help of digital meteorologist @IreneSans , I did a Hurricane video message in sign language as part of my class. pic.twitter.com/tLQdx2EdWZ
— Vanessa Echols (@VEcholsWFTV) August 31, 2017
Por cierto, NO hay que alarmarse. #Irma está MUY LEJOS y hay mucho tiempo para vigilar. Las condiciones atmosféricas también cambiarán. https://t.co/iQd30qADMF
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) August 31, 2017
Avoid the Twitter hype machine, with all due respect to Twitter itself :) There is no way (NO WAY) to tell if Irma will impact the US. https://t.co/YT4SWk1Wwf
— Brian Shields (@BrianWFTV) August 31, 2017
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Weather Rank Up: Tropical Update...
Posted by Brian Shields, WFTV on Thursday, August 31, 2017
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