BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IRMA has remained a Category 3 Hurricane, according to the St. Kitts Meteorological Services, and it is expected to gain speed as it closes in on the Leeward Islands.
In its morning report for Monday (Sep. 4), the local Met Office indicated that the Hurricane Watch, which was instituted late yesterday, remains in place for
Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla.
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane or developing hurricane conditions pose a threat to the specified area within 48 hours and, as such, residents should start to implement their hurricane disaster plans.
According to the Met Office, as at 8:00 a.m. today the center of Hurricane Irma was located near Latitude 16.8 North and Longitude 52.6 WEST or 610 miles East of the Leeward Islands, and 665 miles away from St. Kitts and Nevis.
The National Hurricane Center’s 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC) disclosure puts the eye of Hurricane Irma at latitude 16.8 North, longitude 53.3 West.
Irma is said to be moving toward the west-southwest near 14 mph (22 km/h) and a turn towards the west is expected later today, followed by a west-northwestward turn late Tuesday.
On the forecast track, the center of Irma will move near or over portions of the northern Leeward Islands Tuesday night and early Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher
gusts.
Up to press time, it was reported that Hurricane Irma is at 16.7 North, 53.8 West and about 530 miles or 850 km East of the Leeward Islands.
Additional strengthening is forecast through Tuesday night.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km).
