Hurricane Irma is projected to head into the Gulf of Mexico possibly making landfall between Marco Island to Sarasota. There is still a chance it will go farther south or to the east side of Florida. The center of the storm is currently 76 statute miles(75 miles) (123 km) to the E (83°) from Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda. As Irma stands, she is current a Cat 5 with the top recorded speed of 193-214 at the time of this post. The outer eye is currently 45 nautical miles in diameter (51.7 miles). The inner eye is currently 20 nautical miles in diameter (23 miles) Irma's pressure is decreasing as she moves, in the last 24 hours she has gone from 930 Mb to 917 Mb which means she is intensifying. As she stands she is stronger than hurricane Andrew & Charlie. If she is to continue as a Cat 5 to Florida, there will be major damage to lower floors of all structures less than 15 feet above sea level within 500 yards of shore. Low-lying escape routes inland cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before hurricane center arrives. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to 10 miles of shore possibly required. If she downgrades to a Cat 4, all flat terrain 10 feet of less above sea level flooded inland as far as 6 miles. Major damage to lower floors of structures near shore due to flooding and battering by waves and floating debris. Low-lying escape routes inland cut by rising water 3 to 5 hours before hurricane center arrives. Major erosion of beaches. Massive evacuation of all residences within 500 yards of shore possibly required, and of single- story residences within 2 miles of shore. Below is the radar tracking of aircraft flying into Irma to collect information, and below that is the standard scale of what the storm is being compared too.
