Hurricane Irma is behaving exactly how the forecasters said it would. The deadly Hurricane slightly weakened during the day but strengthened again before hitting parts of Cuba Friday evening. Unfortunately, the storm will devastate Florida no matter it's category upon landfall. There is a chance Cuba will finally do something to help Florida by breaking up the eye-wall of Irma.
Even so, the warm water between Cuba and Florida will allow Irma to re-energize once again. The level to which the storm will strengthen is unknown at this point but in the end, it won't matter.
Irma is categorically one of the most intense Hurricane's in history and should not be taken lightly. Those in Florida, Georgia and even the Carolina's must take heed or simply go North.
Early on, it appeared Hurricane Irma was destined for her own South Beach vacation. However, the allure of Miami didn't hold her attention very long. Almost every Hurricane model now has Irma slamming into the Florida Keys and onto the west side of Florida. Yet, it may not even matter where Irma finally decides to land. Irma is an insanely large Hurricane that is wide enough to engulf the entire state of Florida. The armageddon-like descriptions of Irma become less hyperbolic and more factual as the hours go by.
As of now, it is too soon to tell how much the Cuba landfall weakened the storm...or if it weakened at all.
Where is it going?
Almost every Hurricane model has Irma turning north and hitting the west side of Florida sometime on Saturday. There are a few models that take Irma on a path much less dangerous to the southeast United States.
There is a very small chance the storm could continue over Cuba and make a beeline to the Gulf of Mexico. The results of such a path are unclear since it's seen as unlikely. Yet, it is worth noting that at least two models have Irma taking a path into the Gulf of Mexico.
A handful of Hurricane models show a northerly turn but with an entirely different destination.
Two separate models take Irma up the Florida west coast but only making landfall in the panhandle area. This path doesn't mean the storm would be any less destructive. It does mean that evacuations would need to go further north than first expected. One model sends Hurricane Irma to the Alabama/Florida border but doesn't indicate what strength the storm would be.
In the end, it is almost a certainty that Hurricane Irma will tumble into the Florida Keys and then the southwest coast of Florida by Saturday night. At the same time, it is worth noting the other possible storm paths. Weather is often unpredictable and thus becomes a difficult animal to tame.
What happens next?
In all probability, Hurricane Irma will roll up the entire length of Florida and into southeastern parts of the United States.
Massive flooding will hit the Sunshine State due to both storm surge and days of torrential rain. When the storm leaves Florida, droves of volunteers and insurance adjustors will bring their services into the state. Depending on the level of destruction there could be long-term economic impacts for the entire nation. If insurers max out their obligations it could lead to higher future rates across the board. Claims will be paid but future homeowners may find higher rates, no matter who they buy insurance from.
Fuel prices could also see short and long-term effects throughout the cleanup process. Higher demand for fuel automatically leads to higher prices. Even factors such as hotel availability, traffic and medical care will be affected by the sheer number of people in the state.
The hope is that Hurricane Irma will weaken rapidly and be little more than a nuisance to Floridians. However, there are no models or reports that indicate any major weakening of this sort will happen. In other words, every thought, prayer and good vibe that is possible should be sent to Florida throughout this weekend.
