Hurricane Irma about to make landfall in Florida Keys, winds at 130 mph
Dan DeLuca
The center of Hurricane Irma is about to make landfall in the lower Florida Keys, according to the 8 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center.
Irma is located about 110 miles south of Naples and is moving north/northwest at 8 mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph with higher gusts and Irma remains a category 4 hurricane.
More: Timeline of what to expect as storm moves into Southwest Florida today
While weakening is forecast, Irma is expected to remain a powerful hurricane while it moves through the Florida Keys and near the west coast of Florida.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 220 miles. A wind gust to 89 mph (143 km/h) was recently measured at the Key West National Weather Service Forecast Office.
Sustained winds of 46 mph (74 km/h) with a gust to 72 mph (117 km/h) was recently reported at Tamiami Airport in West Kendall, Florida.
More: Hurricane Irma track update and radar loops
More:5 a.m. update: Hurricane Irma strengthens to Category 4 storm as it heads closer to Florida
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
- * South Santee River southward to Jupiter Inlet
- * North Miami Beach southward around the Florida peninsula to the Ochlockonee River
- * Florida Keys
- * Tampa Bay
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
- * Fernandina Beach southward around the Florida peninsula to Indian Pass
- * Florida Keys
- * Lake Okeechobee
- * Florida Bay
- * Cuban provinces of Matanzas and La Habana
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
- * North of Fernandina Beach to Edisto Beach
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
- * West of Indian Pass to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line
- * North of Fernandina Beach to South Santee River
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
- * Bimini and Grand Bahama