(CNN) While much attention remains on Texas and the destruction left by Hurricane Harvey and its historic rainfall , powerful Hurricane Irma is rapidly intensifying in the open Atlantic and poses a major threat to the Caribbean and potentially to the United States next week. 
 
 Satellite image taken at 8 a.m. ET Friday shows Hurricane Irma in the eastern Atlantic 
 
 With the storm still five days away from the outermost Caribbean islands and at least a week away from any potential US impacts, there is still a lot of uncertainty about where it will go. 
 
 The range of possibilities presented by the forecast models more than a week out literally spreads from Mexico to Canada -- and everywhere in between. 
 
 Good bet at a casino is an intense Hurricane Irma at Cat 4 or 5. But it's still red or black on U.S. impacts. Hope it's a "fish storm" pic.twitter.com/w6rWbbGVts 
 
 Irma was designated a tropical storm Wednesday morning, and by Thursday afternoon, it had strengthened into a large Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 115 mph. 
 
 Such explosive strengthening is known as "rapid intensification," defined by the National Hurricane Center as having its wind speed increase at least 30 knots (35 mph) in 24 hours. 
 
 "Irma has become an impressive hurricane," the National Hurricane Center said Thursday, noting the rapid intensification. "This is a remarkable 50 knot (58 mph) increase from yesterday at this time." 
 
 Hurricane Harvey underwent rapid intensification just before it made landfall late last Friday, strengthening quickly from a tropical storm into a Category 4 hurricane when it moved onshore near Corpus Christi, Texas. 
 
 Hurricane kryptonite not in the mix 
 
 Irma is a classic " Cape Verde hurricane ," a type of hurricane that forms in the far eastern Atlantic, near the Cape Verde Islands (now known as the Cabo Verde Islands), then tracks all the way across the Atlantic. Cape Verde storms frequently become some of the largest and most intense hurricanes. Examples are Hurricane Hugo, Hurricane Floyd, and Hurricane Ivan 
 
 Hurricane Irma is forecast to continue to strengthen as it moves westward over the next five days, and the official forecast from the National Hurricane Center puts a dangerous Category 4 Hurricane Irma on the doorstep of the Caribbean by the end of the five-day forecast on Wednesday. 
 
 #Irma has continued to strengthen over the eastern Atlantic and is now a major hurricane. Details at https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/gRAl1hzRnN — NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 31, 2017 
 
 A strong high-pressure ridge to the north of Irma, over the Atlantic, is steering the storm to the west and limiting the wind shear in the upper levels of the atmosphere, which has allowed the storm to grow so quickly. Wind shear is like hurricane kryptonite, and prevents storms from forming or gaining strength. 
 
 Unfortunately, Irma will remain in a low-shear environment for the next several days, so there isn't much hope that Irma will weaken any time soon. 
 
 There is considerable confidence that Hurricane Irma will track to the west through the weekend and then take a slight jog to the southwest early next week in response "to a building ridge (of high pressure) over the central Atlantic." 
 
 From there, the forecast becomes a lot less clear, with some major differences among some of the key models meteorologists use to forecast hurricanes. The differences are so drastic that one prediction has Irma sliding harmlessly back out to sea, while in another, it makes multiple disastrous landfalls in the Caribbean and likely hits the United States after that. 
 
 Dueling prediction models 
 
 The European model, or ECMWF, and the American GFS model have had some notable showdowns before, most notably with Hurricane Sandy. 
 
 With Sandy, the ECMWF correctly predicted a landfall in the Northeast nearly a week ahead, while the GFS continually kept the storm offshore in what became a major black eye for the US weather-modeling industry . There have been other examples in which the GFS model has outperformed its European counterpart, such as with a few major snowstorms in the Northeast. 
 
 Right now, the GFS has Irma taking a more northerly track that curves to the north before it reaches the Caribbean, thus making a US landfall much less likely. 
 
 The European model keeps the storm tracking further west, nearing the Bahamas by the end of next week. 
 
 European vs American weather models 
 
 "The ECMWF sees a much stronger ridge or Bermuda High (than the GFS) which forces Irma west, whereas the GFS has a weaker ridge and a more rightward, parabolic track," said Ryan Maue, a meteorologist with WeatherBell Analytics. 
 
 "The prospects for major impacts anywhere from Cuba to Carolinas is concerning for this very reliable model," Maue said. 
 
 Irma is still more than 1,700 miles east of the Leeward Islands, and any impacts from the storm wouldn't be felt until Tuesday or Wednesday for the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico. 
 
 The forecast picture should become clearer after the weekend. 
 
 Bottom line: Hurricane Irma is already a powerful hurricane and looks to only become more so. Those with interests in the Caribbean and southeast US coast should pay close attention to the forecast. ||||| This post has been updated as of Sept. 5, 10:30 am. 
 
 In the aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana, forecasters are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Irma, a category five storm that’s in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean quickly approaching the Leeward Islands and heading west. 
 
 How dangerous is Hurricane Irma? 
 
 The storm is traveling about 14 miles per hour (22 kilometers per hour), and is expected to hit the West Indies Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center. The full effects of the hurricane will hit around 2 am local time. 
 
 Already, Irma’s winds have reached 175 miles per hour (282 kilometers per hour). The storm has grown substantially stronger from Monday, when maximum wind speeds were 115 miles per hour. Hurricane warnings have been issued for the Lesser Antilles islands, Puerto Rico, and the British and US Virgin Islands. 
 
 CNN’s meteorologist Brandon Miller said that Irma is a fairly typical example of a “Cape Verde storm,” which start brewing over the east coast of Africa in an area now known as Cabo Verde. Hurricanes start off as thunderstorms that result from low pressure air systems over warm waters. They gather wind strength as higher pressures quickly move in to fill in the low pressure areas. Cape Verde storms have their entire trip across the Atlantic to gain wind power, which makes them some of the strongest hurricanes. 
 
 Other Cape Verde storms have included Hurricane Hugo, a devastating storm that took a similar path in 1989 and Hurricane Floyd, which hit the east coast of the US a decade later. Irma’s travel time across the Atlantic has meant that the storm has had time to gather more energy than Hurricane Katrina in 2005—possibly one of the strongest storms in recorded history. 
 
 Will Hurricane Irma hit the US mainland? 
 
 According to the National Hurricane Center, there is an “increased likelihood” that Hurricane Irma will hit the Florida keys and peninsula. Official forecasts can only predict up to five days at a time. If Irma reaches Florida, it wouldn’t be until early Friday morning local time. 
 
 In any case, Florida governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency so that “resources are dispersed to local communities as we get prepared for this storm.” He tweeted that he has spoken with Donald Trump, who has offered him “full resources of the federal government as Floridians prepare for Hurricane Irma.” 
 
 Tom Sater, a meteorologist at CNN has said that there is a small chance that the storm’s path will swing eastward into the Atlantic ocean as it travels north, missing the mainland United States. “But that window is shutting quickly,” he said. In all likelihood, Florida will be hit, and meteorologists are concerned that until then, the storm will only continue to gather strength. ||||| Hurricane Irma has begun to devastate the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean as one of the most intense Atlantic cyclones on record, but whether and where it reaches the United States mainland depends on its speed and interactions with two other weather systems. 
 
 Irma had maximum sustained winds of 185 mph — the equivalent of an EF-4 tornado — as the eye made its first landfall in the islands of the northeast Caribbean early today, passing over Barbuda around 1:47 a.m., the National Weather Service said. 
 
 Residents said over local radio that phone lines went down. Heavy rain and howling winds raked the neighboring island of Antigua, sending debris flying as people huddled in their homes or government shelters. Officials warned people to seek protection from Irma's "onslaught" in a statement that closed with: "May God protect us all." 
 
 Irma, which is churning along a path pointing to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba before possibly heading for Florida over the weekend, is the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record outside of the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean Sea, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its intensity is on par with those of hurricanes Andrew, Katrina and Rita, and behind only Hurricane Allen in 1980, which had 190 mph winds. 
 
 The hurricane center called Irma “potentially catastrophic.” Carlos Anselmi, a National Weather Service meteorologist in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said the U.S. territory has not seen a storm of Irma’s magnitude in a century. 
 
 Phil Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University, said, "The Leeward Islands are going to get destroyed." 
 
 "I just pray that this thing wobbles and misses them,” he said. “This is a serious storm." 
 
 Forecasters expect Irma will continue to move northwestward toward the Bahamas and Cuba, and eventually Florida. Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency Monday and urged preparations for the worst. Evacuations from Miami Beach and the Keys were expected to begin Wednesday. 
 
 National Hurricane Center (National Hurricane Center) 
 
 Predictions for where the storm might hit the U.S. mainland this weekend remain tentative. Models suggest landfall anywhere from Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico to the Carolinas on the Atlantic Coast. 
 
 An area of high pressure that covers the Atlantic from Bermuda to the Azores is expected to steer Irma. Such zones have clockwise circulation, so tropical systems are often pulled around them, up the coast. 
 
 If the so-called “Bermuda high” is expansive and strong, it could push Irma into the Gulf of Mexico or up the Atlantic coast, the Weather Channel noted. 
 
 A weaker Bermuda high could allow Irma to remain offshore as it curves around the pressure system and into colder Atlantic waters. 
 
 Irma could be blocked from moving into the Gulf by a separate system that could itself strengthen to a tropical storm in the coming days. 
 
 “That could kind of act as a wall,” said Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather.com. 
 
 The hurricane center estimates a 70 percent chance the low-pressure area over Mexico’s Bay of Campeche will become Tropical Storm Katia in the next two days. Tropical Storm Jose formed in the middle of the Atlantic on Tuesday, and was expected to become a hurricane Thursday. 
 
 If Irma does make landfall in Florida, it likely wouldn’t be until Sunday. The National Hurricane Center predicts it will remain a major hurricane until then, potentially making it just the second major storm to strike the U.S. in a dozen years. Hurricane Harvey was the first since Wilma in 2005. 
 
 "This hurricane has the potential to be a major event for the East Coast,” said Evan Myers, AccuWeather’s chief operating officer. “It also has the potential to significantly strain FEMA and other governmental resources occurring so quickly on the heels of Harvey.” 
 
 Hurricane-force winds extend 60 miles out in all directions from Irma’s 30-mile-wide eye, making it a large storm that threatens virtually all of Florida. 
 
 If Irma is going to reach Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic, that wouldn’t be until some time around next Tuesday — a week away. 
 
 The Associated Press contributed to this article. 
 
 Photos of weather in Maryland in 2017. 
 
 sdance@baltsun.com 
 
 twitter.com/ssdance ||||| This enhanced satellite image made available by the NOAA GOES Project shows Irma, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017 at 1:45 p.m. In the wake of Harvey, meteorologists are... (Associated Press) 
 
 This enhanced satellite image made available by the NOAA GOES Project shows Irma, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017 at 1:45 p.m. In the wake of Harvey, meteorologists are already looking warily at another system: Hurricane Irma, which intensified from a tropical storm to... (Associated Press) 
 
 This enhanced satellite image made available by the NOAA GOES Project shows Irma, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017 at 1:45 p.m. In the wake of Harvey, meteorologists are already looking warily at another system: Hurricane Irma, which intensified from a tropical storm to... (Associated Press) This enhanced satellite image made available by the NOAA GOES Project shows Irma, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017 at 1:45 p.m. In the wake of Harvey, meteorologists are... (Associated Press) 
 
 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Workers in the northeast Caribbean cleared drains and pruned trees as authorities urged islanders to prepare for Hurricane Irma, a Category 3 storm that grew stronger Monday and was forecast to begin buffeting the region the following day. 
 
 Emergency officials warned that Irma could dump up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain, unleash landslides and dangerous flash floods and generate waves of up to 23 feet (7 meters) as the storm draws closer. 
 
 A hurricane warning was issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and St. Barts. 
 
 "We're looking at Irma as a very significant event," Ronald Jackson, executive director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, said by phone. "I can't recall a tropical cone developing that rapidly into a major hurricane prior to arriving in the central Caribbean." 
 
 Irma is expected to strengthen in the next couple of days, and its center is forecast to move near or over the northern Leeward Islands on Tuesday night and early Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. 
 
 A hurricane watch was in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, the British and U.S. Virgin islands and Guadeloupe. A tropical storm watch was issued for Dominica. 
 
 U.S. residents were urged to monitor the storm's progress in case it turns northward toward Florida, Georgia or the Carolinas. 
 
 "This hurricane has the potential to be a major event for the East Coast. It also has the potential to significantly strain FEMA and other governmental resources occurring so quickly on the heels of Harvey," Evan Myers, chief operating officer of AccuWeather, said in a statement. 
 
 In the Caribbean, Antigua and Anguilla shuttered schools on Monday, and government office closures were expected to follow. 
 
 On the tiny island of Barbuda, hotel manager Andrea Christian closed down the Palm Tree Guest House as Irma approached. She said she was not afraid even though it would be her first time facing a storm of that magnitude. 
 
 "We can't do anything about it," Christian said by phone, adding that she had stocked up on food and water. "We just have to wait it out." 
 
 The U.S. hurricane center said Irma had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) Monday afternoon. The storm was centered about 530 miles (850 kilometers) east of the Leeward Islands and was moving west-southwest at 14 mph (22 kph). 
 
 Both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands expect to receive 4 inches to 8 inches (10-20 centimeters) of rain and winds of 40-50 mph with gusts of up to 60 mph. 
 
 Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello warned of flooding and power outages. 
 
 "It's no secret that the infrastructure of the Puerto Rico Power Authority is deteriorated," Rossello said. He activated the National Guard, canceled classes for Tuesday and declared a half-day of work. 
 
 Meteorologist Roberto Garcia warned that Puerto Rico could experience hurricane-like conditions in the next 48 hours. 
 
 "Any deviation, which is still possible, could bring even more severe conditions to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands," Garcia said. 
 
 The U.S. Virgin Islands said schools would reopen on Friday instead of Tuesday. 
 
 In the Dominican Republic, Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo said workers there were also clearing away roadworks and cleaning out sewer drains and that President Danilo Medina would meet with emergency agencies. 
 
 ___ 
 
 Associated Press writer Ezequiel Abiu Lopez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, contributed to this report. ||||| Irma continued to explode into a powerful storm Tuesday afternoon, with winds increasing to 185 mph, National Hurricane Center forecasters said in a 2 p.m. advisory. 
 
 As the storm continued to track westward, islands in its path raced to complete last minute preparations. The Leeward Islands are expected to get hit with “catastrophic” winds tonight, forecasters said, with the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico slammed tomorrow. In Puerto Rico, the governor asked President Donald Trump to declare a state of emergency, while the electric company warned Irma’s fierce winds could leave the island without power for four to six months. 
 
 National Hurricane Center 
 
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 As the hurricane churns closer to the U.S. coast, its path becomes more certain, with South Florida, particularly the Keys, increasingly likely to take a hit. Tropical storm force winds could arrive as early as Friday. Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for all 67 counties and has ordered all 7,000 members of the state’s National Guard to report to duty on Friday. Highway tolls across the state will be lifted at 5 p.m. Tuesday. 
 
 Mayor Carlos Gimenez also declared a state of emergency for Miami-Dade County Tuesday afternoon and said evacuations could begin as early as Wednesday on barrier islands and along the coast. Monroe County issued a mandatory evacuation of all residents beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday. 
 
 “This is a powerful storm which poses a serious threat to our area,” Gimenez said. “I would rather inconvenience residents on this occasion than suffer any loss of life.” 
 
 Because Irma is so large, stretching some 120 miles across, forecasters urged caution in paying too much attention to its exact track. The storm is continuing to roll west at 14 mph, with winds expected to begin battering the Leeward Islands today. A powerful high pressure ridge is steering the storm and will likely stay in place over the next few days, forecasters said. In five days, a trough moving across the U.S. should begin weakening the western edge of the ridge, allowing the storm to slide north. Where Irma makes the turn will determine impacts to Florida. 
 
 Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said he could begin ordering evacuations in zones A and B as early as tomorrow. 
 
 Monroe County said there will be no roadblocks into the Keys before the storm, to allow property owners and family members to help out with evacuations. However, plans should be completed quickly. Schools and county offices will also be closed beginning Wednesday. 
 
 “If ever there was a storm to take seriously in the Keys, this is it,” Monroe County Emergency Management Director Martin Senterfitt said. “The sooner people leave, the better.” 
 
 At 120 miles wide, Irma is nearly as wide as Florida. Tropical storm force winds reach another 160 miles. 
 
 In addition to the northern islands in the Antilles, hurricane watches have also been issued for parts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, with dangerous winds, storm surge and heavy rain expected Thursday and Friday. Puerto Rico’s government is preparing to open 456 shelters that can house more than 62,000. The Turks and Caicos has ordered Salt Cay, its southernmost inhabited island, evacuated beginning Wednesday. 
 
 Irma could strike a direct blow on the remainder of the Bahamas and Cuba later in the week, forecasters said. While impacts to Florida are less clear, forecasters said the likelihood of Irma hitting the Keys or parts of South Florida are increasing. 
 
 SHARE COPY LINK This animation of NOAA's GOES East satellite imagery from Sept. 2 to Sept. 5, shows Hurricane Irma move west toward the Leeward Islands and strengthen to a Category 5 storm. McClatchyNASA-NOAA GOES Project 
 
 At 2 p.m., Irma was located 180 miles east of Antigua, heading west at 14 mph. While wind speeds could fluctuate over the next day or two, forecasters say it will likely remain a very dangerous Cat 4 or 5 storm as it heads westward. At 185 mph, forecasters said the storm is also the most intense storm ever recorded in the Atlantic outside the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean. 
 
 In addition to a state emergency, Scott said he asked President Donald Trump to request a federal emergency in advance of Irma’s arrival and began coordinating rescue efforts that include 13 helicopters and 1,000 high-wheeled truck capable of driving through high water. North Carolina’s National Guard is also on standby to help with evacuations from the Keys, if needed, and the National Guard is lining up an additional 30,000 troops, 4,000 trucks and 100 helicopts to be on standby, the governor’s office said in a statement. 
 
 The Florida Highway Patrol and Department of Transportation are also on standby to help with evacuation efforts, the statement said. 
 
 Utilities have been asked to begin posting outage and restoration information as the storm hits and are contacting other utilities to help out with repairs, Scott said in a statement. NO fuel shortages have been reported, the statement said, but the state has contacted fuel suppliers in case emergency supplies are needed. The state insurance agency has also authorized early prescription refills. 
 
 Across the mainland, the South Florida Water Management District has already begun inspecting pumps and gates and lowering canals to make room for heavy rain, flushing as much water as possible starting in South Dade. In a morning press conference, Chief Engineer John Mitnik said he expects the storm to dump between eight and 10 inches of rain, but where it falls depends on Irma’s track. Unlike Harvey, Irma is not forecast to linger and deliver the kind of punishing rain that triggered widespread flooding and likely billions of dollars in damage. Mitnik said South Florida’s extensive system of canals are also capable of moving water quickly, however local drainage depends on flood controls set up in neighborhoods and subdivisions. 
 
 “If your particular subdivision was designed to have street flooding, then that’s what you’ll expect to see,” he said. 
 
 SHARE COPY LINK Satellite view of Hurricane Irma's eye as it ravages in the Atlantic on Sept. 5, 2017. McClatchyNASA SPoRT 
 
 Timing is another issue. 
 
 “If you take eight to 10 inches over several days, or compact it in 30 minutes, those are two different things,” he said. 
 
 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also keeping a close eye on the aging dike around Lake Okeechobee, where water levels Tuesday were at 13.65 feet, still well below the 15.5 feet level where discharges begin and the more than 18 feet limit set to protect the dike. 
 
 While models have shifted Irma’s path up and down over the weekend, Tuesday morning’s runs largely agree on the storm’s path over the next three days, with less certainty after that. 
 
 South Florida Water Management District 
 
 Over the last week, Irma has also undergone repeated eyewall replacements, a common structural change for such massive storms. While the replacement may initially weaken the storm, it allows it to spread and grow in size. With each replacement, Irma has also been able to regain steam. 
 
 Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Jose formed in the fast east Atlantic Tuesday morning. At 11 a.m., the storm was located more than 1,500 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, moving west, northwest at 13 mph. Sustained winds reached 40 mph, with Jose reaching hurricane strength by Friday, forecasters said.
– As Texas still deals with the devastation from Harvey, another weather system churning in the Atlantic, and moving west toward the US, has some worried. CNN reports on Irma, currently a Category 3 hurricane that experienced "rapid intensification" from Wednesday into Thursday, meaning its wind speed ramped up at least 35mph in that period—though the National Hurricane Center on Thursday noted the "remarkable" increase measured 58mph. A National Hurricane Center alert issued early Friday pegs maximum sustained winds at 115mph, with higher gusts. The storm is expected to approach the Caribbean by Tuesday or so as a Category 4 storm, then possibly the US—though meteorological models with wildly different scenarios show it's too early to make any definitive predictions on where the storm will land. Irma is what's called a "Cape Verde" hurricane, meaning one that forms off the coast of Africa then shoots across the Atlantic; CNN notes these storm systems can turn into particularly powerful ones (Hurricane Hugo is one example). What's emboldening Irma is a lack of the "hurricane kryptonite" known as wind shear, which often acts to tamp down hurricanes. A powerful high-pressure ridge is pushing Irma westward and keeping wind shear low. What one of the models is showing that has some concerned, per Reuters: Irma could head straight into the Gulf of Mexico, which could be bad news for areas still struggling after Harvey. "All interests in the eastern Caribbean will need to monitor the progress of this evolving and dangerous hurricane," an AccuWeather hurricane expert notes, reiterating he can't say "with certainty" how the US will be affected.