Hurricane Central Hurricane Irma a Leeward Islands Threat Next Week; U.S. Impact Still Unknown By Chris Dolce September 01 2017 11:00 AM EDT weather.com 00:59 Why We're Eyeing the Atlantic as Hurricane Season Peaks There's plenty of activity in the Atlantic basin, as hurricane season reaches its climatological peak. Story highlights Hurricane Irma is a powerful Category 3 and has rapidly intensified

Irma is in the open Atlantic, and it's too early to know where it will hit

(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. At 5 a.m., Hurricane Irma, carrying maximum sustained winds near 115 miles per hour, was about 1,665 miles east of the Leeward Islands and moving towards the west northwest at 12 miles per hour. At 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 31, the center of Hurricane Irma was located 720 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and 1780 miles east of the Leeward Islands. Hurricane Irma Holds Steady at Category 3 Strength; Caribbean Urged to Be Prepared Just in Case

FLORIDA, United States, Friday September 1, 2017 – Hurricane Irma reached Category 3 strength late yesterday and continues to maintain maximum sustained winds near 110 miles per hour. The NHC expects Irma to remain a powerful hurricane for several days but noted that fluctuations in strength, both up and down, are possible through early next week due to the aforementioned eyewall replacement cycles.
Hurricane Irma, now a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (175 kilometers per hour), is expected to resume strengthening this weekend increasing the danger when it nears the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean next Thursday.