Irma was churning west Tuesday evening in the Atlantic with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph -- well above the 157 mph threshold for a Category 5 -- about 85 miles east of Antigua and Barbuda, the hurricane center said.
Guadeloupe has now been issued a hurricane warning (it was a hurricane watch.) The Dominican Republic, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico are also in harm's way.
From the National Hurricane Center on the meaning of a Category 5 hurricane:
Catastrophic damage will occur: A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
The full list as of now of countries under hurricane warning:
- Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts, and Nevis
- Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
- Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy
- British Virgin Islands
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra
- Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the northern border with Haiti
- Guadeloupe
- Cuba (including Guantanamo)
These countries are a delight to visit and have some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere. I have been to so many of them, and I really hope the storm's doesn't wreak havoc on them.
I'm also hoping Florida and the Keys get spared. Hopefully Fishcamp and our other Florida readers will keep us updated and stay safe.