WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Daily Caller News Foundation will be issuing updates on Hurricane Irma as they occur.
Sunday, 3:52 p.m. EST: Hurricane Irma moves away from the Florida Keys and made landfall on Florida’s coastline Sunday afternoon.
Irma, which had shifted back to a Category 3 storm, is “impacting all of South Florida,” the National Hurricane Center reported. Irma is poised to maintain the bulk of its size and power as it approaches Tampa Bay, a densely-populated city many experts believe is ill-equipped to take on a massive storm.
Many people from Florida’s eastern coast had sought refuge around Tampa in recent days before the storm’s path shifted westward.
Sunday, 9:40 a.m. EST: Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys Sunday morning as wind gusts and rain hammer the state.
The hurricane left at least three people in South Florida dead and another 800,000 people without power. Wind gusts whipped around high-rise buildings at speeds approaching 100 mph, the National Weather Service said.
Surge coming up ! #KeyWest #irma pic.twitter.com/iQBGH7yrif
— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) September 10, 2017
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. EST: Hurricane Irma battered Cuba early Saturday morning as the massive Category 5 hurricane continues to make its way toward the Florida coast.
Forecasters say that Irma is comparable in strength to Hurricane Andrew, which devastated parts of South Florida in 1992. Irma is taking aim at south Florida with winds topping 160 mph as Hurricane Jose follows close behind.
“Irma is likely to make landfall in Florida as a dangerous major hurricane, and will bring life-threatening wind impacts to much of the state,” the National Hurricane Center said.
Irma was reduced in size earlier this week after barreling over several islands but regained its Category 5 status overnight. It dropped back to a Category 4 early Saturday after moving over Cuba. More than 6 million people in Florida and Georgia were warned to leave their homes.
As of 8 a.m., Irma was about 225 miles south of Miami, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Category 5 #Irma making landfall in Cuba tonight- exceptionally rare. Wow- what a terrifying #hurricane– good luck all
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