11PM SUNDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Irma is still a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds at 100 mph. It is slowly weakening and continues to move toward the north at 14 mph. The center of circulation is now moving from Hardee into Polk County.
10PM SUNDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Irma is still a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds at 105 mph and continues to move toward the north at 14 mph. The center of circulation is now moving through Hardee County.
9PM SUNDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Irma is still a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds at 105 mph and continues to move toward the north at 14 mph. The eyewall is now moving through DeSoto County. Storms surges expected in areas of onshore winds along the Florida west coast.
8PM SUNDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Irma is still a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds at 105 mph and continues to move toward the north at 14 mph. The eye wall is now moving north of Fort Myers. Dangerous storms surges expected in areas of onshore winds along the Florida west coast.
6PM SUNDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Irma is still a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds at 110 mph and is moving toward the north at 14 mph. A wind gust of 142 mph was recorded at the Naples Municipal Airport. Water levels are rapidly rising in in Naples. A tidal gauge has measured a water level 2.2 feet above Mean Higher High Water. That is a 7 foot increase over the past 30 minutes.
5PM SUNDAY UPDATE: Hurricane Irma is now a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds at 110 mph. Irma is moving toward the north at 14 mph. There is a storm surge potential from Cape Sable to Captiva with with water heights above ground level from 10 to 15 ft and from Captiva to Ana Maria Island from 6 to 10 ft.
2PM UPDATE: Hurricane Irma is currently 70 miles south of Fort Myers and is just south of Marco Island, Florida. Irma is now a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds with higher gusts.
Irma is moving north at 12 mph and is expected to remain a powerful hurricane as it moves near or along the coast. Hurricane-force winds extend 80 miles out from the center of the storm and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 220 miles.
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11AM UPDATE: Hurricane Irma officially made landfall on Cudjoe Key this morning at 9:10 AM ET, now heading toward the Southwest Florida coast as winds continue to increase in south Florida. Irma is still a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds.
The center of the storm is located 80 miles S/SE of Naples and 115 miles S/SE of Fort Myers. Irma is currently moving north at 9 mph with a north-northwest motion and an increase in forward speed forecast later today.
8AM SUNDAY UPDATE-- Center of Hurricane Ima is about to make landfall in the lower Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds. The center is about 20 miles E/SE of Key West and about 110 miles directly south of Naples.
Hurricane force winds are expected in Naples as early as 10 am with the hurricane force wind field extending 80 miles out from the center of Irma. Tropical Storm force winds are already pushing into SWFL with the Tropical Storm force wind field extending 220 miles outside of the center.
5AM SUNDAY UPDATE -- Hurricane Irma has sped up slightly and its eye is about to move across the lower Florida Keys early Sunday.
The hurricane is centered about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south-southeast of Key West, Florida, and is moving north-northwest near 8 mph (13 kph).
Irma is a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 130 mph (215 kph). The U.S. National Hurricane Center says weakening is forecast but Irma is expected to remain a powerful hurricane as it moves through the Florida Keys and near Florida's west coast.
Tens of thousands in Florida are huddled in shelters as the hurricane threatens to make a catastrophic hit on the state.
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2 AM SUNDAY UPDATE -- Hurricane Irma has re-intensified to a category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 mph, tracking NW at 6 mph. Irma is currently heading closer to the Florida Keys, where landfall is expected by sunrise. Full track advisory at 5 am.
