KEY MESSAGES:
1. Irma is a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane and will
continue to bring life-threatening wind, storm surge, and rainfall
hazards to the northern coast of Hispaniola tonight. These hazards
are already spreading across the Turks and Caicos and will affect
the Bahamas tonight through Saturday. Hurricane conditions will also
spread over portions of the north coast of Cuba, especially over
the adjacent Cuban Keys through Saturday.
2. It has become more likely that Irma will make landfall in
southern Florida as a dangerous major hurricane, and bring
life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts to much of the state.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for South Florida, the Florida Keys,
Lake Okeechobee, and Florida Bay, and will likely be expanded
northward tonight.
3. A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for portions of South Florida
and the Florida Keys. This means there is the possibility of
life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the
coastline during the next 48 hours in these areas. The Potential
Storm Surge Flooding Map depicts a reasonable worst-case scenario -
the amount of inundation that has a 10 percent chance of being
exceeded. Because the Flooding Map is based on inputs that extend
through 72 hours, it best represents the flooding potential in the
watch area.
4. There is a chance of direct impacts in portions of Georgia,
South Carolina, and North Carolina, but it is too early to specify
the magnitude and location of these impacts.
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