KEY MESSAGES:
1. Life-threatening wind and storm surge from Irma will continue in
the Florida Keys and southwestern Florida today and spread into
central and northwestern Florida tonight and Monday. Preparations
in central and northwestern Florida should be rushed to completion.
2. There is imminent danger of life-threatening storm surge flooding
along much of the Florida west coast, including the Florida Keys,
where a Storm Surge Warning is in effect. The threat of
catastrophic storm surge flooding is highest along the southwest
coast of Florida, where 10 to 15 feet of inundation above ground
level is expected. This is a life-threatening situation.
3. Irma will bring life-threatening wind impacts to much of Florida
regardless of the exact track of the center. Wind hazards from Irma
are also expected to spread northward through Georgia and into
portions of Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
4. Irma is expected to produce very heavy rain and inland flooding
across much of Florida and many other parts of the southeast United
States. Rainfall occurring very quickly, at 2 to 4 inches per hour,
will lead to flash flooding and rapid rises on creeks, streams, and
rivers. Significant river flooding is likely over the next five
days in the Florida peninsula and southeast Georgia, where average
rainfall of 8 to 15 inches and isolated 20 inch amounts are
expected. Significant river flooding is also possible beginning
Monday and Tuesday in much of eastern and central Georgia, western
South Carolina, and western North Carolina, where average rainfall
of 3 to 8 inches and isolated 12 inch amounts are expected.
Mountainous parts of these states will be especially vulnerable to
flash flooding. Farther west, Irma is expected to produce average
amounts of 2 to 5 inches in parts of Alabama and Tennessee, where
isolated higher amounts and local flooding may occur.
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