Hurricane Irma, One of the Most Powerful in History, Bears Down on Puerto Rico, Florida;
Florida Begins Evacuations in the Keys

The storm isn't just powerful -- with 185 mph winds -- but very large as far as the square miles it will be covering.

Florida is already evacuating.

Hurricane Irma continued to strengthen Tuesday as an "extremely dangerous" Category 5 storm, prompting states of emergency in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida -- with the powerful storm forcing evacuations in the Florida Keys.

...
Irma's center was expected to move over portions of the northern Leeward Islands late Tuesday and early Wednesday, and the storm's eye was then expected to pass about 50 miles from Puerto Rico late Wednesday.

Fox News Senior Meterologist Janice Dean said Irma is now "one of the strongest hurricanes we have witnessed in the last decade."

In fact, it's said to be the strongest hurricane ever tracked in the Atlantic Basin (which excludes the Caribbean).

As if that wasn't bad enough, another storm --Tropical Storm Jose -- has formed behind it.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Jose has formed over the open Atlantic, following closely behind Irma, the NHC said Tuesday. Jose could become a Category 2 hurricane as it brushes the most northeastern Caribbean islands at the end of the week. However, there is no threat to the U.S. or Puerto Rico at this time.

Get to high and dry ground, Floridians and Caribbeaners!

posted by Ace at 07:04 PM

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