Miami, Fla. (970 WFLA)-At 11:00 AM, the eye of Hurricane Irma was located near latitude 18.2 North, longitude 64.0 West. Irma is about 65 miles east-southeast of St. Thomas,and about 140 miles east of San Juan, Puerto. Irma is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days.
On the forecast track, the extremely dangerous core of Irma will move over portions of the Virgin Islands very soon, pass near or just north of Puerto Rico this afternoon or tonight, pass near or just north of the coast of the Dominican Republic Thursday, and be near the Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas late Thursday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 185 mph with higher gusts. Irma is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain a powerful category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 50 miles (85 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.The estimated minimum central pressure is 918 mb (27.11 inches).
Graphic Credit: NHC Miami