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Alex Barrett
Sep 06, 2017
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NOAA/NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team/Taylor Trogdon/Twitter
Only a few days after Hurricane Harvey poured record rainfall on Houston, Texas, and the surrounding area - damaging tens of thousands of homes and claiming at least 60 lives - eyes are turning to the building Hurricane Irma.
The hurricane is proceeding over the Atlantic towards Florida, and according to Nasa:
Irma is an extremely dangerous category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.Â
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.
Its tied for the second strongest storm ever observed in the Atlantic.
Taylor Trogdon is a senior scientist at the National Hurricane Center, and he tweeted about Irma's satellite imagery.
I am at a complete and utter loss for words looking at Irma's appearance on satellite imagery. https://t.co/B0ewFyvcSv— Taylor Trogdon (@Taylor Trogdon) 1504652694
His harrowing words have obviously not gone down well on Twitter:
On track to be the largest and most ferocious Atlantic hurricane - ever https://t.co/LqkMb0qjrb— Ben Eltham (@Ben Eltham) 1504657716
This isn't the kind of tweet you want coming from a scientist at the National Hurricane Center. https://t.co/VAmxKadPo5— Brian Klaas (@Brian Klaas) 1504654521
Trogdon has tweeted and retweeted some other pieces of advice for those in the path of Irma:
Truly feeling for those in Irma's path - one of the strongest Atlantic basin hurricanes in recorded history. https://t.co/N2jRxGE9eE— Taylor Trogdon (@Taylor Trogdon) 1504641203
Time needs to be budgeted just like money during the few days leading up to a hurricane. It's been a challenge for me, w/out kids or family.— Taylor Trogdon (@Taylor Trogdon) 1504647537
I could only imagine how challenging it can be for those with disabilities, larger families, etc.— Taylor Trogdon (@Taylor Trogdon) 1504647593
If you don’t live in an evacuation zone or mobile home, identify someone who does and plan to be their evacuation destination. #Irma— Dr. Rick Knabb (@Dr. Rick Knabb) 1504651445
A Hurricane Warning is currently in effect for:
- Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts, and Nevis
- Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
- Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy
- British Virgin Islands
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra
- Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the northern border with Haiti
- Guadeloupe
It's not currently known which trajectory Irma will take and whether it will make landfall on Florida, but it's certainly concerning for residents.
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