Hurricane Irma remains a major Category 3 hurricane and appears to be heading toward Florida this weekend.
As of 11 a.m. Monday morning, it was located about 560 miles to the east of the Leeward Islands.
Irma is strengthening with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. Irma is expected to stay a major hurricane as it tracks westward this week.
Irma will pass very close to the northern Leeward Islands on Tuesday night, with upwards of 8 inches of rain and wind gusts to or past 100 mph. It will pass north of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Wednesday, where, tropical-storm-force winds are expected and hurricane conditions are possible.
There is growing likelihood that Irma will bring some wind and rain to the Bahamas later this week, then possibly the southeastern and eastern coasts of the United States, including Florida this weekend.
All residents and interests in the Lesser Antilles, especially the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and the Gulf and East coasts of the U.S. need to closely monitor the progression of this very dangerous hurricane.
Also, we are monitoring a tropical wave located several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands for possible slow development this week as it tracks westward over the open waters of the central Atlantic Ocean.
