Summary from NHC
At 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Irma was located near latitude 16.9 North, longitude 33.8 West or about 1650 nautical miles east of SKN. Irma is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 km/h). This general motion is forecast through early Friday, followed by a generally westward motion on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 100 mph (155 km/h) with higher gusts. Irma is forecast to become a major hurricane by tonight and is expected to be an extremely dangerous hurricane for the next several days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles (30 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles (130 km).
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Based on the extended forecast models, Hurricane Irma is to be in the vicinity of the Northern Leewards (St. Kitts -Nevis included) by mid next week. As this system continues to rapidly intensify, it can be expected that the extent of storm force winds and hurricane force winds from the center will increase as well.
Therefore, it is important that we closely monitor the progress of Hurricane Irma as it is expected to be an extremely dangerous hurricane and be near us as a major hurricane.
There is some uncertainty as to the exact path the hurricane will move but for certain it will be in our vicinity next week. The exact impacts from it are uncertain at this moment but with a hurricane with such strength, some impact is likely once it passes in our vicinity.
More details will be provided as they are received and processed to enable all to ensure that our state of readiness is sufficient to manage this hurricane as it moves towards us.
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