SWFL squarely in Hurricane Irma’s path; winds increase to 160 mph

FORT MYERS, Fla. Here is what you need to know about Hurricane Irma as the storm develops:

11 p.m.

Hurricane Irma strengthened slightly with 160 mph winds in the 11 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

The Category 5 storm is about 300 miles south-southeast of Miami, moving west at 13 mph.

The Storm Surge Warning was extended northward on the east coast of Florida to the Volusia/Brevard County Line and on the west coast of Florida to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay.

The Hurricane Warning has been extended northward on the east coast of Florida to the Volusia/Brevard County Line and on the west coast
of Florida to Anclote River.

The Storm Surge Watch has been extended northward on the west coast of Florida to Suwanee River.

The Hurricane Watch has been extended northward on the east coast of Florida to Fernandina Beach and on the west coast of Florida to
Indian Pass.

9:30 p.m.

Buses will be available at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Clewiston Commerce Park area to transport evacuees from the mandatory evacuation zones in eastern Hendry County, the Hendry County Board of Commissioners said.

Buses will discontinue transportation after 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

For more information call 863-674-5410.

8:40 p.m.

Approximately 1,000 volunteer nurses are needed at special needs shelters throughout Florida, according to Gov. Rick Scott’s Twitter page.

Those interested are asked to email BPRCHDPreparedness@flhealth.gov

CALLING ALL NURSES: FL needs 1,000 volunteer nurses to help at our special needs shelters. Please email BPRCHDPreparedness@flhealth.gov

— Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) September 9, 2017

8:10 p.m.

A flood warning was issued from Sunday evening until further notice for the Peace River and the Horse Creek near Arcadia, according to DeSoto County Emergency Management.

8:03 p.m.

Hurricane Irma maintained 155 mph winds in the 8 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

The Category 4 storm is about 315 miles southeast of Miami, moving west at 12 mph.

The forecast track is below:

A revised forecast track is expected in the 11 p.m. advisory.

7:10 p.m.

Florida has asked 5.6 million people to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Irma, or more than one quarter of the state’s population, according to state emergency officials.

Andrew Sussman, the state’s hurricane program manager, said Friday the total includes people throughout the southern half of the state as well as those living in inland Florida in substandard housing who were also told leave due to the dangerous storm that will slam the state this weekend.

Florida is the nation’s third-largest state with nearly 21million people according to the U.S. Census.

For days Gov. Rick Scott has been urging residents to evacuate, especially those who live in coastal areas that could be flooded due to the walls of water expected from Irma’s arrival.

Click here to see mandatory evacuation information for Southwest Florida.

— Information via the Associated Press

6:34 p.m.

Cape Coral residents who haven’t evacuated should bring their trash bins and any bulk trash items inside if they’re not picked up by 7 p.m. Friday, city spokeswoman Andrea Schuch said in a press release.

5:50 p.m.

WINK Chief Meteorologist Jim Farrell has tips on preparing for Hurricane Irma:

5:02 p.m.

The forecast track for Hurricane Irma continues to creep westward, putting Southwest Florida in greater danger.

The storm could make landfall as a Category 5, but that’s not yet certain, WINK Chief Meteorologist Jim Farrell said.

Irma’s winds held steady at 155 mph in the National Hurricane Center’s 5 p.m. advisory. The storm was about 345 miles southeast of Miami moving west at 12 mph.

All of Southwest Florida is now under a hurricane warning, and all coastal areas are under a storm surge warning, the hurricane center said. A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected within the next 36 hours.

Storm surge could reach between 8 and 12 feet from Captiva south and between 5 to 8 feet from Captiva north.

The updated cone is below:

 

4:45 p.m.

WINK News reporter Taylor Bisacky has more from Fort Myers Beach: