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Friday’s First Warning Forecast: Sunny and cool, then watching Irma

Posted at 5:50 AM, Sep 08, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-08 11:18:28-04

Meteorologist Myles Henderson’s First Warning Forecast

A sunny and cool weekend… Expect plenty of sunshine again today with highs in the mid to upper 70s. Temperatures will drop into the low 60s and upper 50s overnight with mainly clear skies.

The nice weather continues for the weekend. Temperatures will slip a few degrees for the weekend. Expect mostly sunny skies Saturday with highs in the low to mid 70s. A few extra clouds will mix in on Sunday with highs in the low 70s. It will be breezy this weekend with NE winds at 10 to 15 mph.

Hurricane Irma will approach south Florida this weekend then turn north. The timing and location of this turn will determine the impacts on Florida and much of the Southeast. On the current forecast track, the core of Irma should stay to our SW. We will still likely see strong winds (below tropical storm strength), rain, and possible tidal flooding. We are expecting impacts from Irma later Monday and Tuesday. The level of rainfall, wind, and flooding we see will depend on the exact track.

Today: Mostly Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Winds: NW/N 5-10

Tonight: Mainly Clear. Lows near 60. Winds: N 5-10

Tomorrow: A Few Clouds, Breezy. Highs in the mid 70s. Winds: NE 10-15

Weather & Health 

Pollen: Moderate-High (Ragweed)

UV Index: 8 (Very High)

Air Quality: Good (Code Green)

Mosquitoes: Very High

Tropical Update

Hurricane conditions spreading west over parts of Cuba and the central Bahamas. Irma is centered about 405 miles SE of Miami, Florida and moving WNW and 14 mph. On the forecast track, the eye of Irma should move near the north coast of Cuba and the central Bahamas today and Saturday, and be near the Florida Keys and the southern Florida Peninsula Sunday morning.

Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph with higher gusts. Irma is a category 4 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 hurricane as it approaches Florida.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.

11:00 AM EDT Fri Sep 8

Location: 22.0°N 75.3°W

Moving: WNW at 14 mph

Min pressure: 927 mb

Max sustained: 150 mph

Jose is now a category 4 hurricane. Jose is centered about 415 miles ESE of the northern Leeward Islands and moving WNW at 18 mph. On the forecast track, the center of Jose will pass near or east of the northeastern Leeward Islands on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph with higher gusts. Jose is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are possible for the next day or so, and gradual weakening is expected after that.

11:00 AM AST Fri Sep 8

Location: 16.3°N 57.1°W

Moving: WNW at 18 mph

Min pressure: 942 mb

Max sustained: 150 mph

Hurricane Katia continues to strengthen as it moves toward Mexico. Katia is centered about 125 miles NNE of Veracruz, Mexico and moving WSW at 5 mph. Katia is expected to make landfall by early Saturday in Mexico. Maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is expected and Katia could be near major hurricane strength at landfall.

10:00 AM CDT Fri Sep 8

Location: 21.0°N 95.8°W

Moving: WSW at 5 mph

Min pressure: 975 mb

Max sustained: 100 mph

Hurricane Tracker

Today in Weather History (NWS Wakefield)

September 8th

1804 Hurricane “Inconceivable” Damage – Coastal Virginia

2004 Tornado Outbreak: Central, East Central, VA (Frances)

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