Hurricane Irma made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds just after 9 am on Sunday morning at Cudjoe Key, approximately 20 miles east of Key West.
The storm is moving northward at approximately 9 mph, threatening Florida’s west coast with a storm surge forecast to be one of the worst in the state’s history.
The National Weather Service just posted a notice that storm surge will likely continue to increase for all the Keys.
Storm Surge remains a significant threat for the Keys. As the west winds continue storm surge could increase to 5-10 ft above ground level.
— NWS Key West (@NWSKeyWest) September 10, 2017
National Geographic photographer and storm chaser Mike Theiss and meteorologist Reed Timmer rode the storm out in Key West and began posting videos shortly after sunrise this morning as extreme winds from the eyewall continued to pound the islands.
Our thoughts are with our friends in Key West and the rest of you in the Conch Republic and South Florida affected by this storm. Please stay safe and do everything you can to protect yourselves. This is a deadly storm.
I’ll continue to add to these videos with others from Key West when they become available.
Eyewall and Storm Surge !! #HurricaneIrma #KeyWest pic.twitter.com/jI9kItZWqJ
— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) September 10, 2017
Eyewall !!! #KeyWest #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/MCcJ8CWZuc
— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) September 10, 2017
Extreme Wind !! #KeyWest #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/F8KY31yu2L
— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) September 10, 2017
Surge coming up ! #KeyWest #irma pic.twitter.com/iQBGH7yrif
— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) September 10, 2017
More:
Breaking: storm surge about to inundate Key West from Hurricane #Irma @breakingweather pic.twitter.com/f4b4uuYwOs
— Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) September 10, 2017
