Hurricane IRMA Will ‘Devastate’ Parts of the US: FEMA Chief

IRMA steering toward Florida

The super storm has been downgraded to a Cat. 4 hurricane, for now, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h).

IRMA could restrengthen to a Cat. 5 hurricane, with a probability of 40 percent, as it moves closer to southern Florida, FIRE-EARTH Science believes.

Potential Impact on Southern US

“Hurricane Irma continues to be a threat that is going to devastate the United States in either Florida or some of the southeastern states,” FEMA Chief said.

National Hurricane Center (NHC) downgraded IRMA to Category 4 hurricane on Friday, just slightly less powerful than a Cat. 4, after the super storm had wreaked havoc hammering multiple islands in the Caribbean.

Florida “has never seen” a worse storm, said the governor.

Hurricane IRMA Status as at 2:00 PM EDT Fri Sep 8 [NHC]
Location: 22.0°N, 76.0°W
Moving: W at 14 mph
Min pressure: 925 mb
Max sustained: 155 mph [250 km/h]

Wind Speed Probabilities

.

U.S. Rainfall Potential

JOSE Intensifies to a Powerful Cat. 4 Hurricane [NHC]

Hurricane JOSE Status as at 2:00 PM AST Fri Sep 8
Location: 16.4°N 57.7°W
Moving: WNW at 18 mph
Min pressure: 940 mb
Max sustained: 150 mph [~ 240 km/h]

Wind Speed Probabilities

Hurricane KATIA Continues to Strengthen

Hurricane KATIA Status as at  1:00 PM CDT Fri Sep 8
Location: 21.1°N, 96.2°W
Moving: W at 5 mph
Min pressure: 974 mb
Max sustained: 105 mph [170 km/h, Cat. 2 hurricane]

KATIA IS NOW A  CAT. 2 HURRICANE WITH 105-MPH WINDS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION [NHC]

Wind Speed Probabilities

Historic Flooding: Texas Declares State of Disaster

Thousands of Homes Damaged or Destroyed in Historic Southern US Flooding

Flooding along the Sabine River, the natural border between Texas and Louisiana, has forced hundreds of people to abandon their homes, prompting Texas Gov. Abbott to declare state of disaster for 17 eastern and southeastern counties.

In Louisiana, more than 6,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed by flooding across the state, forcing about 5,000 people to evacuate.

Flooding has also severely affected Mississippi and Arkansas over the past several days.

• About 1,000 homes in Mississippi have been damaged or destroyed.

Rising floodwaters have also forced sections of interstates 10 and 59 to close, causing major disruptions throughout the region.