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Hurricane Irma Heading Towards the Leeward Islands

September 5, 2017
Image of Hurricane Iram

This data visualization shows the maximum wind gusts from Hurricane Irma from September 7 to September 10, 2017. Note how the strongest wind gusts are on the north side of the storm track (the faint dotted line). According to the NOAA's National Hurricane Center, Irma's maximum sustained winds ranged from 110 (on 9/10) to near 180 (on 9/7) miles per hour during this period. This graphic was created with data from the RTMA, which uses surface observation data to create a highly accurate gridded analysis of past weather conditions. The data covers only the Continental United States and coastal areas, so areas of the storm further to the south and east, where Irma was at maximum intensity, are not visible

GOES-16 captured this geocolor image of Hurricane Irma the morning of September 5, 2017. Irma is a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane and will bring life-threatening wind, storm surge, and rainfall hazards to portions of the northeastern Leeward Islands beginning later today, and the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico beginning tomorrow (9/6).