National Hurricane Center The latest forecast for Hurricane Irma.
The latest update of Hurricane Irma‘s track shows it heading toward the southeast coast, and many cities in North Carolina could be at risk.
Irma, which registered as a Category 5 storm when it struck the Caribbean, is expected to make landfall in Florida sometime Sunday and Monday. After that, though, there’s no telling what the unpredictable storm will do.
While Charlotte seems as if it’s outside of Irma’s current track, the National Weather Service has urged residents anywhere near its path to take proper precautions.
Specific #Irma impacts remain uncertain, but preparing your house in case of a storm is always a good idea. Here are some easy suggestions:
Charlotte city officials told Fox 46 News they’re continuing to monitor Irma as it approaches the U.S. Here’s a look at the latest track for Irma, which is thought to be at about a Category 3 level when it leaves Florida and heads toward the Carolinas.
Here is the latest forecast track on #Irma
The city of Charlotte issued the following statement to Fox 46 in regard to Irma approaching North Carolina.
At this point, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management is continually monitoring Irma’s activity, per regular updates received from our state partners (North Carolina Emergency Management) and the National Weather Service – Greenville/Spartanburg as it applies to our region.
Additionally, we are making internal preparations consistent with how we would pre-plan for any weather event or impending hazard. As Irma progresses and should we expect any impact to Charlotte or Mecklenburg County, we will inform the public and media accordingly.
As this is National Preparedness Month and noting that we are in the middle of hurricane season, let the current activity developing in the Atlantic serve as a reminder to: 1) Make a Plan 2) Build a Ready Kit and 3) Stay Informed. We encourage citizens to stay engaged by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter, where we provide continuous information for our community.
Lastly, for those folks who seek proactive measures to be self-prepared, click here for a helpful guide for hurricane preparations.
According to The Weather Channel, the weather forecast for Charlotte over the weekend won’t be nearly as bad as cities along the coast, but the city will feel the effects of Irma.
On Saturday, there forecast calls for it to be sunny with 10 mph winds. Then on Sunday, it’s supposed to be mostly sunny with 15 mph winds. On Monday, when the storm is projected to strike the South Carolina and North Carolina areas, a steady amount of rain and winds at around 35 mph are expected.
Click here to see the full 10-day weather forecast.
While city officials monitor Irma and make preparations for possible effects and a surge in evacuees, residents can’t help but remember Hurricane Hugo in 1989. The storm was a similar Category 5 hurricane to Irma that devastated parts of Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, the mid-Atlantic and New England.
Hugo hit Charleston, South Carolina and then moved through Charlotte in September 1989. The strong winds brought widespread power outages and knocked down trees in the Charlotte area.
Click here for important information on being prepared for Irma and potential evacuation routes from those in North Carolina.
