Irma has gone into beast mode and we now have a buzzsaw barreling toward the Leeward Islands and potentially Florida down the line.
Irma is now the first Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic this season but only the second Category 5 since 2007.
On the heals of Hurricane Harvey's devastation of Texas, forecasters have been trying to pinpoint the path and potential impact on the United States.
The National Hurricane Center takes Irma through the Leeward Islands, north of Hispaniola and into the Florida Straights by the weekend.
There's a lot of model support for that current scenario, but beyond that, there's still uncertainty. Some models take it up the East Coast of Florida with some interaction with the Southeast US. Others take it up West Coast of Florida with perhaps some Gulf Coast interaction.
A lot depends on how the hurricane dances around a small piece of upper level energy almost a week from now. That piece of energy is currently entering the North American continent in British Columbia. To be determined whether it will attract or repel Irma, but confidence is growing that this will not end well for Florida.
Stay connected for updates.
Todd Gutner - https://twitter.com/ToddWCSH
