Unlike with Hurricane Harvey, I don’t know the territory well enough to provide any insider insight on the storm. But it’s a big story, and I have a few tidbits of interest.
Current forecasts have Irma sparing the Miami area the brunt of the storm, instead being expected to track up the west coast of Florida. Good for Miami (though it will still get plenty of wind and rain), bad for St. Petersburg and Tampa. It also means people in Tallahassee, Pensacola and Mobile better start prepping for evacuation or riding out the storm, depending on local authorities and how the storm develops.
The Miami Herald has a live tracking page up, as does the New York Times.
There’s also a dedicated @Track_Irma Twitter feed.
More evacuations ordered:
BREAKING: Florida asks another 700,000 to leave ahead of Hurricane Irma; nearly 7 million total urged to evacuate multiple states.
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 9, 2017
But they’ll have to deal with gas shortages.
Power outages:
Over 25,000 people already experiencing power outages in #Florida from #Irma.. and the center of storm is still close to #Cuba. pic.twitter.com/sOCXsDbkj3
— Michael Ventrice (@MJVentrice) September 9, 2017
Miami and Miami Beach have imposed a 7 PM curfew.
Here’s Miami Herald writer Martin Merzer’s classic guide for reporters on what to do while covering a hurricane. “Don’t use your own car. Rent a car. Despite company policy, take every form of insurance offered by the rental company. Don’t park the car under a lovely old tree or in a low spot near the motel.” (Hat tip: Dwight.)
And here’s a storm route projection video from Mobile, Alabama weatherman Alan Seals, who’s fast becoming the weatherman of choice for hurricane watchers for his clear, concise, no-nonsense delivery.
Tags: Alan Seals, Florida, Hurricane, Hurricane Irma, Miami, Mobile, St. Petersburg (Florida), Tampa, video, weather
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