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Advertisement Skip links[Skip to Content](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/9/11/what-you-need-to-know-hurricane-irma-and-its-impacts#main-content-area) [Live](https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) Sign up Navigation menu - [News](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) Show more news sections - [Africa](https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) - [Asia](https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) - [US & Canada](https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) - [Latin America](https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) - [Europe](https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) - [Asia Pacific](https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) - [Middle East](https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) - [Explained](https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) - [Opinion](https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) - [Sport](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/) - [Video](https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) - More Show more sections - [Features](https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) - [Economy](https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) - [Human Rights](https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) - [Climate Crisis](https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) - [Investigations](https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) - [Interactives](https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) - [In Pictures](https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) - [Science & Technology](https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) - [Podcasts](https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) - [Travel](https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) [Live](https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) Click here to search Sign up Navigation menu - [**Trending**](https://www.aljazeera.com/) - [US-Israeli war on Iran](https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/israel-iran-conflict/) - [Tracking Israel's ceasefire violations](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/11/how-many-times-has-israel-violated-the-gaza-ceasefire-here-are-the-numbers) - [Russia-Ukraine war](https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/ukraine-russia-crisis/) - [Donald Trump](https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/donald-trump/) [News](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/)\|[Climate Crisis](https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/climate-crisis/) # What you need to know: Hurricane Irma and its impacts *Questions answered on the Category 4 storm that ploughed into the southwest of Florida on Sunday morning.* Save Click here to share on social media Share Add Al Jazeera on Google  Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys on Sunday morning as a Category 4 storm \[AFP\] [](https://www.aljazeera.com/author/everton_fox_20111017112039307694) By [Everton Fox](https://www.aljazeera.com/author/everton_fox_20111017112039307694) Published On 11 Sep 201711 Sep 2017 Hurricane Irma slammed into Florida early on Sunday, belting the southern US state with wind gusts of up to 240km per hour while threatening massive tidal surges. Here are some fast facts on the most powerful storm to hit Florida in decades. ## Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4 ### [Symbolic Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight amid ‘catastrophic risks’](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/28/symbolic-doomsday-clock-moves-closer-to-midnight-amid-catastrophic-risks) list 2 of 4 ### [Symbolic Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight amid Ukraine war](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/24/symbolic-doomsday-clock-moves-closer-to-midnight) list 3 of 4 ### [UN approves first carbon credits under Paris Agreement market mechanism](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/26/un-approves-first-carbon-credits-under-paris-agreement-market-mechanism) list 4 of 4 ### [The Earth’s changing – so why aren’t we?](https://www.aljazeera.com/features/longform/2024/6/20/all-hail-the-planet) end of list ## Where has it been so far? Hurricane Irma began life as a tropical wave near the Cape Verde Islands on August 30. It then made its way across the Atlantic and caused catastrophic damage in the northern Leeward Islands before heading for the far north of [Cuba](http://www.aljazeera.com/topics/country/cuba.html). ## How dangerous is this storm? At its peak, its winds were around 298km per hour. It is the strongest [hurricane](http://www.aljazeera.com/topics/subjects/hurricanes-141021132039491.html) ever recorded in the Atlantic basin outside the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Irma was the first Category 5 storm to affect the northern Leewards. | | |---| |  Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded: 0\.00% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE Remaining Time \-0:00 1x Playback Rate 2x 1\.75x 1\.5x 1\.25x 1x, selected 0\.75x 0\.5x Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off, selected Captions captions settings, opens captions settings dialog captions off, selected Quality Levels Audio Track Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Opacity Text Background Color Opacity Caption Area Background Color Opacity Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Video Duration 01 minutes 54 seconds 01:54 Now Playing Video Duration 01 minutes 54 seconds 01:54  Hurricane Irma batters Caribbean coastlines Next Video Duration 01 minutes 43 seconds 01:43  Maradona death trial resumes: Medical team faces homicide charges Video Duration 02 minutes 49 seconds 02:49  Starvation in Sudan Video Duration 01 minutes 44 seconds 01:44  What you need to know about Israel’s ambassador to the US Video Duration 01 minutes 49 seconds 01:49  Candidate calls for new election in Peru, claiming fraud without evidence Show more videos | | **WATCH:** [Hurricane Irma batters Caribbean coastlines (1:54)](https://youtu.be/bVOhxjl3WpU) | After dropping to a Category 3 storm on Sunday as it passed along Cuba’s northern archipelago, the storm has since risen to Category 4 again as it crossed warm waters between Cuba and the Florida Keys. Irma is packing winds of up to 215km/h and gusting up to 240km/h. It is moving northwest at only 9km/h. That is no more than a gentle jogging pace. ## Is it good news that the storm has slowed down? No, not really. The large storm surge, which will be three to four metres high, and the accompanying heavy rain will be there for longer and will exacerbate the life-threatening floods. Some parts could receive as much as 500mm-600mm of rain over the next few days. ## Where is it going? Current forecasts are now taking the storm along the western coast of Florida. Initial runs of the computer model expected Irma to pass over the eastern side of the state. Subsequent runs have shifted further west, primarily because it stayed south and it clung onto the Cuban islands for longer. Advertisement ## Is it good news that it stayed to the south? It was certainly good news for the [Bahamas](http://www.aljazeera.com/topics/country/bahamas.html). It has also taken the sting out of the storm as far as passing over eastern Florida is concerned. However, that is the “dirty” side of the storm where the strongest winds will still affect the large conurbations of Miami and Orlando. ### Sign up for Al Jazeera #### Americas Coverage Newsletter protected by **reCAPTCHA** The storm surge of 3-4 metres is now forecast to pass up the western side of the state with big waves on top of that. ## When will the storm clear Florida? The eye wall is currently hitting the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm. Irma is expected to pass close to, if not make landfall, near Fort Myres at about 00:00 GMT on Monday. This is a massive storm with hurricane force winds extending about 130km from the centre of the storm. Tropical storm force winds are currently spread around 350km from the eye. Irma is staggering along so slowly that it may take two days to clear into Alabama still as a Category 1 hurricane. | | |---| |  Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded: 0\.00% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE Remaining Time \-0:00 1x Playback Rate 2x 1\.75x 1\.5x 1\.25x 1x, selected 0\.75x 0\.5x Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off, selected Captions captions settings, opens captions settings dialog captions off, selected Quality Levels Audio Track Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Opacity Text Background Color Opacity Caption Area Background Color Opacity Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Video Duration 25 minutes 15 seconds 25:15 What's behind world's recent extreme weather events? - Inside Story | | [INSIDE STORY: What’s behind world’s recent extreme weather events? 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*Questions answered on the Category 4 storm that ploughed into the southwest of Florida on Sunday morning.* Hurricane Irma slammed into Florida early on Sunday, belting the southern US state with wind gusts of up to 240km per hour while threatening massive tidal surges. Here are some fast facts on the most powerful storm to hit Florida in decades. ## Where has it been so far? Hurricane Irma began life as a tropical wave near the Cape Verde Islands on August 30. It then made its way across the Atlantic and caused catastrophic damage in the northern Leeward Islands before heading for the far north of [Cuba](http://www.aljazeera.com/topics/country/cuba.html). ## How dangerous is this storm? At its peak, its winds were around 298km per hour. It is the strongest [hurricane](http://www.aljazeera.com/topics/subjects/hurricanes-141021132039491.html) ever recorded in the Atlantic basin outside the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Irma was the first Category 5 storm to affect the northern Leewards. | | |---| | Video Duration 01 minutes 54 seconds 01:54 Now Playing Video Duration 01 minutes 54 seconds 01:54 Hurricane Irma batters Caribbean coastlines Next Video Duration 01 minutes 43 seconds 01:43 Maradona death trial resumes: Medical team faces homicide charges Video Duration 02 minutes 49 seconds 02:49 Starvation in Sudan Video Duration 01 minutes 44 seconds 01:44 What you need to know about Israel’s ambassador to the US Video Duration 01 minutes 49 seconds 01:49 Candidate calls for new election in Peru, claiming fraud without evidence | After dropping to a Category 3 storm on Sunday as it passed along Cuba’s northern archipelago, the storm has since risen to Category 4 again as it crossed warm waters between Cuba and the Florida Keys. Irma is packing winds of up to 215km/h and gusting up to 240km/h. It is moving northwest at only 9km/h. That is no more than a gentle jogging pace. ## Is it good news that the storm has slowed down? No, not really. The large storm surge, which will be three to four metres high, and the accompanying heavy rain will be there for longer and will exacerbate the life-threatening floods. Some parts could receive as much as 500mm-600mm of rain over the next few days. ## Where is it going? Current forecasts are now taking the storm along the western coast of Florida. Initial runs of the computer model expected Irma to pass over the eastern side of the state. Subsequent runs have shifted further west, primarily because it stayed south and it clung onto the Cuban islands for longer. ## Is it good news that it stayed to the south? It was certainly good news for the [Bahamas](http://www.aljazeera.com/topics/country/bahamas.html). It has also taken the sting out of the storm as far as passing over eastern Florida is concerned. However, that is the “dirty” side of the storm where the strongest winds will still affect the large conurbations of Miami and Orlando. Sign up for Al JazeeraAmericas Coverage Newsletter The storm surge of 3-4 metres is now forecast to pass up the western side of the state with big waves on top of that. ## When will the storm clear Florida? The eye wall is currently hitting the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm. Irma is expected to pass close to, if not make landfall, near Fort Myres at about 00:00 GMT on Monday. This is a massive storm with hurricane force winds extending about 130km from the centre of the storm. Tropical storm force winds are currently spread around 350km from the eye. Irma is staggering along so slowly that it may take two days to clear into Alabama still as a Category 1 hurricane. | | |---| | Video Duration 25 minutes 15 seconds 25:15 What's behind world's recent extreme weather events? - Inside Story |