The environment is favorable for Irma to maintain its category 4 status, and only unpredictable eyewall replacement cycles could result in intensity fluctuations during the next 48 hours. The interaction of the hurricane's circulation with Cuba will probably not result in any relevant change in intensity. In summary, the NHC forecast brings Irma near south Florida as a category 4 hurricane. After landfall, interaction with land and an increase in wind shear should induce gradual weakening.
Satellite images and radar fixes from Cuba indicate that Irma has slowed down and is now moving toward the west or 280 degrees at about 10 kt. The hurricane should continue on this track for the next 12 hours to 24 hours, and this track will bring the core of Irma very close to the north coast of Cuba. After that time, Irma should reach the southwestern edge of the subtropical high and begin to move toward the northwest and north-northwest toward the Florida peninsula. The precise moment of this turn is still uncertain, and that is why NHC emphasizes that nobody should focus on the exact track of the center. This afternoon's NHC forecast was again adjusted a little bit westward following the trend of the ECMWF model and both the HFIP corrected consensus and the FSU Superensemble. In fact, these 3 aids continued to be tightly packed.
Whoever is happy will make others happy too.Anne Frank