Rating Hurricanes: The Saffir-Simpson Scale

Hurricane Irma, a potentially catastrophic Category 5 hurricane, is tracking north of the Dominican Republic this morning and will then head for the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas, before posing a serious threat to Florida and parts of the Southeast beginning this weekend.

Weather in your inbox

Forecast Location

Sign Up

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

(MORE: Hurricane Central | Impacts In Caribbean)

For the latest on Irma please click here.

Recap: Leeward Islands Battered

The Leeward Islands were pounded by Irma late Tuesday into Wednesday.

Irma's 185 mph winds make it the strongest hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands region, according to Dr. Phil Klotzbach, a tropical scientist at Colorado State University. That beat out the Okeechobee Hurricane (1928) and David (1979) which both had 160 mph winds at their peak in the Leeward Islands.

Irma first passed over Barbuda, an island of 1600 residents, with gusts of at least 155 mph overnight into Wednesday morning. A storm surge of about eight feet was also recorded.

Early Wednesday morning, the eye of Irma then moved over St. Martin, St. Barthelemy and near Anguilla, where sustained winds of 117 mph were measured.

(MORE: Irma Slams Northeastern Caribbean)

Hurricane-force winds and heavy rain were reported in the Virgin Islands. A wind gust of 131 mph was reported at Buck Island and a gust of 87 mph has been measured on St. Thomas, on Wednesday, September 6.

In addition, a 111 mph gust has been reported on Culebra. 

PHOTOS: Hurricane Irma