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Florida ’s regulator has declared a statewide emergency in reply to Hurricane Irma , now a Category 5 storm churning in the Atlantic Ocean that seemingly has its sights countersink on Florida .

" By declaring a state of parking brake in all 67 Florida county , Governor [ Rick ] Scott is control that local governments have ample time , resources and flexibility to get prepared for this unsafe storm and are not hinder , delayed or foreclose from taking all necessary actions to keep communities safe , " according to a statement from Scott ’s billet on Sept. 4 .

Hurricane Irma gained Category 5 status on Sept. 5. An instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite flew over Irma when it was classified as a Category 3 hurricane on Sept. 4, 2017, at 12:32 a.m. EDT.

Hurricane Irma gained Category 5 status on Sept. 5. An instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite flew over Irma when it was classified as a Category 3 hurricane on Sept. 4, 2017, at 12:32 a.m. EDT.

The National Hurricane Center ( NHC ) declared the tempest a family 5 on the Saffir - Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale this dayspring ( Sept. 5 ) , with maximal sustained winds nearing 180 miles per hour ( 285 km / h ) . [ Hurricane Season 2017 Guide ]

In addition to the governor ’s declaration , he also asked President Donald Trump to hold a " pre - landfall " province of pinch in Florida so that resource and assist from the Union government would be available for actions such as shoring up beach sand dune , building emergency berms and plan for any elimination , fit in to a statement from Scott on Sept. 5 .

In a letter of the alphabet to Trump request the commonwealth of emergency , Scott enunciate that Irma " could result in a major cataclysm for significant portions of the state of Florida , " when it makes landfall , something that could go on later this workweek or this weekend , according to the NHC . [ Hurricane Irma Photos : Images of a Monster Storm ]

A satellite image of a large hurricane over the Southeastern United States

Scott urged Floridians to have a disaster plan in place , to remain vigilant , and to continue monitoring local atmospheric condition theme .

Though forecasters can never be sure where and when a tropical storm will score , a forecast from the NHC this morn indicated that " the chance of verbatim impacts from Irma subsequently this week and this weekend is increasing in the Florida Keys and portions of the Florida Peninsula . However , it is too soon to determine the timing and magnitude of the shock . "

Irma hail on the heels of the first hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season , Harvey , which taste into the glide of Texas as a class 4 tempest , bring unprecedented rainfallto area around Houston .

A satellite view of stormy weather sweeping across Florida on Monday morning when the tornado hit north of Orlando.

Live Science has basic information on how to devisea hurricane readiness plan .

in the beginning published onLive Science .

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