Irma is heading towards Florida with winds of 175 mph
Irma is about to rock us like a hurricane
It's hurricane season in Florida, which means that people are preparing for Irma. I know what y'all are thinking, we're in Florida and we're stronger than a hurricane. But, remember that hurricane last year, called Hermine? Hermine was only a Category 1 hurricane when it reached Tallahassee, and it still caused a lot of damage.
As of yesterday, Irma turned into a Category 5 hurricane and is hurling towards Florida at 14 mph with wind speeds over 180 mph. I know 14 mph doesn't seem that fast, but Harvey moved at 3 mph by the time it reached Texas and caused millions of dollars worth of damage. And even though Irma might drop to a Category 3 or 4 by the time it reaches Florida, there will be still be a lot more damage than Hermine.
Florida State sent out its first advisory yesterday for the approaching hurricane. The path of the storm is undetermined at the moment, but FSU encouraged students to take precautionary measures and not to go to South Florida this weekend. But, as of now, classes and other FSU activities are scheduled as planned until further notice.
Irma is not supposed to reach Florida until Sunday. No matter which way the hurricane goes, Miami is supposed to be hit first. Tallahassee should not be affected by Irma until Monday or Tuesday, but based on most weather maps, all of Florida will be impacted by Irma at one point or another; therefore, classes next week could be affected by the storm.
Last year, Hermine wiped out power and hot water on campus for about five days, and it was only a Category 1. If Irma hits Tallahassee, who knows how long we could be without power?
Remember when Hermine hit and school was cancelled for five days? If I did the math correctly, that means Irma might result in a 25 day vacation. Yay?
If you're planning on staying in Tallahassee throughout the storm like I am, I highly recommend that you stock up on water and nonperishable foods, and buy a flashlight just to be safe. Also, make sure you have cash and gas in your car in case things turn for the worse.
Also, please don't be that person who goes outside in the middle of the storm for a picture because that's dangerous, and are you really that desperate for a picture?
Stay dry and safe next week by following @FSUAlert on Twitter and The Tab for any more updates on hurricane Irma.