Records Rocked as Irma Rolls

Hurricane Irma Meteorological Records/Notable Facts Recap (through September 5 at 9pm EDT)

Intensity Measures

‐ 185 mph max winds – tied with Florida Keys (1935), Gilbert (1988) and Wilma (2005) for second strongest max winds of all time in Atlantic hurricane. Allen had max winds of 190 mph in 1980

‐ 185 mph max winds – making it the strongest storm on record to impact the Leeward Islands, defined as 15‐19°N, 65‐60°W for this calculation. Okeechobee Hurricane (1928) and David (1979) were previous strongest at 160 mph

‐ 185 mph max winds – the strongest storm to exist outside of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico on record

‐ 916 mb central pressure – lowest since Dean (2007) and tied for 11th lowest in satellite era (since 1966)

‐ First Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic since Matthew (2016) and first Category 5 hurricane in the tropical Atlantic (7.5‐20°N, 60‐20°W) since Hugo (1989)

Integrated Measures
‐ Generated the most Accumulated Cyclone Energy by a tropical cyclone on

record in the tropical Atlantic (7.5‐20°N, 60‐20°W)
‐ Generated more Accumulated Cyclone Energy than the first eight named storms

of the Atlantic hurricane season (Arlene‐Harvey) combined

‐ Generated 3.75 major hurricane days in the tropical Atlantic (7.5‐20°N, 60‐ 20°W) – trailing only Luis (1995) for major hurricane days in the tropical Atlantic

Senior Hurricane expert weighs in.