by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:42 AM ET, Thu September 7, 2017
Hurricane Irma continues to carve a path of destruction across the Caribbean as it makes its way toward the United States for an expected landfall Sunday.
UPDATE: 4:30 p.m. ET 9/7/2017
Hurricane Irma continues to churn through the Caribbean, and the latest weather forecasts are projecting a direct hit in the U.S. as well. One of the latest European models shows the storm shifting west, with the center of the storm pushing straight through the middle of the Florida peninsula. The Florida Keys and Miami could be in Irma's direct path.
For people in Miami-Dade County, Mandatory Evacuations orders have expanded to include 650,000 residents, according to AccuWeather.com. In Georgia, Governor Nathan Deal ordered a mandatory evacuation for the area east of I-95, including the city of Savannah. Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas are also under states of emergency.
As the storm continues to travel over the Dominican Republic toward Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos before hitting southeastern Bahamas Thursday night, Hurricane Jose has strengthened to a Category 2 storm and is following in Irma's path.
Airports and airlines in the region are beginning to shut down service, with Key West International Airport being among the first. Airlines, including United, have announced that they will likely be canceling most flights to and from southern Florida from Saturday through Monday, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Several airlines have also announced price caps on flights to avoid price gouging. For Air Canada customers, the airline announced it will operate 24 additional flights to bring customers home early from the Dominican Republic, Florida, Cuba, Antigua and Providenciales.
Officials from Saint Kitts have announced that the island has avoided major devastation from Hurricane Irma and the islands' tourism providers are in the process of reopening. St. Kitts' Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport is also open and accepting flights.
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On Thursday, Hurricane Irma moved past the northern coast of Puerto Rico, leaving over one million people on the island without power. The storm is expected to impact the Dominican Republic and Haiti later in the day before striking the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Friday, according to NBCNews.com.
Turks and Caicos could experience storm surge up to 20 feet and around eight to 12 inches of rain, according to ABCNews.com. The western Bahamas will also experience similar conditions when the hurricane makes its way past the tropical paradise.
The National Weather Service reported wind speeds for Hurricane Irma were down slightly from Wednesday, dropping to 180 miles per hour. The northern part of the Dominican Republic and Haiti are expecting heavy rain and gusty winds with a storm surge between three to five feet.
As for the United States, Hurricane Irma is expected to make landfall near Miami Sunday as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of around 150 mph. To prepare, two counties in Florida have ordered mandatory evacuations, including the Florida Keys and Miami Beach. Governor Rick Scott warned more evacuations were likely.
Parts of Georgia and the Carolinas are also expected to feel the impact of Hurricane Irma.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Three Hurricanes March Across Atlantic at Once[/READMORE]
The islands of St. Martin and Barbuda hit particularly hard. French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said at least eight people were killed and 21 more injured on St. Martin. On Barbuda, one person was killed and the island suffered near-total destruction, with 90 percent of structures there destroyed.
In the Bahamas, officials from the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar resort announced hotel operations will be suspended Thursday and all guests have been sent home to ensure their safety.
More Hurricane Irma Coverage
Airlines
As a result of the major storm, airlines in Florida and throughout the Caribbean are watching the warnings from the National Hurricane Center in order to keep passengers safe through delays and cancellations. Plus, read TravelPulse's assessment on accusations of airline price gouging.
Cruise Itineraries
For cruise passengers wondering if their voyages have been impacted, all major cruise lines with itineraries in the Caribbean have modified schedules and/or canceled cruises.
Mark Murphy Talks Irma
President and CEO of travAlliancemedia Mark Murphy was a guest on FOX 29 Philadelphia Wednesday and provided travelers with some helpful insight regarding what to expect and how to prepare for a storm as massive as the category five Hurricane Irma.
Irma's Toll on Caribbean Life, Infrastructure and Tourism
travAlliancemedia Caribbean and Latin America executive editor Brian Major broke down the structural, financial and emotional destruction in the region left behind by Hurricane Irma in an in-depth feature.
Travel Insurance
Wondering if your travel insurance will cover you in the case of Hurricane Irma? TravelPulse has all the information you need.
Theme Parks
What you need to know if you have a Florida theme park vacation planned during Hurricane Irma.
Hotels
While many hotels and resorts in Florida are preparing for Hurricane Irma, residents are heading north to states like Georgia to avoid the storm. As a result, hotels and motels along the route north are at capacity.
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