Irma Strengthens to Category 5 Hurricane - US National Hurricane Center

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Hurricane Irma has now strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it churns in the Atlantic Ocean, the National Hurricane Center said in a special advisory on Tuesday.

"Irma is now a category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h)," the advisory stated.

The advisory noted Irma is expected to affect the Northern Leeward Islands later on Tuesday, and then the British and US Virgin Islands as well as Puerto Rico starting Wednesday.

​There is also a chance of Irma having some impact on the US stated of Florida later this week.