Hurricane Irma Forecast In Falls Church Area: Updated Likelihood Of Impact

FALLS CHURCH, VA—Hurricane Irma swept through the Caribbean Wednesday night and Thursday morning, taking at least 10 lives and leaving behind utter devastation. Still considered a Category 5 storm, Irma is expected to make landfall in Florida on Sunday. What that means for the Falls Church area depends on what path it will take when reaching Florida.

Forecasters say one of the bigger puzzles is whether the path will go up Florida's west or east coast. If it's the latter, that's more reason for places like Georgia, the Carolinas and even Virginia to have concern.

A computer model from the Capital Weather Gang simulates a variety of paths Hurricane Irma can take. As of Thursday morning, forecasters say the most likely path is up the east coast. Most paths would head west before DC, while a few go through the region.

Watch: Florida Braces As Irma Rips Across The Caribbean

SEE ALSO:

• Hurricane Irma Barrels Toward Florida, Georgia, Carolinas
  
• Hurricane Irma: Virginians Urged To Monitor, Prepare

From a DC area standpoint, heavy rains would likely be the biggest threat for the DC area, if anything. The National Weather Service branch in Baltimore-Washington says Irma would impact the Mid-Atlantic region between Monday and Wednesday. Potential conditions could include: flooding rain, tidal flooding, tornadoes, and damaging winds. But that's not set in stone until we know where Irma would make landfall.

The chance of major impacts from the hurricane continue to increase in Florida, the National Hurricane Center said Thursday morning. This is also true for parts of Georgia and the Carolinas, although it remains to be seen where the impacts could happen. A hurricane watch has already been issued for parts of south Florida, and a state of emergency has been issued in Florida, the Carolinas and Georgia.

Virginia certainly could be affected, but likely only areas such as Hampton Roads, according to the National Hurricane Center. NWS encourages Virginia families and businesses to prepare disaster plans and emergency kits. And residents should monitor the NWS tropical webpage as the storm nears for updates about the region.

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Image via National Hurricane Center