[Orlando, Fla.] Irma has weakened to a Tropical Storm after the massive storm zeroed in on Central Florida early Monday hammering much of the state with roof-ripping winds, gushing floodwaters and widespread power outages. As of 8 a.m., the storm's maximum sustained winds weakened to 70 mph with additional weakening expected. Tropical Storm Irma's path is forecast to bring it north-northwest over southern Georgia and eastern Alabama later today into Tuesday.
Even as a Tropical Storm, Irma is capable of producing some wind gusts to near hurricane force. The Hurricane Warning is changed to a Tropical Storm Warning along the Florida west coast south of Bonita Beach to the Okaloosa/Walton county line, along the Florida east coast from Jupiter Inlet to the South Santee River, and for Lake Okeechobee.
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for South Santee River southward to the Flagler/Volusia County line, Cape Sable northward to the Ochlockonee River, and Tampa Bay. As of 8 a.m. EDT, the storm was centered about 105 miles north-northwest of Tampa and moving north-northwest near 18 mph.
Irma made landfall on Marco Island Sunday afternoon as a Category 3 hurricane. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Irma's powerful eye roared ashore at Marco Island just south of Naples for a second U.S. landfall at 3:35 p.m. Sunday. Irma had 115 mph winds at the time of second U.S. landfall, which is tied for the 21st strongest landfall in the U.S. based on central pressure. Irma's first U.S. landfall in the Florida Keys was tied for 7th.
More than 5 million customers have lost power in Florida. Florida Power & Light, the state's largest electric utility, said there were nearly 1 million customers without power in Miami-Dade County alone. There were nearly 250,000 customers without power early Monday in Orange County. There are roughly 7 million residential customers in the state.
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Irma continues to weaken; millions of Floridians without power, originally appeared on the
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