Harvepino/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Three hurricanes are currently churning in the Atlantic Ocean, and they’re all moving west.
Hurricane Irma — a Category 5 storm — poses the most imminent threat as it bears down on the Caribbean with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph speeds before it is expected to take a turn to the north to threaten the U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Hurricane #Irma Advisory 31: Eye of Category 5 Hurricane Irma Moving Away From The Northernmost Virgin Islands. https://t.co/VqHn0uj6EM
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) September 6, 2017
On Wednesday afternoon, the “quickly strengthening” Hurricane Jose was upgraded to a Category 1 storm. As of 5 p.m., Jose was moving west-northwest at 16 mph with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. The storm could be near a major hurricane by Friday.
Hurricane #Jose Advisory 6: Quickly Strengthening Jose Becomes a Hurricane. https://t.co/VqHn0uj6EM
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) September 6, 2017
No coastal watches and warnings are in effect for Jose at this time, according to the NHC.
Hurricane Katia is currently forming in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, according to the NHC. As of 5 p.m., it was moving southeast at 3 mph and has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
Hurricane #Katia Advisory 5: Hurricane Katia Forms in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico. https://t.co/VqHn0uj6EM
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) September 6, 2017
The Mexican government has issued a hurricane watch for the coast in the state of Veracruz from Tuxpan to Laguna Verde, according to the NHC.
This isn’t the first time there have been three hurricanes at once in the Atlantic Basin.
The last time three hurricanes were brewing in the Atlantic at the same time was in September 2010, Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University, tweeted on Aug. 31.
#Irma is now a major hurricane – the 2nd of 2017 Atlantic hurricane season & the first time since 2010 we’ve had 2 major hurricanes by 8/31. pic.twitter.com/RwPq9hrj1B
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) August 31, 2017
This set of hurricanes included Hurricane Igor, which struck Bermuda as a Category 1 storm and then the Canadian island of Newfoundland as a tropical cyclone, according to the NHC.
The last time there were 3 hurricanes active at the same time in the Atlantic Basin was: September 16-17, 2010 per @philklotzbach pic.twitter.com/PTNp9g3kY1
— NWS San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) September 6, 2017
6 Atlantic hurricanes have formed since Aug 7 – tied with 1893 for most hurricane formations on record between 8/7-9/6. #Irma #Jose #Katia pic.twitter.com/0qooUbQLr7
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 6, 2017
In the 1998 season, four hurricanes were in the Atlantic at the same time, including Hurricane Georges, a Category 4 storm that killed more than 600 people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and caused $2.8 billion in damage in the U.S., the Weather Channel reported.
It has been an active hurricane season so far for 2017.
Hurricane Irma poses a dangerous threat for Florida about two weeks after Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Texas as a Category 4 storm, causing record flooding in Houston and other areas.
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