Hurricane Irma Is Now A Catagory 5

People who live in Puerto Rico and Florida are bracing for a very dangerous hurricane.  Irma has been upgraded to a category 5, with winds measured at 175 mph.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is telling those who live in the potential path of Irma to rush their preparations for the storm.  It's expected to strike the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by Wednesday afternoon.

The NHC says it's still to early to know the impact of Irma on the U.S., but current models show it could make landfall in Cuba and Florida by the weekend.  Most supermarkets in the Miami area have already sold out of water and other non-perishable items, according to cnn.com.

There is the possibility that Irma could turn sharply north and follow a path along the eastern seaboard of the U.S.  Again, the NHC says it's just too early to predict the path.