Hurricane Irma is not the only show in town. Two other dangerous and strengthening hurricanes, Jose and Katia, are swirling in the Atlantic Ocean basin.
Jose, following a similar path to Irma in the eastern Atlantic, has grown into an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane with 150 m/h (241 km/h) winds.
Taking Irma and Jose together, this is the first time on record two storms in the tropical Atlantic Ocean have attained 150 m/h (241 km/h) winds at the same time, Chicago Tribune reported. The peak winds of Hurricane Katia, centered over the southwest Gulf of Mexico, had reached 100 m/h (161 km/h).
Hurricane Jose
Jose has exceeded all expectations by explosively intensifying into a Category 4 storm—the third straight hurricane in 2017 to do so, following Harvey and Irma.
According to Phil Klotzbach, hurricane expert from Colorado State University, this is the first time on record three straight storms have attained Category 4 or higher status.
Hurricane Katia
Just as Jose was upgraded to a hurricane on Wednesday, so was Katia. This system formed in the western Gulf of Mexico from a lingering disturbance earlier this week.
Katia made landfall north of Tecolutla, Mexico, as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 m/h (120 km/h) late Friday.
Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic hurricane in recorded history, made its first landfall in the islands of the northeast Caribbean early Wednesday, roaring along a path to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba as it aims directly for Florida.
Incredibly, all three of the active hurricanes in the Atlantic basin made landfall at the same time on Saturday: Irma over the Bahamas (and approaching Florida), Jose over the northeastern Leewards and Katia in Mexico.
It is quite rare to have three simultaneous hurricanes. The last time this occurred was in 2010 with Hurricanes Igor, Julia and Karl.
In an unlikely coincidence, these storms are almost in the same order and position as Irma, Jose and Katia.
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