Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale The scale is used to classify tropical cyclones occurring in the Atlantic Ocean and northern Pacific Ocean basins east of the International Date Line. (more) Hurricane Irma Atlantic Ocean storm [2017] Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/event/Hurricane-Irma-2017 Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Michele Metych Michele has a B.A. in English from Southeast Missouri State University and an M.A. from DePaul University. She's a Chicago girl at heart, but she still misses living in a place with farms. When she's not... Michele Metych Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Aug 21, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was the wind speed of Hurricane Irma? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hurricane Irma sustained wind speeds of 185 miles (298 km) per hour." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How long did Hurricane Irma maintain its category 5 status? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hurricane Irma spent a total of 78 hours as a category 5 storm." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was the estimated damage cost and death toll from Hurricane Irma? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Damage from Hurricane Irma was estimated to cost about $90 billion. At least 129 people lost their lives because of the direct or indirect effects of the hurricane." } } ] } Top Questions What was the wind speed of Hurricane Irma? Hurricane Irma sustained wind speeds of 185 miles (298 km) per hour.

　　How long did Hurricane Irma maintain its category 5 status? Hurricane Irma spent a total of 78 hours as a category 5 storm.

　　What was the estimated damage cost and death toll from Hurricane Irma? Damage from Hurricane Irma was estimated to cost about $90 billion. At least 129 people lost their lives because of the direct or indirect effects of the hurricane.

　　Hurricane Irma, one of the longest-lasting category 5 hurricanes on record that hit the Caribbean and the southern United States in 2017. With sustained wind speeds of 185 miles (298 km) per hour, Irma was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Caribbean at the time of landfall and the strongest hurricane recorded over the open Atlantic Ocean as of 2025. Between August 30 and September 12, Irma made landfall seven times across the Caribbean and Florida, causing widespread destruction. Four of Irma’s landfalls were at category 5 strength, with wind speeds of more than 157 miles (253 km) per ...(100 of 1398 words)

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