Monday: Irma downgraded to tropical storm after shoving past Tampa Bay

After a day of dread and uncertainty, Irma has weakened into a tropical storm, but not before bringing heavy rain, wind, damage and power outages, but sparing the region the worst of its once-historic wrath.

As of 11 a.m., Irma's winds have decreased to 65 mph as it cruised past Tampa and passed over Tampa and continues to produce wind gusts to near hurricane-force as it pushes north across the state.

The storm was located about 70 miles east of Tallahassee and about 85 miles north of Cedar Key, and moving north-northwest at 17 mph.

Irma is forecast to weaken into a tropical depression by Tuesday afternoon as it moves near the northwestern coast of the Florida peninsula and cross into southern Georgia this afternoon and eastern Alabama tonight and Tuesday.

After lashing the Florida Keys with Category 4 winds Sunday morning, and reaching Florida's mainland at Marco Island, south of Naples, as a Category 3 hours later, Irma's eye crossed Lakeland at Category 2 just after midnight, with weaker winds in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 415 miles from the center.

After a day of dread and uncertainty, a weakened Hurricane Irma struck Tampa Bay Sunday and Monday, bringing heavy rain, wind and downed trees and power lines, but sparing the region of the worst of its once-historic wrath.

[WTSP]

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