Updated 6:06 p.m. EST

(Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Irma shifted track and took aimat southwestern Florida, raising the risk of severe damage inTampa and other cities facing the Gulf of Mexico, in what could endup being the most expensive storm in U.S. history.

With top winds of 125 miles (201 kilometers) an hour, the deadlystorm is expected to strike the Florida Keys Sunday morning thenfollow the state’s Gulf Coast north, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in anadvisory around 5 p.m. New York time. At Category 3, Irma isexpected to regain strength later Saturday.

Worst case scenario for Tampa Bay


“A track near or just to the west is almost, if not, a worst-casescenario for Tampa Bay,” said Rob Miller, a meteorologist atAccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania. “It shoves all thewater into Tampa Bay and then shoves it right into downtownTampa.”

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