hurricane irma was a category 5 hurricane in 2017, the 9th named storm, 4th hurricane, 2nd major hurricane, and a 1st category 5 hurricane of the hyperactive 2017 atlantic hurricane season. irma is also the 4th consecutive hurricane of the 2017 atlantic hurricane season—after franklin, gert, and harvey. the storm threatened the leeward islands, virgin islands and puerto rico. irma was also forecast to threaten the east coast of the united states, but later forecast to hit southwest florida.