01:01 What's Steering Tropical Storm Beta? Meteorologist Heather Tesch shows us how much rainfall you could see from Beta.

At a Glance Hurricane Irma is a potential threat to the U.S. this weekend or early next week.

For now, we can't nail down any specifics on who might be struck and when.

This uncertainty is typical of most tropical cyclones this far out.

There are some basic atmospheric patterns we look for to investigate whether the U.S. is at risk.



Hurricane Irma will be a formidable hurricane for days to come in the Atlantic Basin, but its future impact in the U.S. remains unknown.

This is a developing weather story. For the latest on Irma's potential impact on the mainland U.S., check out our latest forecast here .

For tips on how to prepare for a hurricane, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes has an excellent site to help.