Irma: Storm chaser posts extraordinary video as hurricane batters Florida

Juston Drake is seen being thrown backwards by the strong winds

Juston Drake is seen struggling to walk in the strong winds (Screengrab)

A storm chaser has posted extraordinary footage as Hurricane Irma batters Florida.

Juston Drake, a meteorologist, is shown in the video stumbling as he battles the winds which exceed 100mph, just off mainland Florida at Key West.

As he attempts to get a wind speed reading, Mr Drake is almost blown off his feet on multiple occasions.

A paintball mask which is he is wearing to protect himself is seen in the video to blow off due to the winds.

The storm's northern eyewall reached the lower Florida Keys as a powerful Category 4 storm.

Irma lashed the area with maximum sustained winds near 130 mph (215 kph) and the US National Hurricane Centre said it was expected to remain a powerful storm as it moved through the Florida Keys and near the state's west coast.

It has so far killed at least 24 people across the Caribbean and the Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, issued a stark warning advising people to flee.

"This is a deadly storm and our state has never seen anything like it," Mr Scott told a news conference.

"Millions of Floridians will see major hurricane impacts with deadly storm surge and life-threatening winds.

“The threat of deadly storm surge heading along the east, entire west coast of Florida has increased and six to 12 feet, think about that.

“Six to 12 feet — this will cover your house. It flows in fast, very fast, then it flows out. You will not survive all this storm surge," he added.