Florida

Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified off Florida's southwest coast Wednesday, gaining top winds of 155 mph. Forecasters said the Fort Myers area could be ...

One tornado damaged small planes and a hangar at the North Perry Airport, west of Hollywood along the Atlantic coast. He boarded the windows of his Tampa home with plywood, laid down sandbags, and with his wife, packed their car with bottled water, flashlights, battery packs for their cellphones and a camp stove before evacuating. And "it will really increase the amount of storm surge." Hotels along the coast either filled up or closed down, and with flights canceled, some tourists planned to join locals at emergency shelters. Ian went from 120 mph to 155 mph in three hours, the second round of rapid intensification in the storm's life cycle. "It's time to hunker down and prepare for the storm," DeSantis said. Damaging winds and rain lashed the state, and forecasters said the heavily populated Fort Myers area could be inundated by a storm surge of up to 18 feet. "With the higher intensity you're going to see more extensive wind damage. "You can't do anything about natural disasters," said Vinod Nair, who drove inland from the Tampa area Tuesday with his wife, son, dog and two kittens, seeking a hotel in Orlando, where only tropical-storm force winds were expected. Ron DeSantis said early Wednesday, stressing that people in Ian's path along the coast should rush to the safest possible shelter and stay there. The area is popular with retirees and tourists drawn to pristine white sandy beaches and long barrier islands, which forecasters said could be completely inundated. Ian was centered about 60 miles west-southwest of Naples at 10 a.m., swirling toward the coast at 10 mph.

In deciding not to evacuate, they weighed the threat of destruction against that of trouble leaving on clogged highways.

Schafer, 33, said she decided not to evacuate because she felt safer hunkering down in her own home than taking her chances on the road along the evacuation route. She has two children under 2 and said she had no choice but to stay because of her business, with patients looking to schedule liposuction before the storm. Capiga, 43 years old, was second-guessing her family’s decision to stay but said she felt they hadn’t had enough time. His prediction was correct, and many in Charlotte County credit his warning with saving their lives after the area was hit by the storm. Her home was not under mandatory evacuation orders, but she was on edge with water already pooling inside her shed by Tuesday evening. “I specially picked this condo because it’s at the highest elevation point in Cape Coral.”

Storm makes landfall near Cayo Costa along the south-western coast of Florida with winds close to 150mph.

“So that does not mean that we are out of danger with Hurricane Ian. That’s where the majority of the injuries happen,” she warned, citing downed trees, fallen power lines and standing water. You’re going to have a massive amount of power hitting that coastline with really, really strong winds. Have we had big storms that left a lot of water and flooding? “So please, please be aware that we are not out of danger yet. Joe Biden said earlier today that he had spoken with the Republican governor, and promised his “absolute commitment” to provide federal resources. With Hurricane Ian making landfall earlier this afternoon, the numbers are expected to change. As the storm passes through, winds in its eastern and lower half will shove water back toward land — and inland — at a prodigious rate,” NPR explains. We will remain closed Thursday and anticipate reopening on Friday, Sept. That is going to do a lot of damage. “Our destination, including CityWalk, will close on Wednesday, Sept. Have we had storms as strong as this hit Florida?

Collier County, which includes Naples, has the largest amount of residents experiencing an outage: more than 49% of the 266,000 power customers. Manatee County ...

[inundating densely populated coastal communities](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-storm-surge-southwest-florida) known for attracting tourists and retirees, including Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples and Sanibel Island. [Miami-Dade area schools close as Ian soaks Florida](https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2022/09/27/tornado-miami-flooding) It's expected to do the same on the Florida mainland — with the highest risk from Naples to Sarasota, Axios’ Andrew Freedman reports. [Hurricane Ian closings: Universal Studios, Disney, stores, schools and more closed](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/hurricane-ian-florida-closings-stores-theme-parks) [Flight cancellations top 1,900 as Hurricane Ian nears Florida](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/florida-flights-canceled-hurricane-ian) [Insurance tips for homeowners pre- and post-Hurricane Ian](https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2022/09/27/hurricane-insurance-flooding) [Live updates: Hurricane Ian makes landfall as high-end Category 4 storm](/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) [Hurricane Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/25/hurricane-ian-intensifies-florida-threat) put on a staggering display of rapid intensification Wednesday afternoon, making landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida, as a high-end Category 4 storm. [Hurricane Ian made landfall](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) along the state's west coast, a number that is expected to keep rising.

Hurricane Ian is headed for the gulf coast of Florida after making landfall in Cuba. The hurricane is expected to bring storm surge and heavy rain to the ...

more frequently in recent years](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/09/29/record-us-hurricane-landfalls-climate/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_9). And last summer alone, [nearly 1 in 3 Americans experienced a weather disaster](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/09/04/climate-disaster-hurricane-ida/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_10). [seven safety tips to help you get ready for hurricanes](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/03/hurricane-safety-prepare-noaa/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_6). Read more about [how climate change is fueling severe weather events](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/10/22/climate-curious-disasters-climate-change/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_11). [intensified this fall with conditions prime for storms](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/08/17/hurricane-season-tropical-atlantic/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_1). For the seventh year in a row, hurricane officials expect [an above-average season of hurricane activity](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/24/noaa-atlantic-hurricane-outlook-2022/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_5).

Hurricane Ian is forecast to make landfall Wednesday afternoon on the west coast of Florida as an 'extremely dangerous' storm. Live updates.

It will slam much of the state with [life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds and flooding](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2022/09/27/hurricane-ian-impacts-could-felt-weeks-heres-why/10443192002/), the National Hurricane Center said. [WHAT IS STORM SURGE?: ] [Explaining a hurricane's deadliest and most destructive threat](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/05/18/storm-surge-definition-hurricane-threat/9797051002/) [FEMA readies search and rescue teams] [Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell says her biggest concern with Hurricane Ian is the expected storm surge and inland flooding from heavy rains as the storm crawls across Florida over the next two days.] [“It's bringing with it a lot of rain and it's going to move slowly, which means people that are in the path, they are going to experience the impacts for a long period of time,” Criswell told CNN on Wednesday morning. Glyn and Christine Williams of London were told to leave their hotel near the beach when evacuations were ordered. Another possible tornado also was reported in Broward County.] [WHAT IS THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SPEED SCALE?] [Breaking down the hurricane category scale](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/05/19/hurricane-wind-speed-saffir-simpson-scale/9807231002/) [Heavy rains, flooding to spread into Georgia, South Carolina] [Heavy rainfall will spread across the Florida peninsula through Thursday. Disney World theme parks and Sea World in Orlando all closed ahead of the storm. later this week and this weekend.] ["Widespread, life-threatening catastrophic flooding is expected across portions of central Florida with considerable flooding in southern Florida, northern Florida, southeastern Georgia and coastal South Carolina," the service said in an advisory.] [Georgia Gov. A couple from England on vacation in Tampa found themselves faced with riding out the storm at a shelter. [Too late to flee for some] [DeSantis warned the highest risk was along the west coast counties of Collier, Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota. "If you are in any of those counties, it's no longer possible to safely evacuate," DeSantis said. [poweroutage.us](https://poweroutage.us/). "It is going to have major, major impacts in terms of wind, in terms of rain, in terms of flooding," Gov. [AccuWeather](https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/live-news/ian-strengthens-to-category-4-hurricane-as-it-nears-florida/1252749) forecasters predicted landfall just northwest of Fort Myers, between Don Pedro Island and Boca Grande, around 4 p.m.

Hurricane Ian delivered an eerie omen to coastal Florida residents Wednesday morning: Its winds pulled massive amounts of water out of Tampa Bay and other ...

Right now, NPR stations all across Florida are serving their community with vital information during this crisis, and more stations are pitching in as the storm moves up the coast. There's much more to come: Ian is predicted to slow down as it nears the shore, increasing rain levels on the coast and far inland. Hurricane Ian's winds are swirling counter-clockwise as it moves northward along the Florida peninsula, so its winds are whipping the water away from the shoreline ahead of the center. But you can imagine that same force is pushing water away from the shoreline," the NHC's Jamie Rhome hurricanes, according to the But experts have repeatedly warned that the storm surge and floodwaters pose a dire threat.

"A storm of this magnitude will produce catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge on the Gulf Coast of Florida," DeSantis said.

Category 5 landfalls in the U.S. Irma was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane before continuing onto the Florida Peninsula just south of Naples. If you get scared, we don't come to get you in the middle of the storm. Michael left widespread devastation in the Florida Panhandle. Hurricane Camille in 1969 and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. Before Michael, Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which also struck Florida, was the last Category 5 landfall. Ahead of landfall, power outages were beginning to spike in Southwest Florida. More than 2.5 million were given mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders in Florida as Hurricane Ian continued to strengthen in the Gulf. [LEARN HOW TO SURVIVE A HURRICANE IF YOU DIDN'T EVACUATE](https://www.foxweather.com/learn/how-to-ride-out-a-hurricane) You'll just have to hunker down in the house and do the best that you can." However, the emergency line will remain operating. "It's no longer possible to safely evacuate.

Hurricane approaches Florida after passing over Cuba and the Caribbean sea as a powerful tropical storm.

The blackout, he added, was “an exceptional condition – a total of zero” electricity generation. The storm left at least two dead in western Cuba, state-run media reported. Tens of thousands of customers across central and southern Florida had lost power by Wednesday lunchtime. “This is going to be a rough stretch. Operations at the international airport were also halted. “We’ll be there at every step of the way. Authorities warned those who remained would be on their own because conditions were too dangerous for emergency crews to be out. This is a major, major storm,” he added. “There’s some storms that really leave an indelible impact … Overnight, areas of Key West were inundated with water. this is going to be one of those historic storms and it’s going to shape the communities in south-west Florida and have a profound impact on our state,” he said at a morning press conference. [Florida](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/florida) residents lay directly in the path of the deadly storm, which also threatened to bring a storm surge of up to 18ft (5.5 meters) to vulnerable coastal and inland areas.

We get the latest on Hurricane Ian, discuss Florida's rickety property insurance market, hear about a new book on the refugee crisis written by Jacksonville ...

[Beyond Van Gogh](https://vangoghjacksonville.com/)immersive exhibit have a chance to get a pair of free tickets from First Coast Connect. [Elizabeth Sarah](https://elizabethsarahcollections.com/)and visual artist [Philip Bennett Walker](https://philipbennettwalker.com/)have outgrown their current gallery space in Jacksonville Beach. We spoke with River City Pride’s Karrissa Wade, who discussed the festival’s [events](https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/09/27/river-city-pride-expands-to-four-events-starting-friday/). [The River City Pride festival](https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/08/26/jax-river-city-pride-announces-parade-festival-dates/)is scheduled to happen in Riverside this weekend. [Keith Schneider](https://twitter.com/krs_uf) spoke with us to share tips for safe storage of food and water before and during a power outage. Mary's Seafood festival](https://visitstmarys.com/st-marys-seafood-fest-1). For more information and updates, visit River City Pride’s [website](https://jaxrcpride.org/). Their interview Monday gave the students a chance to be the ones to ask all the questions about broadcasting, journalism and news. [Andrew Leon Hanna](https://twitter.com/andrewleonhanna?lang=en) knows a lot about the refugee crisis as it continues unabated worldwide. [intensified](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?start) to an [extremely dangerous](https://news.wjct.org/first-coast/2022-09-27/hurricane-ian-could-hit-first-coast-with-5-foot-storm-surge-15-inches-of-rain-possible) Category 4 storm this morning as it barreled closer to Florida's Gulf Coast. Listeners can download the free Florida Storms [app](https://wjct.org/weather/?station=wjct) to get the latest updates on Ian. As insurance experts are sounding the alarm about Ian and storms to come, the issue is becoming more and more urgent for millions of homeowners across the state.

Rainfall could top more than 18 inches, and storm surges could push as much as 18 feet of water over nearly 100 miles of coast.

Flannery Dziedzic, who lives in Naples, said she has also noticed the winds pick up in her area. Even going to the store yesterday, I actually just kind of had to almost get just regular groceries. Even once the storm is over, DeSantis said it may not be completely safe to go outside. Rainfall near the storm's landfall site could top more than 18 inches, and storm surges could push as much as 18 feet of water over nearly 100 miles of coastline, according to the National Hurricane Center. Candy Powell, an east Orlando resident, has lived in Florida since 2016 and watched the state face hurricanes like Irma, Dorian and Matthew. Hurricane Ian greatly intensified as it neared land, reaching winds of 155 mph and nearing the most dangerous Category 5 classification Wednesday morning. "90% of fatalities in these tropical systems comes from the water. Officials in Florida and nationally are closely tracking the storm's movements. "Water. More than 2.5 million people were under mandatory evacuation orders in Florida, but legally, no residents can be forced to leave their homes. So please hunker down," he said. It's going to get a lot worse very quickly.

Hurricane Ian will go down as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike Florida as the Category 4 storm made landfall in Cayo Costa, Florida, ...

Hurricane Michael brought catastrophic storm surge to the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend areas. Joseph Peninsula State Park on Cape San Blas, the storm surge cut through the peninsula, creating two inlets, resulting in portions of the park no longer being accessible by vehicle, according to the NWS. One of the hardest hit locations was from Mexico Beach to Indian Pass where 9 to 14 feet of peak storm surge inundation was observed. "These new inlets truly demonstrate the power of storm surge," NWS wrote. Roads were blocked, so getting in and out of the destruction zone was hard or impossible. Nearly 100% of customers across a large portion of the Florida Panhandle lost power, with some of these outages lasting weeks. The widespread damage spread well inland as Hurricane Michael remained at hurricane strength into southwest Georgia. [HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER ON TV](https://www.foxweather.com/learn/how-to-watch-fox-weather-on-tv) There was no power, no water, looters roamed the neighborhoods and gunfire echoed through the desolation. It was hell on Earth in South Dade after the storm. Only three other hurricanes have hit Florida with stronger winds and a fourth has matched Ian's intensity. For the rest of that week, the nights were the worst.

Hurricane Ian, a strong Category 4 storm, is on a destructive path toward Florida and is expected to make landfall Wednesday. Follow CNN for the latest ...

Fuller said that the influx of new residents in the last couple of years is a concern. “We’re beginning to experience these tropical storm-force winds and it’s only going to get stronger going forward.” So, our hope is that our residents listened and took the lesson of Hurricane Charley from 2004.”

As Stephen Strader has watched Hurricane Ian barreling toward Florida's west coast, he cannot stop thinking about all that lies in its path.

more frequently in recent years](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/09/29/record-us-hurricane-landfalls-climate/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_9). And last summer alone, [nearly 1 in 3 Americans experienced a weather disaster](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/09/04/climate-disaster-hurricane-ida/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_10). [seven safety tips to help you get ready for hurricanes](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/03/hurricane-safety-prepare-noaa/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_6). Read more about [how climate change is fueling severe weather events](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/10/22/climate-curious-disasters-climate-change/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_11). [intensified this fall with conditions prime for storms](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/08/17/hurricane-season-tropical-atlantic/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_1). For the seventh year in a row, hurricane officials expect [an above-average season of hurricane activity](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/24/noaa-atlantic-hurricane-outlook-2022/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_5).

As Ian moved closer to the state overnight, tropical storm-force winds were reaching the coasts of Southeast and Southwest Florida and major flooding was being ...

Warnings are also in place on the state’s east coast from the Flagler-Volusia county line to the mouth of the St. As of Tuesday, all adult day cares, senior community cafes, and transportation services in evacuation zones are closed, according to the department. Ian is expected to dump at least 2-3 months’ worth of rainfall by Friday. “We have over 600 resources to bear in addition to these out-of-town teams.” Mary’s River and along the St. While the hurricane’s path has shifted south, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said mandatory evacuations and preparations are continuing. Central Florida is expected to see “widespread catastrophic flash, urban, and river flooding” while the southern part of the state should brace for “considerable flash, urban, and river flooding,” the center said. As the storm approaches and winds pick up, officials may close bridges, complicating evacuations for those who don’t leave right away. Central and Northeast Florida is expected to get 12 to 18 inches of rain, while the Florida Keys and South Florida could get 6 to 8 inches. A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for multiple coastal areas, including Tampa Bay. Gas stations may also temporarily run out of fuel, Gov. Ian was whipping sustained winds of 140 mph and is projected to approach the west coast of Florida Wednesday morning and move onshore later in the day, according to the latest update from the

This is a major, major storm,” the governor said early Wednesday as he warned residents in the counties where Ian may make landfall that it was too late to ...

He said the economic impact of closing the airport would be “in the millions.” He added, “unfortunately Ian is not giving us a choice.” A storm surge warning was in effect for Tampa, signaling a danger of life-threatening inundation, and many residents along the edges of the bay were busy evacuating. Some of the city’s urban areas also sit in areas that were ravaged by the 1921 storm, according to the Weather Service. “The impact of the storm is going to be enormous,” he said, adding, “It’s going to be a tragic event in many ways.” A team of about 120 employees have volunteered to ride out the storm at the airport, he said. “This is a lot of nasty weather that we’re in store for over the next few days,” he said. “It was fast and kind of out of nowhere,” Estevez said, recalling that a couple of hours earlier, the wind gusts were strong but the rain seemed light. And the hope was to start generating enough power in the east and center to connect the three sections. “That is knocking on the door of a Category 5 storm,” he says. The storm is going to “really barrel across the state,” Gov. Hurricane Ian, now a powerful Category 4 storm, closed in on the western coast of Florida early Wednesday, with “extremely dangerous” rains and winds expected to intensify in coastal areas soon. Ron DeSantis of Florida said in a news briefing that Ian will not be “just a 48-hour ordeal,” noting that the period after a storm passes can often be the most risky.

The category 4 storm had sustained winds of 150 mph, just shy of category 5 status, before making landfall in Lee County.

Right now, NPR stations all across Florida are serving their community with vital information during this crisis, and more stations are pitching in as the storm moves up the coast. Those who remain in the storm's path need to hunker down in the center of their home and prepare for sustained devastating winds. The category 4 hurricane produced winds of 150 miles per hour and storm surge over 7 feet high in Naples before coming ashore. Storm surge in Lee and Charlotte counties could reach heights of 18 feet. The situation on the ground will likely get worse before it gets better, as high tide isn't until 7:06 p.m. Ian is forecast to continue making its way northeast across Florida.

A huge stretch of coastline from Naples to Sarasota appeared severely affected by lapping brown waves that drowned streets, homes and cars as frightened ...

Officials said the man had been clearing debris in a yard and was found face down in 10 inches of water. Eko Kereselidze and her friend, Dea Tinikashvili, had prepared as best they could by storing important documents in vacuum-sealed plastic and propping large appliances in the carport off the ground. The previous record of 4.25 feet above high tide there was set in 2017 during Hurricane Irma, the storm that had most recently swamped the region. [tens of thousands of homes](https://www.weather.gov/mfl/andrew) in South Florida in 1992. The phenomenon, which also occurred during Hurricane Irma, is sometimes referred to as a reverse, or negative, storm surge. And in 2018, Hurricane Michael sent him scrambling for cover through the drive-up window of an old bank. On Wednesday, he was one of more than 6,000 people who had arrived at shelters in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa. Ian will go down in history as one of the worst storms to hit the state, Gov. Videos showed storm surge in Fort Myers Beach reaching nearly to the roofs of some one-story homes, with streets turned into rivers. In Lee County, which is home to Fort Myers, officials said they did not yet have a clear picture of the damage. Forecasters projected up to 18 feet of storm surge in some areas, though Mr. Lilya Cattani, 40, rode out the storm with her husband and their two toddlers in South Fort Myers, in another area under mandatory evacuation orders.

One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the United States slammed into southwest Florida on Wednesday with Category 4-level winds.

A warmer atmosphere, which can “hold” more water vapor, is also increasing the amount of rainfall during larger storms. In the street, the water was waist deep and churning. The storm continued to intensify as it made landfall. “Leading up to the hurricane, we had a lot of heavy rain, so that will make flooding an even greater issue.” When it reached his knees around 10:30 p.m., he turned off the power and grabbed a pair of sneakers floating in the water. Two days ago, the city — which in 2017 suffered one of its worst floods in more than a century when Hurricane Irma dumped more than 2 trillion gallons of water in the area — thought it might be largely spared. Hurricane Ian, which the National Hurricane Center referred to as “extremely dangerous,” shoved water over thresholds, bent some palm trees and plucked others from the ground, and overturned small airplanes with the ease of a giant. [four feet higher](https://twitter.com/DrGregDusek/status/1575254121011154970) than the next highest surge in 50 years of observations. The hurricane was “a ferocious storm coming in, very hazardous, very ominous,” DeSantis (R) said Wednesday evening. In Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood, 62-year-old Don Hughes said he had no choice but to stay where he was — flopped on a foldable chair, trying to stay dry under a Burger King awning. “If you are in any of those counties, it is no longer possible to safely evacuate. The surge increased to over seven feet in Fort Myers, nearly

Hurricane Ian made landfall in south-west Florida at about 3:05pm Eastern time and was causing “catastrophic storm surge, winds, and flooding”, the National ...

As Hurricane Ian barreled toward the nation's third most-populous state, millions were urged to evacuate. Many did, but countless people defied the orders ...

He was prepared, he said, with plenty of water, peanut butter and jelly, and he was watching the weather reports closely. “Even when it was predicted in the past.” It wasn’t just the absence of evacuated neighbors, he said. He has lived in the area for 55 years, the last five in Lake Haven. “We don’t have the money for it now, to just leave,” he said. “We’ve done it in the past. “I think most people heeded the warnings of doing the evacuations in those very sensitive locations, but not everyone may have done that,” Florida Gov. “So we try to prepare here and hope for the best.” His home has been standing for nearly 100 years — constructed not long after a Category 3 storm hit the city in 1921, the last major hurricane to hit here. A decade ago, Palmetto Beach was added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its legacy as an early industrial center, home to four cigar factories in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is a majority-Hispanic community of low-slung houses and bungalows clustered along a spit of land that juts into McKay Bay, bordered to the north by a snarl of highways. Like all these rich folks want their Benzes and Bentleys but want to stay around water,” Poole said, referring to the area’s many gulf and bayside mansions.

Storm surge is often the most deadly and destructive aspect of hurricanes.

[major hurricane](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php). [per NOAA](https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/inundationdb/storm/Ian.html). [Strengthening Hurricane Ian closes in on Cuba and Florida](/2022/09/25/hurricane-ian-intensifies-florida-threat) [Intensifying Hurricane Ian forces Florida evacuations](/2022/09/26/hurricane-ian-florida-evacuations) [Hurricane Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) triggered evacuation orders across much of Florida’s Gulf Coast as the storm's outer bands unleashed heavy rains across the region on Monday night ahead of expected "life-threatening" storm and flooding by midweek. - A National Ocean Service station near Ft. [NHC update](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2022/al09/al092022.update.09282257.shtml?). There's a "danger of life-threatening storm surge" along much of the Florida west coast," the [NHC said](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/262102.shtml). [NHC](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2022/al09/al092022.update.09282035.shtml?). as a result," he said. [NHC said](https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1575202655567491072). [monitoring station](https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/waterlevels.html?id=8725110). [briefing Wednesday evening](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01MLJ68qUB8)that there's going to be damage throughout the entire state: "Overwhelmingly it’s been that surge that’s been the biggest issue and the flooding …

Hurricane Ian Tracker: The massive storm intensified to a Category 4 storm as it drifts closer to southwest Florida. It is expected to make landfall ...

Inland, the winds will ramp up later Wednesday afternoon and into the night. The hardest-hit areas will be Venice and south of it. Hurricane-force winds extend 45 miles outside the center of Ian. Thirty-six hours ago, the models were saying this was coming straight through Tampa Bay and, again, it has shifted a little bit east and to the south, which does spare us some." The warning is also extended to Charlotte and Lee counties, along with Naples and Marco Island. Tropical-storm-force winds extend 170 miles out. Tropical-storm-force winds will be around for more of Wednesday. That's going to be a problem – 10-15 feet storm surge for those folks." [As of the 8 a.m. Areas around Blind Pass, Sanibel, Fort Myers, and Don Pedro Island are at especially high risk for significant flooding. It's a weakening process that usually takes about 24 hours, but it appeared to be completed sooner than that. It is expected to make landfall Wednesday.

Hurricane Ian was a “nothingburger” overplayed by the media, Joy Gendusa told workers. Then she asked those who were afraid of the storm to raise their ...

“There is no company worth sacrificing for,” the worker said. [closed](https://www.facebook.com/postcardmania/posts/pfbid02rge5Pnp8CCtKG5zNcxDWCzJiVpopMTTpGywUrB91o8M8oh7tsShHoXqFvTRf7LTjl) on Wednesday and Thursday, staffers told The Post. She is the boss.” “She is the company. In response to a question about the 40-hour work requirement, the PostcardMania spokeswoman shared Gendusa’s Wednesday message. I’m going to have to work and you’re driving in your SUV, taking off.” “And when it turns into nothing I don’t want it to be like, ‘Great, we all stopped producing because of the media and [thought] maybe that it was going to be terrible.'” “She is in her car driving away from us and telling us to keep working,” one employee told The Post. Another worker added: “There was a huge disconnect between her and her employees. Even when officials were ordering some to evacuate their homes, management expected them to work from the office, employees said. It tied the fifth-strongest hurricane to hit the United States. Its winds and flooding would continue as the storm makes its way inland, the National Hurricane Center reported.

The hurricane's center came ashore with 150 mph winds near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers.

In Naples, the first floor of a fire station was inundated with about 3 feet of water and firefighters worked to salvage gear from a firetruck stuck outside the garage in even deeper water, a video posted by the Naples Fire Department showed. Ian’s strength at landfall tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane when measured by wind speed to strike the U.S. “We’ll be there to help you clean up and rebuild, to help Florida get moving again,” President Joe Biden said Wednesday. And the worst is yet to come.” Four other Cubans swan to Stock Island, just east of Key West, the U.S. Boone at one point opened a door to howling wind and rain flying sideways. Still, storm surges as high as 6 feet (2 meters) were expected on the opposite side of the state, in northeast Florida. A boat carrying Cuban migrants sank Wednesday in the stormy weather in waters east of Key West. This camera is at least 6 feet above the ground with debris in the water [pic.twitter.com/a82GIB3ETq] Staff members used towels and plastic bins to try to mop up the sodden mess. The medium-sized hospital spans four floors, but patients were forced into just two because of the damage. Desperate people posted to Facebook and other social sites, pleading for rescue for themselves or loved ones.

That means strong winds and rain are all but likely, and the threat of storm surge and flooding remains distinct. By Wednesday afternoon, Cape Canaveral Space ...

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Hurricane Ian, a powerful Category 4 storm, has made landfall in Southwest Florida. Follow here for the latest.

Heavy rain will continue to produce life-threatening flash flooding. When driving, “be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding” the National Weather Service says. In the Orlando metro area, law enforcement reports flooding due to heavy rain.

The National Hurricane Center said Ian, which is heading toward Florida's northeast Atlantic coast, was still capable of “catastrophic storm surge, winds, and ...

The hurricane center also warned of a potentially “life-threatening storm surge” along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina for Thursday and Friday. [a high risk](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/035748.shtml?ero#contents) of flash flooding Thursday morning. Swaths of central Florida, including Orlando, face

The storm, which is on track to weaken to a tropical storm, was forecast to continue lashing the state for most of Thursday before heading out into the Atlantic ...

] [Nearby ] [Fort Myers saw intense storm surge](https://twitter.com/WxBrenn/status/1575253395304288271) flooding coastal communities and the area around WINK News, a local CBS affiliate. Staff members used towels and plastic bins to try to mop up the sodden mess. [Videos showed water ](https://twitter.com/10TampaBay/status/1575287781278076932)reaching car windshields in the studio's parking lot and some of the storm surge leaking into the building. [Here's the outlook.](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/280856.shtml) [Hospital roof partially torn off, fire station flooded: Damage in Florida ] [Parts of Florida's Gulf Coast saw major damage as Hurricane Ian swept through the state, damaging buildings and homes and flooding communities.] [Water coursed through the streets of Naples, creating giant waves that made roads impassable and flooded the city’s fire department. "When I opened the door, my apartment was destroyed." ](https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/weather/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-major-damage-kings-point-near-delray/10447519002/) Meteorologists with the National Hurricane Center say it will then turn northwest toward Georgia and South Carolina. "I felt things blow past my head and face," resident Jim Travis said. [See the map.](https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/09/26/hurricane-tracker-where-is-ian-headed/8118340001/) [Sign up here for text updates](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-florida-storm-text-message-updates-sign-up-page/10450922002/) on Hurricane Ian. history](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-live-updates-tracker-path-forecast/10447576002/). [Click here for a lite version of this page with a quicker load time](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-live-update-florida/10454266002/).

The big picture: Ian weakened to a Category 1 storm overnight, but it was still posing a serious threat with its heavy rains, powerful winds, storm surge and ...

[In photos: The impact of Hurricane Ian on Cuba](/2022/09/28/photos-cuba-hurricane-ian) [unleashed](https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1574987422068199424) widespread life-threatening [storm surge](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-storm-surge-southwest-florida) flooding after making landfall as a high-end Category 4 storm near Cayo Costa Wednesday afternoon. In Port Charlotte, [storm surge](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-storm-surge-southwest-florida) flooded a hospital emergency room, [per AP](https://apnews.com/article/floods-hurricanes-health-hurricane-ian-storms-feafd6741badece7e416d9f1bfb2db73). [Live updates: Ian weakens to tropical storm as it pummels Florida](/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) [Hurricane Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/25/hurricane-ian-intensifies-florida-threat) weakened to a tropical storm early Thursday, but the National Hurricane Center warned it's still battering the Florida Peninsula with strong winds, heavy rains and storm surge. [Hurricane Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) tore into western Cuba leaving the island [without electricity](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/hurricane-ian-cuba-pinar-del-rio) on Tuesday, officials said Wednesday they had begun to restore some power, AP [reports](https://apnews.com/article/hurricanes-cuba-caribbean-power-outages-205dc50567955f2875aadbfb0f4941c2). [Hurricane Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) continued to batter the state overnight.

Hurricane Ian had weakened to a Category 1 late Wednesday, but the powerful storm that caused life-threatening storm surges, floods that stranded people in.

Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais said Wednesday evening the damage is extensive in the county, which includes Cayo Costa, Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Central and northeast Florida could get 20 inches of rain, and life-threatening storm surge remained a risk for parts of Florida’s western and eastern coasts, the hurricane center said. “At a minimum, it’s going to be a very strong Category 4 that’s going to rank as one of the top five hurricanes to ever hit the Florida peninsula,” he said. Ron DeSantis said the intensity of the storm will be historic. The full scope of the impact was not known as the storm and winds still raged. Though Ian was expected to continue to weaken, the hurricane center cautioned that it could be near hurricane strength when it moved over Florida’s east coast Thursday. Around 2.4 million customers in Florida were without power early Thursday after Ian struck the state’s western coast, causing a path of destruction as it moved toward the Atlantic Ocean. The storm is believed to be one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded making landfall in Florida. Thursday morning, the storm was around 55 miles southwest of Cape Canaveral Ian had maximum sustained winds of near 65 mph with higher gusts early Thursday as it moved slowly through central Florida on its way to the western Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center. - Hurricane Ian had weakened to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of near 65 mph Thursday By 5 a.m., Ian was around 55 miles southwest of Cape Canaveral and moving northeast at 9 mph, the hurricane center said.

The storm dumped as much as a foot of rain on some cities as it barreled across the Florida Peninsula. It was forecast to bring severe rain and wind for at ...

As much as 12 to 18 inches of rain could fall across central and northeast Florida, with the possibility of 30 inches in some spots. Some areas of Fort Myers are under three to four feet of water, and the city is responding to fires, extensive flooding and life-threatening conditions, the city said in a Facebook post Wednesday night. The airport had remained open as Hurricane Ian approached and had said it would try to stay open. Half of the streets are not passable due to high water and tides may raise the water level further. The post asked residents to conserve water and resepct the curfew. Large parts of the state will be feeling the impacts of the flooding for days and possibly up to a week, Mr. Thursday, Horse Creek near the city of Arcadia had swelled to 20.45 feet, setting a record. The declaration allows the state to mobilize resources and equipment needed for response and recovery efforts. Ian barreled across the Florida peninsula early Thursday, dumping as much as a foot of rain on some cities, causing severe flooding and knocking out power to millions of customers. Rivers, streams and creeks inland will be overrun, but unable to drain out to sea because of the The storm has caused widespread flooding and storm surge, and forecasters are predicting more rain over the next few days. It was forecast to bring severe rain and wind to the state for at least another day before moving north.

Some 2.4 million homes and businesses are without electricity after one of the worst storms in years.

According to news agency AFP, some neighbourhoods in the city of 80,000 had been left resembling lakes. You can also get in touch in the following ways: Two people are understood to have been killed in Cuba and more than 20 Cuban migrants are believed to be missing at sea. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the Cuba's western coast was hit by Hurricane Ian on Tuesday. "Rain shooting like needles. My street is a river," he said in a text message to the In Lee County - the south-west region where Ian made landfall - police were prevented from responding to reports of looting at a petrol station because of the storm damage. "We are going to get the majority of the rain and the higher winds starting about 20:00, and they are going to last throughout the night," Jane Castor said during a Wednesday evening briefing. One of the most dangerous storms to hit the US in years has left 2.4 million homes and businesses in Florida without power and floodwaters surging inland. However, Floridians were warned that the most dangerous 24 hours lay ahead and the mayor of Tampa urged people to shelter in place through the night into Thursday morning.

More people — and more buildings to house them, often in coastal areas — mean that a major hurricane could become more costly and destructive.

[has slowed to a crawl in most of the U.S.](https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/12/us-population-grew-in-2021-slowest-rate-since-founding-of-the-nation.html), Florida has bucked the trend. city with at least 50,000 residents has grown faster than Fort Myers](https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/south-west-fastest-growing.html), the seat of the largest metropolitan area between Tampa and the Everglades, which added nearly 40% more residents in that time. In Tampa, no hurricane has hit the city directly in decades. "People are able to look past the long-term risk and think about, 'Where do I want to be for the next 10 years of my life?'" Strader said. In the worst case scenario, the estimate found, the reconstruction value could total more than $258 billion. Many of them haven't seen a hurricane," he said. Petersburg area makes it especially susceptible to a storm surge, experts said, and heavy rain could cause flooding even in inland areas. Ian may bring a "life threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds and flooding in the Florida peninsula," the hurricane center said in its 5 a.m. It is now classified as a Category 4 storm, [according to the National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/261755.shtml). Tampa, Fort Myers and Sarasota — all among the state's fastest growing metropolitan areas — are within the range of predicted paths, the NHC said. Instead of having targets, we are the targets — our cities, our developed areas. No state in the eastern U.S.

Rivers and creeks are flooding, and storm surge means there's nowhere for the water to go.

Large parts of the state will be feeling the impacts of the flooding for days and possibly up to a week, Mr. Horse Creek near the city of Arcadia Ninety percent of your fatalities in these tropical systems comes from the water.” “We have to talk about the water. Rivers, streams and creeks inland will be overrun, but unable to drain out to sea because of the “This has been such a large area of heavy rainfall,” said Ross Giarratana, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay Area office.