Hurricane Ian’s most damaging winds begin to hit Florida coast. Here are the latest updates
The Associated Press
Posted:
Updated:
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., (AP) — Hurricane Ian’s most damaging winds began hitting Florida’s southwest coast Wednesday, lashing the state with heavy rain and pushing a devastating storm surge after strengthening to the threshold of the most dangerous Category 5 status.
Fueled by warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Ian grew to a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane overnight with top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm trudged on a track to make landfall north of the heavily populated Fort Myers area, which forecasters said could be inundated by a storm surge of up to 18 feet (5.5 meters).
“This is going to be a nasty nasty day, two days,” Florida Gov. 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.
Ian’s plodding pace meant the storm was expected to spend a day or more crawling across the Florida peninsula, dumping flooding rains of 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 centimeters) across a broad area including Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville in the state’s northeast corner.
Catastrophic storm surges could push 12 to (3.6 meters) of water or more across more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) of coastline, from Bonita Beach to Englewood, the hurricane center warned.
“It’s going to get a lot worse very quickly. So please hunker down,” DeSantis said.
Here are the latest updates:
Mary Martin
Visitors to the Southernmost Point buoy brave the high waves from Hurricane Ian crash for photos, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Key West, Fla. Ian was forecast to strengthen even more over warm Gulf of Mexico waters, reaching top winds of 140 mph (225 kmh) as it approaches the Florida's southwest coast. (AP Photo/Mary Martin)
Mary Martin
Visitors to the Southernmost Point buoy brave the high waves from Hurricane Ian crash for photos, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Key West, Fla. Ian was forecast to strengthen even more over warm Gulf of Mexico waters, reaching top winds of 140 mph (225 kmh) as it approaches the Florida’s southwest coast. (AP Photo/Mary Martin)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Eastbound traffic crowds Interstate 4 as people evacuate in preparation for Hurricane Ian approaches the western side of the state, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Lake Alfred, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Michael Perez and Julissa Orozco, right, watch as the approach of Hurricane Ian kicks up the surf at Vinoy Park, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
People ride along the bayfront as an outer band of Hurricane Ian approaches and kicks up the surf at Vinoy Park, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Kristi Burghdurf makes a photo of the sunset with her phone as an outer band of Hurricane Ian passes the waterfront of Tampa Bay, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Rebecca Blackwell
A kite surfer flies in the air as they take advantage of strong winds caused by Hurricane Ian, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, at Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Rebecca Blackwell
Kite surfers glide across the water as they take advantage of strong winds caused by Hurricane Ian, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, at Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Rebecca Blackwell
Kite surfers take advantage of strong winds caused by distant Hurricane Ian, at Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables, Fla. Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Miami's skyline is seen in the background. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Workers board up the windows of a 7-Eleven convenience store in the Ybor City district in preparation for Hurricane Ian approaches the western side of the state, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Lukas Berlajolli, above, and Tony Fazliu help tape up the windows of a pizza restaurant in the Ybor City district in preparation for Hurricane Ian as the storm approaches the western side of the state, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Carlos Hermida Sr., above, and Carlos Hermida board up their business in the Ybor City district in preparation for Hurricane Ian as the storm approaches the western side of the state, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Chris O'Meara
Workers from Specialized Performance Delivered 24:7 board up the windows on the historical Henry B. Plant Hall on the campus of the University of Tampa ahead of Hurricane Ian Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. Ian is predicted to make landfall somewhere on Florida's west coast. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Steve Helber
A news crew prepares to deliver a report on the effects of Hurricane Ian near a statue of a flying boat Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, in Saint Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
HOGP
This image provided by FLDOT shows an emergency vehicle traveling on the Sunshine Skyway over Tampa Bay, Fla., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified off Florida's southwest coast Wednesday morning, gaining top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. (FDOT via AP)
Chris O'Meara
People walk along Bay Shore Blvd., as the outer bands of Hurricane Ian move toward shore, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
