The latest: Hurricane Ian made landfall along the southwestern coast of Florida near Cayo Costa as a powerful Category 4 storm. It’s one of the strongest hurricanes to make landfall on the west coast of the Florida peninsula.
The extremely dangerous conditions that this hurricane is unleashing — including catastrophic floods and life-threatening storm surge — will continue as the storm advances inland. Some areas could see the worst surge forecast on record.
In the storm’s path? Bookmark CNN’s lite site for fast connectivity. Sigue nuestra cobertura en vivo en español aquí.
CNN’s live coverage of Hurricane Ian can be found here.
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CNN’s continuing coverage of Hurricane Ian can be found here. Bookmark CNN’s lite site for fast connectivity.
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Jacksonville International Airport cancels all flights Thursday
From CNN's Dave Alsup
All flights through Jacksonville International Airport are canceled Thursday and the terminal is closed, the airport announced in a tweet.
JAX joins Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport in discontinuing flights due to Hurricane Ian.
The Tampa airport announced that no flights would depart from the airstrip Thursday and has not provided a reopening date. Orlando International said in a Wednesday update that its commercial operations are “expected to resume sometime Friday.”
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Photo shows damage to theatre in Venice, Florida
From CNN's Elizabeth Wolfe and Amy Simonson
Damage to Venice Theater is seen on September 28.
(City of Venice, Florida)
The city of Venice, Florida, posted a picture of the storm damage to its award-winning Venice Theatre, which has operated since the 1950s, according to the theatre website.
The performing arts facility hosts two stages, a 432-seat main venue and a 90-seat theatre.
The theatre canceled show performances, rehearsals and classes through Thursday due to the storm, according to its website.
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"We will hunt you down," sheriff says to those thinking of looting during storm
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno speaks during a press conference about Hurricane Ian preparations on Monday, Sept 26.
(Amanda Inscore/The News-Press USA Today Network)
Any individual who is thinking of looting a business or residence will be caught by police and sent to jail, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno warned Wednesday night.
An incident of someone trying to loot a gas station was reported and police will not tolerate such behavior, the sheriff said.
Calls are also coming in for people to rescue them, but officers will not be able to go out until the winds die down to less than 45 mph, Marceno said.
Reports are coming in of damaged buildings as well as vehicles floating to the ocean, but until deputies can get out to assess they are unable to give specific details, he said.
Officials are asking residents to stay off the roadways in the meantime, he said.
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Sarasota first responders will clear emergency routes once winds decrease to under 45 mph
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
Once winds decrease to under 45 mph, Sarasota County’s Tactical First-In teams will begin clearing emergency routes so that authorized staff can begin conducting damage assessments, the county said in a statement.
Residents are urged to stay off the roadways until local officials say they are clear.
Sarasota schools are also closed through Friday and schools will be assessed for any damage, the county said in a separate statement.
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Charlotte County hopes to start answering emergency calls Thursday morning, official says
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
Emergency crews in Charlotte County are not able to respond to 911 calls due to dangerous storm conditions, the county emergency director told CNN.
Overnight damage and storm surge levels are still unclear, but the department hopes to resume emergency services Thursday morning, Fuller said.
The majority of the county is without power, Fuller said.
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Hurricane Ian weakens to a Category 1 storm
From CNN's Taylor Ward
Hurricane Ian has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane as it moves across central Florida, the National Hurricane Center said late Wednesday. The storm’s sustained winds are down to 90 mph.
Ian is now centered about 70 miles south of Orlando. East-central Florida, including Orlando, is also under a tornado watch through 1 a.m. ET Thursday.
Overnight, widespread tropical storm-force winds with gusts above hurricane force will continue to impact central Florida, the hurricane center said.
The storm will also bring a continued threat of heavy rain into Thursday.
“Widespread, life-threatening catastrophic flooding, with major to record river flooding, will continue across portions of central Florida tonight,” the hurricane center said, also warning of “considerable flooding in northern Florida, southeastern Georgia and eastern South Carolina” through the end of the week.
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More than a foot of rainfall has been recorded in some areas, preliminary totals show
From CNN's Gene Norman
As Hurricane Ian continues to cross the Florida peninsula, some areas are reporting more than a foot of rainfall. Here are some preliminary rainfall totals from Ian, as reported by the National Weather Service in Tampa as of Wednesday night:
Lehigh Acres – 14.42”
Warm Mineral Springs – 11.05”
Ding Darling – 8.71”
Frostproof – 8.34”
North Port – 8.24”
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Roof of ICU in hospital housing 160 patients blew off mid-storm, doctor says
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
In a photo provided by Dr. Birgit Bodine shows a staff member standing in a flooded hallway at HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, Fla., Wednesday, Sept. 28.
(Dr. Birgit Bodine/AP)
The roof above an ICU at a hospital in Port Charlotte was torn off by the storm, Dr. Birgit Bodine, an internal medicine specialist at the facility, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
The staff worked together to move patients to a safe place but they can’t evacuate yet because of the conditions outside, the doctor said. Some rooms that are built for two people are now housing three and four patients, she said.
They hope to be able to evacuate patients in the morning, she said.
While the air conditioner is not working, the hospital is running on backup generators and all other vital systems are working, Bodine said.
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More than 2 million customers are without power across Florida
From CNN's Virginia Langmaid
More than 2 million energy customers were in the dark Wednesday night, according to the tracker PowerOutage.us.
In the hardest-hit southwestern region, 10 counties reported that more than 50% of tracked customers were without power.
Eight more counties in southwest, central and northeast Florida reported more than 10,000 customers had no electricity.
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Fort Myers is almost entirely without power as some remain trapped in their homes, mayor says
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
Guests look out of hotel windows as Hurricane Ian has made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
(Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Approximately 96 percent of Fort Myers is without electricity as thousands occupy the city’s shelters and some residents are unable to evacuate their homes, according to the city’s mayor.
The city’s downtown streets were flooded with almost four feet of water Wednesday, with flooding so high that it could be seen covering a fire hydrant, Mayor Kevin Anderson told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Every business in the core of downtown was impacted, the mayor said.
The water level has begun to subside and Anderson urged people to stay indoors. Help will be sent for those still trapped in their homes as soon as it is safe to do so, he said.
“There’s no telling what’s in those waters, they are not safe,” he said.
The mayor said that if people have a medical emergency they should still call 911, and emergency personnel may be able to provide guidance over the phone.
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Comcast opens free Wi-Fi hotspots for those impacted by storm
From CNN’s Amanda Musa
Comcast has opened a network of more than 200,000 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to help individuals stay connected during Hurricane Ian, according to the company’s website.
The hotspots are free for anyone to use, including non-Xfinity customers, the company says. About 90,000 of the hotspots are in Florida.
To find out how to get connected, visit the company’s website.
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Tampa police department shows traffic light crashing down in front of its car
The Tampa Police Department is urging people to stay off the roads while Hurricane Ian is still ushering in high winds and rain.
It posted a video on Twitter on Wednesday of a traffic light falling in front of its car in Ybor City, Florida.
The video also showed debris on the roads and downed trees. The police department also said there were live wires on the ground.
Watch the video:
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Naples police had to rescue paddleboarders — and mayor is telling residents to stay indoors for now
From CNN's Amanda Musa
Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann speaks with CNN on Wednesday September 28.
(CNN)
Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann is asking residents to stay inside after several people had to be rescued Wednesday from floodwaters brought on by Hurricane Ian.
“We just had some citizens that were out on paddle boards or thought they could swim,” Heitmann told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. The fire department had to rescue them, she said.
Instead of “entertainment,” Heitmann said residents needed to hunker down.
Heitmann added that officials will likely open the city back up Thursday morning as law enforcement and the city manager head out to assess the situation.
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1.9 million customers in Florida experiencing power outages Wednesday night
From CNN's Joe Sutton
More people on the west coast of Florida are without power Wednesday night after Hurricane Ian ripped through the region.
More than 1.9 million customers are experiencing outages, according to PowerOutage.us.
Some of the hardest-hit counties include DeSoto, Charlotte, Lee, Hardee and Sarasota counties.
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Jacksonville beaches are closed until further notice, mayor says
From CNN's Jamiel Lynch
Beaches in the Jacksonville, Florida, are closed due to the impact of Hurricane Ian, Mayor Lenny Curry said in a tweet.
“I’ve been in constant contact with the Mayor’s of Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville Beach preparing for impacts from Hurricane Ian. At this time, we are closing all three beaches to the public until further notice. We will reopen as soon as it’s safe for citizens,” the mayor said.
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East Naples deputies completed 30 rescue missions Wednesday, county sheriff says
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
Sheriff’s deputies in East Naples, Florida, completed 30 rescue missions Wednesday and are still helping people after the life-threatening storm surge brought by Hurricane Ian, authorities said.
“Our East Naples deputies did 30 rescue missions today. We are still collecting numbers from other areas. We are still rescuing people,” the statement said.
The sheriff’s office said many residents are without power, internet and cable. Officials will have a better idea of the “extent of damage” on Thursday, the statement said.
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Storm surge in western Florida has likely peaked but water levels remain high, specialist says
From CNN's Taylor Ward
A flooded Gulfshore Boulevard is seen in Naples, Florida on September 28.
(City of Naples)
As Hurricane Ian moves across Florida, the storm surge along the west coast is beginning to recede, according to Cody Fritz, a storm surge specialist at the National Hurricane Center.
However, Fritz warned that water levels are still high and will take some time to recede.
“There’s still plenty of onshore flow along the coast keeping water levels elevated, so while the peak surge values will decrease here relative to previous value, I still expect waters to be up for a while and the need to maintain the storm surge warnings.”
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Hurricane Ian weakens to Category 2
From CNN's Gene Norman
Hurricane Ian is now a Category 2 hurricane with maximum winds of 105 mph, moving northeast at 8 mph, according to the 9 p.m. ET update from the National Hurricane Center.
The center of the storm is 85 miles southwest of Orlando, Florida. At 8 p.m. ET, the Punta Gorda airport measured a gust of 109 mph.
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Fort Myers fire chief says emergency crews will get to residents as soon as possible
From CNN's Amanda Musa
Tracy McMillion, fire chief with the Fort Myers Fire Department, speaks with CNN on Wednesday.
(CNN)
Tracy McMillion, fire chief with the Fort Myers Fire Department, said emergency responders plan to get to residents as soon as possible.
When asked if he has a message for the people of Fort Myers, McMillion told CNN’s Anderson Cooper:
Meanwhile, McMillion said he is hopeful that water will start to recede in the next few hours.
“High tide is actually starting to roll back into our Caloosahatchee River,” McMillion said. “We’re hopeful that will take the storm surge back with it and we will actually be able to get out and make some more pushes to start getting to our residents that we’ve actually for the last six to seven hours we have been actually waiting to get to.”
Meanwhile, Fort Myers Emergency Operations Center has lost power along with its backup generator, McMillion said.
“In our EOC… we’re actually flying blind here. But we got some great first responders and we have great backups and contingency plans.”
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A Fort Myers family is trapped in their water-filled home after the ceiling caved in
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
Don and Belinda Collins were sitting in the dark without power when water began to drip through the ceiling of their home in Fort Myers.
According to Belinda, she believes the wind detached a solar panel and that took part of the roof with it when it blew away.
Don Collins said water was coming into the house, which is seven miles from the beach, and sits approximately 10 and a half feet above sea level. The water has gathered inside from where the ceiling has caved in and is at the cusp of coming through the garage, according to Belinda Collins.
She said they have no way of leaving the house while winds and rain pound the area.
The Collins, who has lived in Florida for 23 years, said they have never seen anything like this storm before.
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Orange County mayor anticipates up to 2 feet of rain in the area
From CNN’s Paradise Afshar
Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings said the community can expect to see up to two feet of rain due to Hurricane Ian.
Demings said that Orange County, which includes Orlando, is expected to feel the strongest effects of Hurricane Ian late Wednesday and into the early morning hours.
“There’s no question that we’re now feeling the effects of this hurricane, and we haven’t seen the worst of it yet,” Demings said. “We’ve asked all of our residents to start the process of sheltering in place. You should not be out on the roadways at this time moving about the community.”
Demings said people should be prepared for widespread power outages.
Orange County has a population of nearly 1.5 million people and its other cities include Apopka, Bay Lake, Belle Isle, Eatonville, Edgewood, Lake Buena Vista, Maitland, Oakland, Ocoee, Windermere, Winter Garden and Winter Park.
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Damage to Fort Myers Beach is very serious, official says. Evacuees advised not to rush back home
From CNN's Amy Simonson
A frame from a video shot by Chip Lawrence shows intense flooding in Fort Myers Beach.
(Courtesy Chip Lawrence)
The damage in Fort Myers Beach is “very serious,” and the extent of Hurricane Ian’s impact on the town is still unknown, according to a town official.
According to a Fort Myers Beach government statement posted Wednesday, a Boil Water Notice went into effect “due to storm surge and loss of power and damage to the backup generators for the drinking water supply.”
In a separate statement, the town told evacuees:
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At least 26 states are sending assistance to Florida, governor says
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
(State of Florida)
At least 26 states are sending assistance to Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday.
“I want to thank the 26 states that have sent us support,” he said.
DeSantis said Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey sent Blackhawk helicopters and Tennessee and Louisiana sent resources to aid in search and rescue.
“If they need it and we’ve got it, then we’re going to send it,” Ivey said in a tweet. She said she expressed her state’s commitment to helping Florida during a phone call with DeSantis.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said on Twitter that he spoke with DeSantis and offered his state’s “resources, personnel and expertise.”
Additionally, Tennessee sent 1,200 National Guardsmen to the state, Gov. Bill Lee said.
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Water levels are still extremely high in Fort Myers, driven by strong winds pushing surge onshore
From CNN's Brandon Miller
Water levels in Fort Myers are still extremely high five hours after Hurricane Ian made landfall.
Strong winds on the backside of the hurricane are pushing the surge onshore, keeping normally dry land flooded.
According to the NOAA tide gauge, the water level has only dropped about eight inches in the past two hours, after rising more than eight feet as the storm made landfall.
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Man trapped by rising waters in Fort Myers home worries about neighbors in one-story houses
From CNN’s Amanda Jackson
Thomas Podgorny is trapped in his two-story home in Fort Myers, Florida.
He is safe with three other people but he worries about his neighbors who live in one-story homes.
“I’m concerned about all of them,” he said. “My only angle in sharing my story is to help my neighbors.”
His neighborhood is near the Caloosahatchee River in North Fort Myers. He said Hurricane Ian brought massive flooding and he has seen several vehicles float away.
His family members have contacted emergency officials to help his neighbors, who he says did not evacuate, but he fears they won’t get there soon enough.
CNN’s Karen Smith contributed to this report.
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More than 1.8 million without power in Florida
From CNN's Virginia Langmaid
More than 1.8 million customers are in the dark in Florida on Wednesday night, according to PowerOutage.us.
Nine counties are reporting more than 50% of tracked customers without power. These include DeSoto County where 99% of tracked customers are experiencing an outage, Charlotte County with 98% of customers in the dark and Lee County with 97% without power.
In addition, nine more counties are reporting more than 10,000 customers without power.
Flash flood emergency issued for parts of southwest Florida
From CNN's Gene Norman
A flash flood emergency is in effect for south central Sarasota County, southeast Manatee County, northwest DeSoto County, Hardee County, and northwest Highlands County through 10:45 pm.
The warning impacts over 300,00 people and includes the cities of Venice, North Port, Englewood and Arcadia.
According to the National Weather Service in Tampa, between 12 and 19 inches of rain have fallen in this area and an additional three to eight inches are possible. Heavy rain due to Hurricane Ian is producing flash flooding.
The rainfall totals over the past 48 hours are the equivalent of two to three months’ worth of rain for these locations. Many of the rivers were already in flood stage due to above-average rainfall in recent weeks.
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Aerospace engineer has flown through 22 storms. Ian was the "roughest flight he's been on"
The aerospace engineer who flew through Hurricane Ian on Wednesday morning said it was the “roughest flight” he’s been on — and that’s after flying 76 times through 22 storms.
Underwood works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to study these major weather events, up close and personal. The crew flies into a hurricane and out the other side.
He told CNN that Ian was strengthening to a Category 4 just as the crew was flying through the storm.
“There was a ton of turbulence, both up and down,” he said. “The lateral turbulence, which is honestly the most unsettling part of it — it was something else.”
Though every storm is different, the turbulence and the amount of lightning were what set apart Hurricane Ian.
“We were flying through at night, but once we got into the eye, I was taking photos like it was daytime because there was just so much lightning outside,” Underwood said. “It’s really just those simple factors that really contribute to these storms growing in size. That ocean temperature, the low wind sheer, those kinds of things.”
Storm surge has been up to 12 feet in some areas of Florida, governor says
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
The storm surge from Hurricane Ian has reached up to 12 feet in some areas, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news conference on Wednesday.
DeSantis said there could be hurricane-force winds in central Florida before the storm exits the state.
“I think at landfall it’s going to be behind only the Labor Day Hurricane, Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Michael in terms of intensity,” he added.
DeSantis said that Hurricane Ian, at minimum, will be a very strong Category 4 hurricane that ranks as one of the top five to hit the Florida peninsula.
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Extreme wind warning issued for Central Florida as Hurricane Ian approaches
From CNN's Gene Norman
An extreme wind warning is in effect for these Central Florida cities — Sebring, Avon Park and Arcadia — until 9:30 p.m. ET as Ian approaches.
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Hurricane Ian weakens to a Category 3
From CNN's Dave Hennen
(NOAA)
Hurricane Ian has weakened to a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, according to the 7 p.m. ET update from the National Hurricane Center.
The storm is expected to weaken further as it continues to push further inland in Florida. Still, dangerous winds gusts of more than 100 mph have recently been reported.
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Key West International Airport will reopen Thursday morning
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
Key West International Airport is set to reopen Thursday at 7 a.m. ET, according to its website.
Airport crews will work throughout the night to prepare the airport to reopen, Richard Strickland, director of airports, said in a Facebook post.
The airport closed to all inbound and outbound traffic on Tuesday due to Hurricane Ian.
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These are the Florida counties reporting power outages so far
From CNN's Virginia Langmaid
The state of Florida has surpassed 1.5 million customers without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Seven counties are reporting more than 50% of tracked customers as without power.
Lee county: 447,132 outages, 95% of tracked customers
Sarasota county: 232,710 outages, 81% of tracked customers
Collier county: 184,183 outages, 70% of tracked customers
Charlotte county: 124,738 outages, 98% of tracked customers
Manatee county: 123,241 outages, 52% of tracked customers
Desoto county: 17,368 outages, 93% of tracked customers
Hardee county: 6,717 outages, 70% of tracked customers
In addition, 10 more counties are reporting more than 10,000 customers without power.
Here are some of the highest wind gusts reported in southwest Florida as Hurricane Ian struck
From CNN's Gene Norman
High wind gusts and storm surges are being reported as Hurricane Ian moves across Florida. Here are some of the highest winds reported in southwest Florida, according to the National Weather Service:
Cape Coral – 140 mph
Punta Gorda – 124 mph
Grove City – 110 mph
Sarasota – 106 mph
Venice – 104 mph
Fort Myers – 100 mph
The National Weather Service in Tampa notes that some of the automatic reporting stations are broken or are not reporting due to communications failure.
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Tampa mayor warns residents the worst is yet to come
From CNN’s Paradise Afshar
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor is urging residents to shelter in place as the worst of Hurricane Ian is yet to come to the metropolitan area.
Castor said there have a number of trees down in the community and roughly 5,000 residents without electricity. First responders, including some ambulance services, have also pulled their crews due to weather.
“We are expecting that we’re going to get the majority of the rain and the higher winds starting about 8 p.m. and they’re going to last throughout the night,” she said. “We are still expecting widespread flooding throughout our city, and anywhere from tropical storm wind speeds to the possibly of category one hurricane wind speeds.”
Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Barbara Tripp echoed that message and said residents should be off the roads as the storm is expected to intensify.
Castor added that officials expect flooding sometime in the next 24 hours.
“We’re going to see the continued rain, the rain will increase dramatically and then that water is going to come back into the Bay as Hurricane Ian continues its northeasterly trajectory,” she said.
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Boil water notice and curfew in effect for Lee County
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
Lee County, Florida, which includes the cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral, put a curfew and boil notice into place following Hurricane Ian.
The curfew went into effect at 6 p.m. ET Wednesday and will stay in place “until further notice,” the county said in a statement.
“This includes unincorporated Lee County and all cities with the exception of Estero at this time. It is critical to shelter in place,” the statement said.
Lee County Utilities has also issued a system-wide Boil Water Notice for all customers effective immediately.
“All water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes must be boiled at a rolling boil for one minute. Or, as an alternative, bottled water may be used,” officials said in a statement Wednesday.
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Virginia governor declares state of emergency ahead of Ian
From CNN's Joe Sutton
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Wednesday ahead of Hurricane Ian’s potential impact on the state.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm is expected to bring heavy rain and storm surge to some East Coast states into the weekend.
The declaration frees up resources for storm response.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also declared a state of emergency in their states ahead of the storm.
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Curfew enacted in Punta Gorda and the entirety of Charlotte County on Wednesday night
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
A curfew is in effect Wednesday night for Charlotte County, Florida, officials said in a Facebook post.
It will run from 9 p.m. through 6 a.m. for the entire county, including the city of Punta Gorda, according to Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell and Punta Gorda Police Department Chief Pam Davis.
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Climate change is making storms stronger and faster. Here's why Ian is a test for cities trying to adapt
From CNN's Bill Weir, Angela Fritz and Rachel Ramirez
Hurricane Ian strengthened from a Category 3 to Category 4 storm in less than three hours on Wednesday — an example of a larger trend that climate scientists have been warning about for generations.
Ian’s rapid intensification is something scientists say is becoming more likely for hurricanes as the climate crisis advances, pushing ocean temperatures higher and laying the ground for them to explode at a breakneck pace into deadly major hurricanes.
Punta Gorda is one of the first cities to enact a climate resiliency plan.
Human-caused climate change is stacking the deck in favor of more intense storms. So not only are they generating more rainfall and larger storm surge – they are also more likely to get stronger and faster.
Watch Weir’s report:
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Video shows a flooded Naples fire department as truck at risk of catching fire is moved
The Naples Fire-Rescue Department, in Florida, was able to show how flooded its building became as a result of Hurricane Ian via a video live stream on Wednesday.
In the video, firefighters push a fire truck out of the building because officials were afraid it would catch fire.
Tarin Bachle, the department’s public information officer, filmed the scene as firefighters waded through waist-deep water to take items out of the truck.
“We encourage you all to please stay off the roads,” Bachle said addressing residents as she panned out to flooded roads.
Watch the full live-steam here:
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Biden speaks to the mayor of Fort Myers but is unable to reach 3 other Florida officials Wednesday
From CNN's Nikki Carvajal
President Biden spoke Wednesday with Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson, the White House said in a statement.
The President also tried to reach the mayors of Cape Coral, Sarasota and the chair of Charlotte County but was unable to reach them.
The White House said messages were left with those officials.
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First responders might take time to answer calls for rescue, Florida governor says
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
(State of Florida)
Calls for help are coming into several counties in Florida impacted by Hurricane Ian, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference.
Emergency responders have received calls from people in evacuation zones that did not evacuate. Those calls are being logged, he said.
“Local first responders will deploy as soon as it’s safe to do so,” DeSantis said.
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Florida planning rescue efforts by air, ground and sea once it's safe to do so, official says
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
Florida is prepared for rescue efforts as soon as it’s safe to do so, a top official said Wednesday.
The state is planning a three-prong response for search and rescue efforts using air, ground and sea, said Kevin Guthrie, Florida Department of Emergency Management director, during a news conference Wednesday.
Guthrie asked that individuals not take personal boats and “self-deploy” to do rescues.
“The folks were told in these areas of the hazards, they were given time to be able to make arrangements and to leave. Some chose not to do that. They would have probably been better off doing that. Nevertheless, if people are in harm’s way, we’re going to go and do whatever we can to help those folks,” DeSantis added.
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Manatee County residents urged to refrain from using water due to problems with drainage system
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
Numerous lift stations are without power in Manatee County, Florida, and customers are asked to refrain from using water, according to a county government statement.
“As a result, customers are asked to refrain from using water. Please limit flushing, showering, doing dishes, laundry and other activities where water goes down the drain. We hope to resolve this issue when the storm subsides,” the statement said.
Lift stations are used to move to wastewater from lower to higher elevations through pipes, according to the EPA.
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More than 1.3 million customers without power in Florida
From CNN's Virginia Langmaid
Florida has surpassed 1.3 million customers without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, is still the most affected with more than 403,000 customer outages.
Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island has more than 179,000 customers with outages, and there are 214,000 locations without power in Sarasota County, which includes the cities of Sarasota and Siesta Key.
Overall, more than 50% of customers in Lee, Collier, Sarasota, Charlotte and Hardee counties are without power.
In Charlotte County, 97% of tracked customers are in the dark.
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Extreme wind warning issued for several parts of southwest Florida
From CNN's Gene Norman
An extreme wind warning is in effect for parts of southwest Florida until 7:30 p.m. ET.
At 5:26 p.m. ET, National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated extreme winds associated with the eyewall of Hurricane Ian. The winds were moving onshore over Charlotte County Airport, or near Punta Gorda, Florida.
The National Weather Service (NWS) also said there are extreme wind warnings in effect for Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and Fort Myers.
The NWS said this is an “extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation” and urged people to move inside and “treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching.
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Collier County implements mandatory 10 p.m. curfew
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
A mandatory curfew is in place for all of Collier County, Florida, beginning at 10 p.m. Wednesday night, according to a statement from the county.
The curfew will expire Thursday morning at 6 a.m., it said.
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Storm warnings have expanded to North Carolina
From CNN's Gene Norman
The 5 p.m. ET National Hurricane Center update noted that storm warnings have expanded to North Carolina.
A tropical storm warning has been extended northward to Surf City in the state and a tropical storm watch has been issued from north of Surf City to Cape Lookout.
A storm surge watch has been issued north of South Santee River, South Carolina to Little River Inlet.
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Water rescue in waist-deep water is live-streamed by emergency responders in Naples, Florida
The Naples Fire-Rescue Department live-streamed a water rescue on Wednesday as Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida.
Tarin Bachle, the department’s public information officer, narrates as she steps into waist-deep water; “I’m going to take you there with me as long as I can swim there. This water is cold.”
In the video, streamed on Facebook, a group of rescuers appears to be escorting a resident from a city street where the flood waters appear at least 3 feet deep.
As the rescuers approach, Bachle, “Are you guys OK?” And one of the rescuers gestures a thumbs up.
The resident was then escorted into a partially flooded building and taken to higher ground.
The resident can be heard saying, “Thank you guys,” at the end of the video.
Watch the full rescue here:
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Boil water notice in place for parts of Pasco County, Florida
From CNN’s Paradise Afshar
A boil water notice is in effect for parts of Pasco County, according to the sheriff’s office. The county is located in the west-central part of Florida, which is being impacted by Hurricane Ian.
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Fort Myers mayor says Hurricane Ian is the worst storm he's ever seen
Marcel Chartier, a manager at DiamondHead Beach Resort in Fort Myers, shared images from the hotel while Hurricane Ian passes through Florida. Chartier took video of the hotel’s parking lot and told CNN that debris and cars are floating down Estero Blvd.
Kevin Anderson, the mayor of Fort Myers, Florida, said this is the “worst storm” he has ever seen — with more of Hurricane Ian still yet to come.
The mayor described the scene downtown in the eye of the storm, just before the second wall is set to pass through. In the time that he was on a call with CNN on Wednesday, Anderson said he watched the water rise as much as six inches.
“It’s going to be a significant event… or it already is. Now we just got to wait and see. We’re coming out of the edge of the eye and who knows what the next couple hours will bring,” he said, adding that businesses are flooded and windows of buildings are blown out.
The mayor said there are some people who chose not to follow the evacuation orders, but now “they’re stuck.”
“The streets are flooded and emergency services couldn’t get to them if they wanted to,” he said.
“I’m actually watching a guy out in the intersection right now, the water up past his knees and he’s out there taking pictures. Why people choose not to do the prudent things, who knows?” Anderson added.
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Hurricane Ian is battering Florida with a "catastrophic storm surge, winds and flooding"
From CNN's Brandon Miller
Hurricane Ian is “battering the Florida Peninsula with catastrophic storm surge, winds and flooding” after making landfall just south of Punta Gorda, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The maximum sustained winds have decreased slightly to 140 mph, as the center traverses land. But Ian remains a Category 4 hurricane.
Ian is expected to remain a hurricane through the day and into tomorrow as the center of the storm moves northeast over the Florida Peninsula, passing close to Orlando and Daytona Beach, before passing back into moving back into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday afternoon.
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NFL selects contingency site in Minneapolis if Buccaneers can't host Chiefs in Tampa
From CNN's David Close
Should Sunday night’s NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to be moved out of Tampa due to the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the NFL has selected US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as the contingency site.
The NFL’s executive vice president Jeff Miller said Wednesday that the game is still set to be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa but the league didn’t want to do anything that would negatively impact public safety efforts.
The Buccaneers vacated the area earlier in the week and are currently holding private practices at the Miami Dolphins’ facility in Miami Gardens. The Dolphins have an away game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, hence their facilities being available.
US Bank Stadium is the home stadium of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings won’t be playing on their field this Sunday as they will be in London taking on the New Orleans Saints in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Earlier on Wednesday, Bucs linebacker Devin White noted the game in Tampa comes second to the situation Hurricane Ian presents.
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People trapped by water in their homes in Florida's Collier County, sheriff's office says
“Here’s some tough news you need to know. We aren’t holding back: We are in call triage mode. We are getting a significant number of calls of people trapped by water in their homes,” the statement said.
According to the statement, Lee County’s 911 system is down and calls are being rerouted to Collier County Sheriff.
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North and South Carolina governors declare state of emergency in preparation for impact from Ian
From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid
The governors of North Carolina and South Carolina declared a state of emergency in their states Wednesday in preparation for Hurricane Ian’s potential impact.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster both said the move allows them to active emergency plans and additional resources.
Cooper also activated “about 80” members of North Carolina’s National Guard for storm response. According to Cooper’s office, the emergency declaration removes size restrictions for vehicles involved in storm response and agriculture.
“A state of emergency is needed now so that farmers and those preparing for the storm can more quickly get ready for the heavy rain that is likely to fall in much of our state,” Cooper said in a statement.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm is expected to bring heavy rain and storm surge to some East Coast states into the weekend.
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Fort Myers experiencing record water levels amid storm surge, CNN meteorologist says
From CNN's Brandon Miller
The water levels in Fort Myers, Florida, continue to rise even after the landfall of Hurricane Ian, as the storm surge is still to pushing inland.
Water levels have risen more than 6 feet over the past 7 hours, and still rising as strong winds push Gulf of Mexico water onshore.
Hurricane Ian has already pushed waters higher than ever observed in Fort Myers, which started measurements in 1965.
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More than 1 million customers without power in Florida
From CNN's Virginia Langmaid
More than 1 million customers are without power in Florida, according to PowerOutage.us.
The site reports that Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, is still the most affected with more than 330,000 power outages, which represents more than 70% of the utility customers.
Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island has more than 151,000 customers out of power.
In Sarasota County, which includes the cities of Sarasota and Siesta Key, there are more than 182,000customers in the dark, according to the site.
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Target and Walmart to close stores in Hurricane Ian's path
From CNN’s Parija Kavilanz
Target is closing stores or modifying store hours at 70 of its locations in Florida that are in the immediate path of Hurricane Ian, according to the retailer.
Residents across the state braced for Ian’s full impact after the powerful Category 4 storm made landfall Wednesday. Stores saw a rush of customers stocking up on essential and emergency supplies of bottled water, food and flashlights.
Target said it is mobilizing its supply chain to fast track critical supplies in the coming days to its stores in impacted areas.
Walmart said it was also temporarily closing its stores in areas that are in the storm’s path as a safety measure.
Walmart said it would give emergency assistance pay to employees in the affected stores as well as displacement assistance to employees that are mandatorily evacuated.
“Regarding the loss of power and reopening after the storm’s passing, we’ve taken steps to give us the best opportunity to resume operations once it’s safe to do so,” Walmart said in a statement that included a list of closed locations.
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Hurricane Ian tied as the strongest storm to hit the West Coast of Florida, CNN meteorologist says
From CNN's Brandon Miller
Hurricane Ian is now tied with Hurricane Charley in 2004 as the strongest storm to make landfall on the west coast of the Florida Peninsula, according to CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller. Both of those storms hit the coast with 150 mph winds.
Ian dropped slightly from 155 to 150 mph at landfall.
The storm surge has also set records for the highest water levels ever observed in several locations, according to Miller.
Water levels are still rising in Ft Myers as of Wednesday afternoon, but it is already higher than previous high water marks, with data going back to 1965. Naples water levels were already more than 2 feet higher than ever observed at 1pm, but the gauge stopped reporting data so it is unclear how high it reached, Miller said.
See the storm hit:
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More than 7,500 people are riding out Hurricane Ian in Hillsborough County shelters, sheriff's office says
From CNN’s Paradise Afshar
More than 7,500 people are riding out Hurricane Ian inside of shelters in Hillsborough County, Florida, according to the sheriff’s office.
Tampa, which is in Hillsborough County, is among the areas under a hurricane warning.
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Cape Coral getting reports of significant structural damage across the city, emergency officials say
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
Ryan Lamb, fire chief and emergency management director of Cape Coral, Florida, told CNN the city is getting reports of significant structural damage.
Lamb said that they have seen some storm surge as it pushed in the opposite direction to a limited degree and are now bracing as it potentially pushes toward a lot of the population mass and as the flow pushes into the city’s river and canal system.
The significant calls that have been coming in are from people still in their homes who have experienced some type of roof, window or door failure.
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American Airlines expands fee waivers to 3 additional states due to Hurricane Ian
From CNN's Pete Muntean
American Airlines is waiving change fees for customers flying to and from Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina due to the path of Hurricane Ian and its impact on air travel.
The airline had already waived change fees for flights to and from Florida.
American Airlines has canceled about 600 mainline and regional flights on Wednesday, according to spokesperson Curtis Blessing.
Blessing said the storm is impacting the airline’s operation in Miami, the carrier’s fourth largest hub.
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Florida emergency director tells residents who didn't evacuate to "hunker down"
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch
Punta Gorda, Florida, is beginning to feel heavy impacts from Hurricane Ian, Charlotte County Emergency Management director Patrick Fuller said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, around the same time the storm made landfall.
“This is an intense hurricane, we expect that to persist throughout the evening into tomorrow,” Fuller said.
Fuller warned those who have not left that now is not the time to leave, and they need to hunker down. There are 60,000 people in the red zone that are under evacuations, Fuller said, though they are not sure how many got out ahead of the storm.
As of now, they have not received any critical calls, but Fuller warned that this is just the beginning.
“The storm surge, we are still at the very beginning of that. We will see that continue throughout the afternoon into the evening. It’s going to begin to fill up canals, overtop land, and potentially into homes. We are going to see life-threatening storm surge,” he said.
Landfall occurred along the southwestern coast of Florida near Cayo Costa around 3:05 p.m. ET with winds near 150 mph, making Ian a high-end Category 4 hurricane.
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More than 800,000 customers are without power in Florida
From CNN's Virginia Langmaid
Florida has surpassed 800,000 customers without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
The site reports that Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, is still the most affected with more than 293,000 customer power outages.
Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island, has more than 129,000 customers without power.
Sarasota County, which includes the cities of Sarasota and Siesta Key, is at more than 112,000 customers without power, according to the site.
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Hurricane Ian could remain at hurricane strength for the next 24 hours as it cuts across Florida
Hurricane Ian could remain a hurricane for up to the next 24 hours, said Michael Brennan, the acting deputy director at the National Hurricane Center.
“Right now we’re expecting it to eventually weaken below hurricane strength sometime overnight tonight or early Thursday morning,” Brennan told CNN Wednesday. “It’s going to take some time for that circulation to spin down.”
Brennan said generally hurricanes weaken within about 24 hours of making landfall, but warned people not to let their guard down.
The hurricane center is forecasting Hurricane Ian to move northeastward, crossing the state diagonally before moving offshore somewhere between Cape Canaveral and Jacksonville, Florida.
After that, states on the east coast — like Georgia and South Carolina — will feel the effects of heavy rain, storm surge and high winds as the system moves inland over the weekend.
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Hurricane Ian's landfall is minutes away, National Hurricane Center says
The official landfall of Hurricane Ian is imminent, according to Michael Brennan, a forecaster with the National Hurricane Center, and the NHC’s 3 p.m. ET update.
The center of the storm is currently 20 miles west of Punta Gorda, Florida, where winds have been gusting over 100 mph for more than an hour.
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Hurricane Ian will be a "catastrophic storm" and cause significant damage, Florida power company CEO says
From CNN's Roxanne Garcia
Hurricane Ian will be a “catastrophic storm that is going to do significant damage,” Eric Silagy, president and CEO of Florida Power & Light (FPL), said at a news conference.
He said that there will be sections of territory that the company will not be able to repair and will have to rebuild, adding that rebuilding can take many days or weeks.
FPL employees are working 24 hours a day, and they have deployed 19,000 workers throughout Florida, with 30 states being represented, and there are 37 sites open, he said.
They are deploying tens of thousands of poles, brakers, transformers, and thousands of miles of wire throughout the territory, as well as flying drones to evaluate damage after the storm.
So far, the company has restored power to over 270,000 customers in the last 12 hours, Silagy said.
Silagy stressed that safety is their number one concern and encouraged people to stay out of high water, don’t drive through high water, stay away from power lines, and follow instructions for portable generators.
Silagy was not yet able to give a timeline on restoring all power.
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Here's what the wind from Hurricane Ian looks like in Punta Gorda
The wind lashed at CNN’s chief climate correspondent Bill Weir as he pushed back against its force in Punta Gorda, Florida.
At least 4,500 Florida National Guard now on state active duty for Ian, Pentagon says
From CNN's Michael Conte
The number of Florida National Guard members on state active duty has increase from 3,200 to more than 4,500 as of Wednesday, according to the Defense Department, with roughly 500 more “in the pipeline” to assist FEMA’s recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian.
“The department continues to closely monitor the situation as Hurricane Ian makes its way across Florida,” Todd Breasseale, Pentagon deputy assistant to the secretary for public affairs, said.
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DeSantis requests Biden make a disaster declaration for all 67 counties in Florida
From CNN's Pamela Kirkland
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters during an afternoon news conference that he requested President Biden make a major disaster declaration for all 67 counties in the state as Hurricane Ian makes its way across Southwest Florida.
DeSantis said 200,000 power outages had already been reported, as of 1 p.m. ET, Wednesday. He warned there would be widespread power outages across the state as the storm continues.
Officials from Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration said health care facilities have made the necessary preparations ahead of Hurricane Ian and stand ready to receive patients.
Agency head Simone Marstiller said that as of Wednesday, more than 7,000 patients had been evacuated from 150 facilities — 15 of those facilities being hospitals.
Although the governor said no deaths had been reported thus far, two people have been transported to the hospital, according to state officials.
Asked about the evacuation of people in the path of the eye of the storm in Charlotte County, DeSantis said the “vast majority” of people in evacuation Zone A chose to leave, according to his conversations with local officials. However, there were 31 people from one barrier island community who chose to stay and ride out the storm despite officials’ best efforts to convince them to leave.
“This is a really, really significant storm. It will be one of the storms people always remember when they think about Southwest Florida,” DeSantis said.
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More than 668,000 customers are without power in Florida
From CNN's Jamie Loftus
Heather Danenhower with Duke Energy walks around utility trucks that are staged in Sumter County, Florida, on Wednesday.
(Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
More than 668,000 customers are in without power in Florida as of Wednesday afternoon as Hurricane Ian gets closer to making landfall, according to PowerOutage.us.
The site reports that Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, is still the most affected with more 235,000customer power outages.
Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island has more than 99,000 customers in the dark. Sarasota County, which includes the cities of Sarasota and Siesta Key has more than 78,000customers out, according to the site.
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43 people are still on a barrier island on Florida's west coast, county commissioner says
From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid
At least 43 people are still on Gasparilla Island, a barrier island on Florida’s west coast, Charlotte County Commissioner Bill Truex told CNN on Wednesday.
“This storm surge could really create a negative effect overall. I’m very concerned about our citizenry here in Charlotte County and surrounding areas,” he said.
Gaspiralla Island is a barrier island separated from the Florida mainland by Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor.
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Coast Guard searching for 23 migrants who were on a boat that sank off the Florida coast
From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez
The US Coast Guard is searching for more than 20 migrants in the waters off the Florida coast on Wednesday.
Four Cuban migrants swam to Stock Island in the Florida Keys after their boat sank due to the storm, according to US Border Patrol Chief for the Miami Sector Walter Slosar.
US Border Patrol agents are now searching for 23 individuals who are believed to have been on that same vessel, Slosar said in a tweet.
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This is what a storm surge looks like
From CNN's Steve Almasy and Dakin Andone
A storm surge is a rise in water level caused by a strong storm’s wind pushing water on-shore.
“The wind literally piles up the ocean water and pushes it on the land,” said CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.
While many people focus on the wind speed of storms, the danger often comes from the water flowing in from the ocean. Almost half of all deaths from tropical cyclones come from storm surge.
Storm surge also can exacerbate flooding. As the water piles up along the coast, rivers and streams that typically drain into the ocean can become clogged farther upstream, forcing water levels to rise.
That water doesn’t just leave. Depending on how much water was pushed ashore and the area’s watershed, it may hang around, causing further damage to communities.
Two have been repaired, and the additional break will be repaired once storm conditions improve, it added.
Manatee County has a population of nearly 400,000 people, according to the US Census.
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Here's what the inside of Hurricane Ian's eye looks like
(Nick Underwood/NOAA)
Nick Underwood, a hurricane hunter who has flown through storms for years, said his flight to Hurricane Ian was “the worst I’ve ever been on.”
“I’ve never seen so much lightning in an eye,” Underwood tweeted, showing the bright curvature of the eye at night.
(Nick Underwood/NOAA)
Underwood said he circled the eye to release an uncrewed aerial system.
“I’m glad we only did one pass,” he added.
(Nick Underwood/NOAA)
Underwood later shared video of the bumpy ride from inside the plane, calling it the “roughest flight of my career.”
Watch the video:
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Hurricane Ian is minutes from landfall amid catastrophic conditions
From CNN's Allison Chinchar
Sail boats anchored in Roberts Bay are blown around by winds in Venice, Florida, on Wednesday.
(Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/TNS/AbacaPress.com/Reuters)
Landfall is expected any minute when half of Hurricane Ian’s eye has moved over the coastline.
The center of the hurricane is only 25 miles west-northwest of Fort Myers, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 2 p.m. ET update.
Hurricane-force winds and gusts are spreading inland across central Florida. Here are some of the numbers:
Captiva: 126 mph
Naples Grand Beach: 112 mph
Sanibel Island: 107 mph
Solana: 106 mph
Punta Gorda: 106 mph
Cape Coral: 101 mph
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Biden will visit FEMA headquarters Thursday for hurricane briefing
From CNN's Nikki Carvajal
President Biden will visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, DC, on Thursday, the White House announced.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, White House press secretary Kaine Jean-Pierre said Biden will “visit FEMA headquarters to receive a briefing on federal response efforts for hurricane Ian.”
Jean-Pierre added that Biden has been “receiving regular briefings” on the hurricane “throughout these last couple of days.”
Asked how regularly the President was being briefed, but said he was “very much keeping an eye on what is happening with the storm.”
She said the President has been “all hands-on deck” with storm response.
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More than 470,000 customers are without power in Florida
From CNN's Jamie Loftus
More than 470,000 customers are without power in Florida due to Hurricane Ian, according to PowerOutage.us.
Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, is still the most affected with more than 166,000customers reporting power outages, according to the site.
In Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island, over 78,000 customers lost power. More than 57,000 customers are without power in Sarasota County, which includes the cities of Sarasota and Siesta Key, according to the site.
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Some parking garages in Collier County are flooded with water going over vehicle roofs, official says
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Collier County, Florida, Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said they are dealing with some parking garages that have water going over the vehicles’ roofs.
“We are not over with the storm at this point,” the sheriff said, noting that the winds may have died down from earlier, “but we still have an afternoon of storm surge.”
“And from all indications, this will be a storm surge that we’ve never had to deal with before,” he said.
“This is an extremely dangerous situation and you must pay attention,” the Facebook post said.
Collier County Sheriff said they have received information that “multiple parking garages on the coast are flooded with water OVER vehicle roofs.”
“We are assisting Marco Island with severe flooding issues as well as Isle of Capri,” the post said. “We cannot respond to your individual requests to check flooding on roadways. This is an evolving emergency and we are still experiencing significant impacts.”
Collier County is located south of Fort Myers on Florida’s southwest coast.
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Man riding out hurricane in Fort Myers says he's seeing "incredibly high" waves in Gulf of Mexico
(CNN)
Frank Loni, an architect from California who is working in Fort Myers, Florida, said he’s “never seen something of this nature before” as Hurricane Ian hammers the area.
He’s seeing cars and boats float down the street and “trees nearly bent in half,” as well as some people seeking shelter, he told CNN’s Ana Cabrera.
The storm surge is about 5 feet high right now, he estimated. The National Hurricane Center said storm surge could reach 18 feet in the area.
He is on the seventh floor of a steel reinforced concrete building and plans to ride out the storm with family members and friends. They have supplies and food to last for a few days.
Loni said he’s been visiting this area since his childhood, and he’s never seen waves as high as the ones in the Gulf of Mexico.
“We were actually here for the aftermath of Hurricane Charley. We had evacuated during that storm. And what we’re seeing here right now appears to be much worse damage than what Charley did to this island,” he said.
Several schools and universities have closed for the duration of the week, as well as city offices and library branches, the statement says.
On Tuesday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry issued a State of Emergency for the city which went into effect on Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET.
The city said right now, bridges remain open, but state jurisdictions will work closely “with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol to monitor wind conditions at area bridges. If winds exceed specified levels, FDOT will work with law enforcement to close affected bridges.”
Jacksonville is in the northeast corner of Florida.
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Naples issues a citywide curfew on Wednesday
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Naples, Florida, officials issued an emergency citywide curfew on Wednesday.
City officials asked residents to shelter in place until further notice.
The curfew does not apply to first responders and emergency workers, said the notice.
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Videos show formidable storm surge at Hurricane Ian's eye wall
Storm chaser Reed Timmer documented on Twitter the storm surge at Pine Island, Florida, as Hurricane Ian’s eye wall hammered the area.
His videos show crashing waves, heavy rain, gusty winds and limited visibility.
Most of Florida’s citrus belt is threatened by Hurricane Ian, satellite images show
From CNN’s Matt Egan
Hurricane Ian’s expected damaging wind and flooding is threatening most of Florida’s massive citrus industry.
At least 75% of the Florida citrus belt is under threat of heavy flooding rains over the next 36 hours, according to satellite imagery provider Maxar Technologies.
Maxar’s WeatherDesk finds that at least a third of the groves are likely to see some wind damage, mostly in the northwestern portion of the citrus belt.
How the market is reacting: Florida is a leading citrus producer, including oranges and grapefruit. Orange juice futures jumped 4% on Wednesday afternoon as investors bet supply will be hurt by Hurricane Ian. The price is up by almost 30% so far this year.
The timing of the storm is difficult for farmers in Florida as citrus crops are nearing harvest season.
“There will be quite a bit of fruit drop and losses of fruit from the trees,” Maxar said.
Citrus production was already under significant pressure even before Hurricane Ian.
In July, the US Department of Agriculture estimated US production of oranges would drop by 13% in 2021 AND 2022 to the lowest level in 55 years because of the drought in California and citrus greening in Florida.
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Storm surge could be "life changing," Florida's Lee County sheriff says
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
A potentially 18-foot storm surge could be life changing, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, said on CNN’s “Inside Politics” Wednesday.
Lee County is in Southwest Florida and includes cities such as Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Sanibel.
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Florida is experiencing wind gusts over 100 miles per hour
From CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar
Category 1 hurricane-force winds and higher gusts are spreading inland across central Florida as of 1 p.m. ET.
The center of Hurricane Ian is only 35 miles west of Fort Myers and 45 miles southwest of Punta Gorda as of the 1 p.m. ET update from the National Hurricane Center.
Here’s a sample of observations from the past hour:
Naples Grand Beach: 112 mph
Punta Rassa: 107 mph
Sanibel Island: 107 mph
Captiva: 100 mph
St. James City: 97 mph
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"It may appear to be calm at some point — you may just be in the eye of the storm," Florida governor warns
(Governor DeSantis' Office)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents to be cautious and stay inside as Hurricane Ian is set to make landfall soon.
He urged residents to stay inside until the storm passes, adding other warnings for residents to heed when navigating the situation.
DeSantis warned of massive power outages to come.
“We have 200,000 power outages recorded throughout the state of Florida. But outside of southwest Florida, crews are working to quickly restore power,” he said.
“Of course 200,000 is a drop in the bucket for what will happen over the next 24 to 48 hours. There will be widespread power outages particularly in southwest Florida. We have over 100 portable cell towers ready to be deployed into the area once it is safe to enter,” he noted.
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Fort Myers is in "the thick of things" as storm conditions hit city, mayor says
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
Heavy rain and wind is seen at the Caloosahatchee Bridge in Fort Myers, Florida, on Wednesday.
(Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Fort Myers, Florida, Fire Chief Tracy McMillion told CNN on Wednesday afternoon that the city is currently “in the thick of things,” urging people to stay sheltered in place.
“We are in the thick of things,” McMillon said. “Now is the time to stay inside. One of the messages that we’re putting out there is to stay in and check in, talk to your family, talk to your relatives, let them know where you are.”
“In addition to that, we’re asking folks to stay away from windows, stay away from openings and get to a central place in your home that’s built up by walls, fairly narrow. And so, this way you can hunker in and kind of ride this out. We are in the thick of it,” the mayor added.
McMillion said that officials don’t know exactly how many people are waiting the storm out at home, but county partners have told them that there’s about 4,000 people in the shelters provided in the county and plenty of room left in them. It’s unclear how many people left the area completely, he said.
After the storm moves through, “we’re not really sure what it’s going to look like, and this is one of the things when it comes to storms, especially big storms like this one,” he said. “We don’t know the cards or the hand that we’re going to be dealt from Ian, but we are ready to actually play the deck and do the best we can to actually make sure our community’s safe as we go out with recovery efforts.”
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Georgia's Chatham County is under hurricane watch as Ian’s path remains uncertain
From CNN’s Rebekah Riess
Georgia’s Chatham County, which includes Savannah, has been placed into a hurricane watch, Dennis Jones, the county’s emergency management agency director, said.
The National Weather Service in Charleston “wanted to go forward and make sure that they had this watch in place just in case,” according to Jones.
The county is also currently under a storm surge and tropical storm warning. Additionally, the mayor of Savannah on Wednesday morning declared a local state of emergency as the city readies for the impacts from Hurricane Ian.
Jones said conditions should start deteriorating throughout the day Thursday, with it getting worse Thursday night, moving into Friday.
The director said the county has been in touch with all of its law enforcement entities, as well as fire services and EMS providers. “They all assure us that they are ready to go. They don’t have any unmet needs at this time and they’re ready to respond to the storm,” Jones said.
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United cancels flights from more Florida airports
From CNN's Pete Muntean and Greg Wallace
United Airlines is starting to shutter operations on the Atlantic coast of Florida in anticipation of Hurricane Ian’s path after it makes landfall.
By Wednesday afternoon, United said it will halt departures from West Palm Beach, Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports. United will not operate from Jacksonville starting on Thursday.
United said it has proactively canceled 345 flights since Tuesday, swapping some outbound flights with larger airplanes to help customers who were evacuating from the storm’s path.
The latest data from FlightAware shows nearly 2,100 cancelled flights in the US Wednesday and another almost 1,700 cancelled in the US on Thursday.
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Tampa mayor advises residents to remain alert as city expects possible historic flooding this evening
From CNN's Maria Cartaya
Tampa is still “not out of the woods yet,” Mayor Jane Castor said during a news briefing on Wednesday.
“We’re still going to see more than likely unprecedented flooding in our area with 18 to 20 inches of rainwater coming in later this evening,” she said.
“We’re also going to have tropical storm-force winds and possibly Category 1 hurricane winds here in the Tampa Bay area,” Castor added.
She said the city is expected to have downed trees, flooding and power outages.
Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor also warned residents about property crimes.
“Do not even think of preying on the vulnerability of our residents that may have evacuated,” she said.
O’Connor also reminded residents of the numerous shelters that are open.
“Residents are encouraged at some point, once the winds speed do reach higher gusts, as we are expecting they will at some point today, to just stay and shelter in place,” O’Connor added.
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Orange County mayor asks residents to cut back vehicle travel by 2 p.m. ET today
From CNN’s Jennifer Henderson
Orange County, Florida, Mayor Jerry Demings is asking all residents to curtail vehicle travel by 2 p.m. ET today.
Demings said Orange County is expecting two feet of rainfall, with strong winds expected to start around 2 p.m. ET today. He also reiterated Hurricane Ian is a multi-day threat for the county.
Demings said he is working on a voluntary evacuation plan for all 79 mobile home parks. Fire rescue crews visited the mobile home parks yesterday and today to warn residents to evacuate. Local public buses will help relocate those residents, Demings added.
By this evening Orange County will be feeling full Tropical Storm force winds and within 24 hours Orange County will get sustained winds of up to 95 mph.
Orange County is located in Central Florida, with Orlando as the county seat.
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Hurricane Ian is probably going to be "one of the worst hurricanes we've seen," Cape Coral official says
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
(CNN)
Hurricane Ian is “probably going to be one of the worst hurricanes” the region has ever seen, Alvin Henderson, emergency management manager in Cape Coral, said on CNN’s “Inside Politics,” Wednesday.
“For us here in the city of Cape Coral, we’re expecting to see that within the next 30 to 35 minutes,” he said. “So, we will see that heavy push of strong winds, 100 plus mile per hour winds, move ashore to us.”
As the eyewall comes across, there will be a brief period with potential sunshine, he said.
“That’s an area of concern that we have, make sure that our community understand the fact that this has a very well defined eyewall that, you know, after the initial surge, we’re going to have some nice clear weather, but then on the backside of that eyewall, we will see very rough weather coming back through the city and then having that strong storm surge push behind it,” Henderson said.
Henderson added that the community is planning for the worst-case-scenario but hoping for the best.
Those who haven’t evacuated will have to hunker down and wait, Anderson said. It’s not safe for any first responders to be on the road, “it would be a catastrophic response for them, so in the best interest of our first responders, they are all hunkered down in their respective fire and police stations throughout the city.”
They anticipate that the strong winds will subside sometime Thursday morning, and first responders will be able to return to field operations, with the first being to clear the major roads within the city and start surveying the impact.
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Tampa water recedes ahead of Hurricane Ian, images show
From CNN's Carlos Suarez
Hurricane Ian is still pulling water out of the Hillsborough Bay and Hillsborough River near Tampa General Hospital.
A photo tweeted by Tampa Police showed another part of the bay along Bayshore Boulevard.
A once-underwater crab trap was seen sitting on the floor of the drained bay.
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Hurricane-force winds are beginning to spread inland across Florida
From CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar
Hurricane-force winds are now beginning to spread inland across central Florida as the center of Hurricane Ian is only 45 miles southwest of Punta Gorda, Florida, as of 12 p.m. ET.
An extreme wind warning has been issued for Sarasota and Charlotte, Florida, until 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, calling this “an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation!”
A weather station near Sanibel Island, Florida, recently reported sustained winds of 71 mph with wind gusts of 98 mph.
Other hurricane-force wind gusts recorded in Florida include:
Redfish Pass: 84 mph
Pelican Bay: 80 mph
Bonita Shores: 80 mph
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Cape Coral mayor says storm surge could be "catastrophic" as conditions deteriorate
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
(CNN)
Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter told CNN that the conditions in the area are getting noticeably worse and that storm surge could be catastrophic for the area.
“I was outside about 45 minutes ago and the winds have picked up, very high winds,” he said. “We know that it’s going to continue to increase, we’re well over tropical storm winds. It’s raining extremely hard. So, the conditions are definitely getting worse.”
Storm surge that could reach 16 to 18 feet “would definitely be catastrophic for our area, and that is one of our major concerns,” Gunter said, adding that they are also expecting 12 to 24 inches of rain.
Cape Coral is located just northwest of Fort Myers along Florida’s western coast.
Gunter also said that they have noticed their shelters have a lower-than-anticipated number of people, something they thought would be maximized by now.
“We’re hoping that our residents have went elsewhere,” he said. “I do know of some of our residents that went over to the east coast of Florida. So, we’re hoping that they have heeded our warning and have sheltered somewhere else besides here in our city.”
Officials continue to monitor the storm and have a plan in place for when it passes through, he said, and emergency operation centers will have assessment teams that will deploy throughout the city.
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Storm surge from Hurricane Ian left 5 to 8 feet of water in parts of Cuba, CNN correspondent reports
A car passes through a flooded street in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday.
(Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images)
Hurricane Ian pummeled Cuba before making its way to Florida, leaving at least two people dead. Currently, most — if not all — of the island is out of power, CNN correspondent Patrick Oppmann reports, and there is still a significant amount of flooding.
On Tuesday night, Oppmann reported driving through five to eight feet of storm surge on the seaside — hours after the storm left.
(CNN)
“There was so much water on the road, you could feel waves rocking the car. I had to get quickly off that main avenue because the waves could have flipped the car or worse. You think it’s over, but it’s not. Very, very dangerous storm. People need to take the utmost caution,” he reported.
People play dominoes by flashlight during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, early Wednesday.
(Ramon Espinosa/AP)
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Sarasota mayor says the city is withdrawing its police officers from the streets
(CNN)
Sarasota, Florida, Mayor Erik Arroyo told CNN on Wednesday that the city is withdrawing its police officers from the streets because of the hazardous conditions
According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, “individual agencies decide when to pull first responders from the road during severe weather events. Some agencies have already made this decision, others will be doing so soon.”
Arroyo encouraged everyone still in the city to “heed the governor’s warning and stay hunkered down.”
“It is too late to evacuate at this point. So everybody in zone ‘A’ and ‘B’ will be feeling the effects of this hurricane first. They will be feeling the storm. And that is why we tried to evacuate them a while back,” he said.
Arroyo listed the preparations that have been put in place, including the utilities department ensuring generators were ready to go and the parks and recreational department is removing items that could become projectiles.
Asked about how the possible 12 to 24 inches of rain could impact Sarasota, Arroyo said “let me just tell you that 10 inches of rain is enough to have your car floating around, so these are very serious conditions that everyone should take seriously.”
Arroyo said that the city has been preparing for Hurricane Ian since last week. “We saw the impact it could have,” the mayor said.
“So at this point, all we have is ourselves as a community, so take care of your neighbors. Because we’re in this together. And we’ll make it through,” he said.
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Tidal surge coming ashore in Lee County, with waves washing over roads
From CNN’s Rebekah Riess
Lee County, Florida, Manager Roger Desjarlais said the county, which includes Fort Myers, is now experiencing winds approaching hurricane force, as well as tidal surge coming on shore and waves washing over roads.
“We would expect to see more of that inland between now and 2 o’clock, 4 o’clock this afternoon,” Desjarlais said.
Desjarlais noted that Hurricane Ian continues to be a very slow-moving storm.
Desjarlais said he received a call from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday morning, and DeSantis’ chief financial officer told county officials that the state anticipates having insurance companies open within 72 hours of it being safe to do so and start to issue checks “as soon as possible.”
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More than 330,000 customers are without power in Florida
From CNN's Jamie Loftus
More than 330,000 customers are without power in Florida due to Hurricane Ian, according to PowerOutage.us.
The site reported that Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, has the most power outages with more than 100,000 customer affected.
In Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island, 66,000 customers lost power, according to the site.
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"Ian is likely to remain more intact" as it crosses over Florida, National Hurricane Center says
From CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar
Strong winds blow through Fort Myers, Florida, on Wednesday.
(Marco Bello/Reuters)
Ian’s expected intensity as it crosses Florida has been increased and is now forecast to maintain more of its overall strength as it moves across the state, according to the National Hurricane Center’s (NHC) 11 a.m. ET advisory. This will expose more people in the central and eastern portions of the state to damaging, hurricane-force winds.
“One important change is that Ian is likely to remain more intact as it crosses the Florida peninsula (due to both its stronger initial wind speed and its faster forecast forward speed), and this now increases the threat of hurricane-force winds on the east coast of Florida,” it said.
With that in mind, the NHC has also added hurricane warnings to the east coast of Florida. Additionally, it also updated several watches and warnings for Florida up through South Carolina.
This includes:
A storm surge warning from the mouth of the St. Mary’s River to the mouth of the South Santee River, South Carolina.
A hurricane warning from Sebastian Inlet, Florida, northward to the Flagler/Volusia County Line, Florida.
A hurricane watch from the Flagler/Volusia County Line to the South Santee River.
A tropical storm warning extended northward to Little River Inlet, South Carolina.
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Bradenton waste water treatment plant could overflow during Ian, city says
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
The city of Bradenton, Florida, said their waste water treatment plant is full “and is in danger of overflowing,” according to a post on Facebook.
The city, located just south of St. Petersburg, is seeing the impacts of Category 4 Hurricane Ian.
Bradenton is asking residents to conserve water. “Don’t do dishes or laundry, flush only when necessary, limit showering,” the city said.
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Hurricane Ian is already producing record water levels from storm surge
From CNN's Brandon Miller
Storm surge is rising quickly along portions of Southwest Florida on Wednesday morning, with some locations already experiencing record-high water levels.
More than 5 feet of storm surge in Naples, Florida, has already risen water levels to more than four and a half feet of inundation, which is measured as the height of the sea level above normal highest tides.
The current level in Naples is already higher than the previous highest water level that came during Hurricane Irma in 2017, which was 4.02 feet above normal highest tides. Water levels in Naples have been measured since 1965.
Water levels are likely to continue to increase as both Ian makes landfall and the normal high tide time approaches around 2 p.m. ET today.
The water levels in Naples have risen about 6 feet in the last five hours.
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More Waffle House locations close in Florida
From CNN’s Chuck Johnston
A Waffle House is seen open on Tuesday in Brevard County, Florida.
Waffle House has closed 21 of its locations in Florida that are in mandatory evacuation zones as of 11 a.m. ET Wednesday, according to Njeri Boss, the chain’s vice president of public relations.
Waffle House has become the unofficial barometer of a storm’s intensity.
The chain already announced Tuesday that it had closed 11 locations in mandatory evacuation zones in south Florida.
Ask anyone who lives in one of the 25 states in the US home to the roadside breakfast mecca, and it’s likely they’ve heard of the Waffle House Index. It’s the unofficial measure thought up by a former FEMA official to evaluate how severely a storm hit an area.
Manatee County official gets visibly emotional as he warns residents of Hurricane Ian's severity
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Manatee County officials will lock down shelters as Hurricane Ian makes its final approach to western Florida.
In a video message on Facebook, county administrator Scott Hopes said, “If you’re heading to a shelter, you need to get there quickly because in less than 30 minutes we’re going to be locking down the shelters. … And people will be kept off the roads because it’s no longer safe to travel.”
“The three law enforcement agencies on our islands have already begun their evacuation,” he said. “Two of the law enforcement agencies from two of the cities have already evacuated the island and the third is on its way.”
“This is only the beginning,” Hopes said. “When 150-mile-an-hour winds with gusts that exceed that rip through our community, it is going to cause extensive damage.”
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More than 2,000 flights were canceled Wednesday across the US, data shows
From CNN's Pete Muntean
American Airlines check-in counters are closed at Orlando International Airport on Wednesday.
(John Raoux/AP)
As Hurricane Ian is set to make landfall in Florida, more than 2,000 US flights have now been canceled Wednesday, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware.
Another 1,600 flights have already been canceled for Thursday, a two-day total topping 3,600 flights. Airlines are canceling flights in order to ensure their aircraft and crews are in safe locations and customers aren’t stranded as Ian approaches Florida.
Airports in Orlando, Miami and Tampa are seeing the greatest number of cancellations. Tampa International airport is closed, and Orlando International is closed to all but emergency flights. Several other smaller airports in Florida are also closed.
American Airlines, which operates about 250 daily departures out of Miami — its fourth largest hub — has cancelled 583 flights, including mainline and regional service. It has waived change and cancellation fees.
Southwest Airlines tweeted that its employees are “working around the clock to track” Ian. It says the storm “is expected to cause continued disruptions.”
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Amazon is pausing operations at some facilities as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida
From CNN’s Catherine Thorbecke
Amazon is temporarily pausing operations at some facilities as Hurricane Ian barrels towards Florida, the company confirmed to CNN on Wednesday.
CNBC previously reported that Amazon had closed sites near Tampa and Orlando, citing notices sent to employees
There are more than 8,000 full-time and part-time Amazon employees in the Tampa area. Employees scheduled to work will continue to be paid while sites are closed, according to Amazon.
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What we know about Hurricane Ian's size and speed
From CNN's Brandon Miller
A satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Ian approaching Florida on Wednesday at 10:41 a.m. ET.
(NOAA/NASA)
If Hurricane Ian hits at its current intensity or higher, it will be the strongest storm to ever make landfall on the west coast of the Florida Peninsula on record.
Hurricane Ian underwent another bout of rapid Intensification in the past 24 hours, with its top-end winds increasing by 40 mph (from 115 to 155 mph) in about 16 hours.
Hurricanes undergoing rapid intensification in the 24 hours before landfall have been increasingly common in recent years. This was happened with Hurricanes Michael, Ida and Harvey, among others.
What we know about the storm surge: The storm surge in southwest Florida is likely to be like nothing ever seen in the region.
Hurricane Charley, also a Category 4, hit the same area in 2004 and brought a max of 6 to 7 feet of storm surge. This could be at least twice as high.
Storm surge is expected to be higher than Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm that brought a 9 to 14 feet surge to the Panhandle in 2018.
Hurricane Ian’s size: Ian is a massive hurricane, which will worsen storm surge and spread damage over a larger area. Hurricane-force sustained winds spread over 80 miles across this storm. This is nearly double the size that Hurricane Charley was when it hit the same region (45 miles across).
Tropical-storm-force winds spread also across more than 320 miles, a distance that would reach from Washington, DC, to Cleveland, Ohio.
About Ian’s speed: Ian is moving at 10 mph, and it will slow down more after landfall — less than half the speed that Hurricane Charley was moving at 22 mph. This will increase the potential storm surge Ian creates, as well as exposing areas to the intense winds and flooding rains for longer periods of time.
The storm is expected to slow down after landfall, moving at only 6 to 7 mph and taking more than 24 hours to move across Florida.
This could expose areas to hurricane-force winds for eight hours or more, and tropical-storm-force winds for well over 24 hours.
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Tampa area schools closed until Friday, officials say
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Hillsborough County Schools in the Tampa area will be closed until at least Friday, district officials said in an update Wednesday.
“For this reason, we will need to close schools through Friday, September 30th, in order to thoroughly clean campuses and we anticipate a return to school on Monday, October 3rd,” said district officials. “We hope you and your family are safe and prepared for the impact of Hurricane Ian to our area,” according to the post.
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Tampa airport closed until Thursday, officials say
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Tampa International Airport has extended its closure due to the hurricane.
“TPA remains closed to the public due to #HurricaneIan and there will be no departing flights through Thursday. Please check with your airline for the latest flight information. We will share a reopening date and time when it is determined,” the airport said.
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"Extremely dangerous eyewall of Ian moving onshore," National Hurricane Center says
In its latest update, the National Hurricane Center says the eyewall of Hurricane Ian is starting to move onshore now.
The storm will cause “catastrophic storm surge, winds and flooding” in the areas in its path soon, it added.
National Hurricane Center’s acting Deputy Director Michael Brennan explained what will happen next.
Brennan said water levels are expected to remain elevated through Thursday.
“I would expect water levels to remain elevated all through tonight and into Thursday. In addition to that, you’re going to have several inches of rainfall that will flow in and not have anywhere to drain on the other end. It won’t be able to go out in the harbors and into the gulf. So you’re going to have a widespread inundation event here,” he told CNN.
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Why water is receding ahead of Hurricane Ian's landfall
Sisters Selena Disbrow, left, Angel Disbrow, right, walk along the shore of Tampa Bay as water is pulled out from the bay by Hurricane Ian on Wednesday.
(Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The National Weather Service in Tampa advised residents not to go near the beach even though water appears to be receding.
“The water WILL come back,” the weather service said.
Water can recede when strong winds on the left side of the center of the storm push water out away from shore, according to CNN meteorologist Judson Jones.
A man walks through mudflats as the tide recedes from Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
(Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)
Tampa and Brandenton police also tweeted images of water receding.
Why storm surge is so dangerous: The National Weather Service says almost half of all deaths from tropical cyclones come from storm surge.
“A storm surge is a rise in water level caused by a strong storm’s wind pushing water on-shore,” according to CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller. “The wind literally piles up the ocean water and pushes it on the land.”
People walk along mudflats as the tide recedes from Tampa Bay.
(Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)
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More than 200,000 customers have lost power in Florida so far
From CNN's Jamie Loftus
The state of Florida has surpassed 200,000 customers without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island, is still the most affected with over 43,000 customers out of power, according to the site.
The site also reports that Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, has over 40,000 customer power outages.
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Fort Myers, Florida, resident says they're sheltering in place because "we have everything we need here"
(CNN)
Fort Myers, Florida, resident Chelsye Lynn Napier, who is sheltering in place in a mandatory evacuation zone, told CNN Wednesday that she and her family “felt safer” staying put during Hurricane Ian.
Asked if they have a plan for where to hunker down inside their home, Napier said, “We talked about it … we would go into the laundry room,” adding, “there’s no doors, no windows, it’s just a small, compacted area.”
Napier said that a few people inside their complex have chosen to stay as well, noting that her neighbors living below her also haven’t evacuated. “There’s still a couple of us here,” she said.
Earlier Wednesday, Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson said residents who have chosen to stay in their homes should shelter in place right now.
“We’ve got about 14 shelters open in the county, several thousand people have already gone to the shelters, but those who have chosen to stay home, they need to stay put right now. It’s dangerous to go out there; there’s the heavy rains, there’s trees falling down, there’s squalls, they’re safer where they are,” he told CNN.
Anderson said he is most concerned about storm surge, which the National Weather Service is predicting can get to up to 18 feet in the Fort Myers area.
He added that those who have a medical emergency can call 911 and get advice from responders, but there is no guarantee that EMS will be able to carry out rescues. As soon as it is safe, emergency response teams will be able to get into the field.
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Hurricane-force winds are approaching Florida's western coast, hurricane center says
Hurricane-force winds are approaching the southwestern coast of Florida, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center.
“Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that hurricane-force winds are approaching the coast of Florida near Sanibel Island. The Southwest Regional Airport in Fort Myers recently reported a wind gust of 62 mph,” the NHC said.
An extreme wind warning is also now in effect for Cape Coral, Bonita Springs and Estero until 12:45 p.m. ET, according to the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay.
“Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!” the weather service said.
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About 4,000 people are in shelters in Pinellas County, sheriff says
About 4,000 people have reported into shelters in Pinellas County, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Wednesday, a small percentage of the about 352,000 people who were placed under mandatory evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Ian.
Gualtieri acknowledged that he does not know if other residents decided to evacuate to a safer part of Florida not in the path of the storm instead of checking into shelters in the area. Many residents placed under mandatory evacuation orders may choose to stay with family or friends outside of the evacuation zone.
Still, Gualtieri said officials are concerned with the number of people in shelters and wondered how many are sheltering in place.
He reiterated the importance of these shelters and evacuation order, pointing to the lack of emergency responders once the weather conditions get rough.
“We’re not putting our people in peril when [the residents] didn’t heed the mandatory evacuation order,” he said.
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Charlotte County Emergency Management director says he hopes people heeded the warnings and evacuated
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
(CNN)
Patrick Fuller, emergency management director of Charlotte County, FL, said on CNN Wednesday that while he hopes people listened to advice and evacuated, now is the time for those that didn’t to “hunker down.”
“We’ve had those evacuation orders in place now for almost two days,” Fuller said. “That provided time for our residents to take heed and to leave the area that are most likely to be impacted by storm surge. So, our hope is that our residents listened and took the lesson of Hurricane Charley from 2004.”
Fuller said that the influx of new residents in the last couple of years is a concern. Prior to and during hurricane season, outreach has been targeted toward them, “really trying to hammer home that if you’ve never been through a hurricane season, here’s what you should expect,” and trying to explain terms like storm surge and the vulnerability of the area.
He also noted that most emergency response agencies have stopped service at this point due to the winds. If a person calls 911 during the height of the storm, “we cannot come out and provide assistance,” he said, adding that they will talk people through their situations, but won’t immediately send help.
“Now’s the time to go head and hunker down,” he said. “And, unfortunately, with hazardous conditions, it’s not safe for anyone, emergency responder or not, to be on the roadways.”
Charlotte County is just north of Fort Myers and is the home of Punta Gorda, the Rotonda community and Port Charlotte.
City turns off water service to island of Venice, Florida
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Potable water service has been turned off to the island of Venice, Florida, ahead of Hurricane Ian.
“The City Utilities Department has discontinued potable water service to the island of Venice at this time to protect our infrastructure,” the city announced in a post on Facebook.
The water was turned off Tuesday night and will remain off for the duration of the storm, the city’s website said.
The city will continue to monitor the situation and “when the storm’s wind speeds drop below 35 mph, utilities staff will look for leaks in the system, make repairs, and restore service.” Once water is restored, the island will be under a boil water advisory.
The island of Venice sits between Tampa and Fort Myers on Florida’s western coast.
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Biden on Hurricane Ian: "We are on alert and in action"
President Joe Biden speaks during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
(Evan Vucci/AP)
President Biden said the federal government is “on alert and in action” as Hurricane Ian bears down on Florida.
Planning included “dispatching hundreds of FEMA personnel and activating thousands of National Guard members,” the President said.
A search-and-rescue team is already on the ground, Biden said.
“FEMA pre-positioned millions of liters of waters, million of meals and hundreds of generators,” he added.
Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke yesterday. Biden also spoke with the mayors of St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater on Tuesday.
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Biden warns oil and gas companies not to use Hurricane Ian as an "excuse to raise gasoline prices"
President Joe Biden speaks during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
(Evan Vucci/AP)
President Biden warned oil and gas companies Wednesday to not use Hurricane Ian as “an excuse” to raise prices.
Biden continued: “The price of oil has been going down. My experts inform me the production of only about 190,000 barrels a day has been impacted by the storm thus far.”
The President called this a “small temporary impact” on oil production, reiterating that this dip in production “provides no excuse — no excuse for price increases at the pump. None.”
Biden said that if gas companies try to use the storm to raise prices, he will ask officials to look into whether “price gouging” is happening.
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Biden urges Floridians in Ian's path to listen to local officials: "This storm is incredibly dangerous"
President Biden urged Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Ian to heed the guidance of local emergency officials.
Biden also promised federal assistance in rebuilding and recovery once the storm passes.
“When the storm passes, the federal government can be there to help you recover. We’ll be there to help you clean up and rebuild to get Florida moving again. We’ll be there every step of the way. That’s my absolute commitment to the people of the state of Florida,” he said.
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Sarasota police chief warns that rescue operations will be limited once winds go over 45 mph
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
(Sarasota Police Department)
Sarasota Police Department Chief Rex Troche said his department has “been going for 24 hours, and we’ll be here until we’re not needed anymore.”
As the powerful Hurricane Ian continues to close in on Florida’s western coast, “we are going to feel the effects some way somehow, whether it’s a lot of wind, rain or a combination of both,” he added.
Troche warned that when winds exceed 45 mph, “it’s going to be very limited response with respect to first responders.”
“We’re going do the best we can, but it’s very difficult to put responders out there and put them in danger with these winds,” he added.
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Hillsborough County emergency director says those who ignored evacuation orders "have to stay"
(CNN)
Timothy Dudley, director of Emergency Management for Florida’s Hillsborough County, told CNN that if residents in the county “didn’t heed our warning, or order to evacuate, you have to stay.”
Dudley said that for those who chose to stay, “hopefully they are out of the impact areas.”
Dudley continued: “We are urging our residents to stay safe and avoid driving on flooded roads.” He noted that after the storm passes residents should wait for local authorities to give the all-clear before venturing outside.
Dudley told CNN on Wednesday that in Hillsborough County, there are a “couple hundred thousand” people living in the zones for which they issued evacuation orders.
“It’s quite a few people. We hope and expect that they have moved to a safe zone,” he said.
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What Hurricane Ian looks like from space as it churns toward Florida
Hurricane Ian is barreling toward Florida’s southwest coast as a powerful Category 4 storm.
At 10 a.m. ET, it was about 60 miles west of Naples, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Here’s a satellite look at Hurricane Ian as the sun rose over Florida this morning:
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DeSantis says he expects Ian to be a "historic" storm with "profound impact" on Florida
(Pool/CNN)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he expects “significant rescue operations” due to Hurricane Ian, as some residents have chosen to hunker down in vulnerable areas.
“This is a major, major storm. You never want to see any storms hit, because it creates a lot of problems, but I’ll tell you, the state has done a lot of storms over the past. There’s some you deal with. It’s never fun, it’s never fun to have damage. It’s never fun to see needing. It’s never fun to see power interrupted, but you kind of deal with it, and then you move forward,” he said from Lake City, Florida, as he provided another update on the storm.
After DeSantis spoke, Florida Power & Light Director of External Affairs Jim Bush gave an update, saying that the utility has assembled a restoration workforce of more than 19,000 from over 30 states.
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What happens if you call 911 when first responders can't go out in your area
Authorities in areas that are in the path of Hurricane Ian have warned residents that first responders will not go out once wind gusts reach a certain speed determined for the respective jurisdictions. So if you’re a resident who has decided to shelter in place instead of evacuating, an emergency management official explains what will happen if you call 911.
“Most emergency response agencies have gone ahead and stopped emergency service at this point due to the high winds. If you call 911, unfortunately, during the height of the storm we cannot go out and provide assistance,” said Patrick Fuller, emergency management director for Charlotte County, Florida.
What does hunkering down mean: Get inside the firmest structure you can move to — the interior of the building, away from windows. When the storm clears out, do not immediately get on the road. There could be severe debris all over along with downed power lines, Fuller explained.
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FEMA administrator urges people not to drive through standing water or operate generators inside
Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell speaks at a press conference on Wednesday.
(Pool/CNN)
Deanne Criswell, Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, began a news briefing by telling people in the path of Hurricane Ian that “as with any storm, the most important work starts at home.”
“That means we need everyone to heed the warnings of their local officials before, during, and after the storm … These are life-saving messages that simply cannot be ignored,” she added.
Criswell noted that “when it comes to hurricanes — water, water is dangerous.”
Criswell also offered a few keys tips for people to heed during the next few days as Ian moves through their area:
Never drive through standing or moving water, as it takes only a few inches of water to carry away a vehicle.
If you are taking shelter in an area with rising water levels, quickly find higher ground.
Never operate a generator in your home. “Too many lives are lost each year due to carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s incredibly important that you only run generators outside,” Criswell said.
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More than 160,000 customers are without power in Florida
From CNN's Jamie Loftus
The state of Florida has surpassed 160,000 customers without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island, is the most affected with more than 41,000 customers out of power, according to the site.
The site also reports that Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, now has more than 38,000customer power outages.
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First responders in St. Petersburg will not go out now as wind gusts grow stronger than 40 mph
Winds and choppy waves hit St. Pete Pier in Saint Petersburg, Florida, on Wednesday morning.
(Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)
CNN correspondent Brian Todd is in St. Petersburg, where the wind gusts have picked up.
“The gusts are now well over 40 miles per hour,” he reports.
This means at this point, emergency response teams cannot go out.
This comes as the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, that spans more than 4 miles across Tampa Bay, was closed down. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has been known to close the bridge when wind speeds exceed 40 mph.
Todd says the weather visibly worsened within the last hour.
“We are really getting pounded here at this pier in St. Petersburg,” he said. “We’ve been hit by waves a couple times.”
More than 2,500 residents in Florida's Manatee County are registered in shelters
From CNN’s Amanda Watts and Devon Sayers
In Manatee County, Florida, there are 2,528 people registered in the area’s 17 storm shelters, according to a Wednesday news release.
Manatee County, located just south of Tampa, has a two-level evacuation in place, and more than 100,000 residents were ordered to leave.
Category 4 Hurricane Ian is projected to make landfall south of the county, but “the potential danger to people and property remains high,” the county said.
Manatee has stood up “first-in teams,” which are fully staffed and “are staged at strategic locations around the county so that once the winds subside, they can make initial assessments and rescues if necessary and then aid in recovery efforts.”
The seven teams each have a fire truck, a bulldozer, a bus and an EMS unit.
“We are committed to this response,” Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes said. “This is the best way to get the assets in place to assist our residents and visitors as soon as possible. This is what we have been preparing for.”
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Fort Myers mayor to residents who've decided not to evacuate: "Stay put right now"
(CNN)
Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson said residents who have chosen to stay in their homes should shelter in place right now.
“We’ve got about 14 shelters open in the county, several thousand people have already gone to the shelters, but those who have chosen to stay home, they need to stay put right now. It’s dangerous to go out there; there’s the heavy rains, there’s trees falling down, there’s squalls, they’re safer where they are,” he told CNN.
Anderson said he is most concerned about storm surge, which the National Weather Service is predicting can get to up to 18 feet in the Fort Myers area.
He added that those who have a medical emergency can call 911 and get advice from responders, but there is no guarantee that EMS will be able to carry out rescues. As soon as it is safe, emergency response teams will be able to get into the field.
A car is seen on Caloosahatchee Bridge in Fort Myers, Florida, on Wednesday.
(Marco Bello/Reuters)
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National Hurricane Center forecasts storm surge of up to 18 feet for some parts of Southwest Florida
A satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Ian approaching Florida on Wednesday at 9:01 a.m. ET.
(NOAA/NASA)
The Storm Surge Unit has increased peak storm surge inundation amounts in some parts of Florida, with the possibility of up to 18 feet of surge in some areas, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Life-threatening storm surge is expected along the Southwest Coast of Florida, it said in its latest update.
Areas from Englewood to Bonita Beach and Charlotte Harbor could see storm surge of up to 18 feet, it said.
This could be the worst surge forecast for this area on record.
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Hurricane Ian will have catastrophic impacts, FEMA administrator says
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
(CNN)
Deanne Criswell, Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, told CNN’s New Day Wednesday that Hurricane Ian will have catastrophic impacts and warned people who have not evacuated to make sure they were putting themselves and their families in a safe place.
Criswell said her biggest concern is the water, both the storm surge and the inland flooding water, as water is one of the leading causes of death in these storms.
FEMA has put together search and rescue teams, she said, which are currently stationed in Miami and include people from a number of groups, including the Department of Defense and the US Coast Guard.
Criswell said they are already seeing the impacts from the storm.
“As the storm moves and as it’s safe for our search and rescue teams to go in, they will begin going in to start searching those areas to see and assess damage, but most importantly look for people that may need help getting out of the area,” she said. “We’re going to follow this storm as soon as it’s safe for those teams to get in there and make sure that we’re finding anybody who needs help.”
“If you have not evacuated yet, you need to stay, you need to shelter in place, you need to get to the highest part of your home and you need to make sure that you are putting yourself and your family in a safe place until emergency responders can get to you,” Criswell said, adding that they won’t wait for the storm to completely pass, but until FEMA says it’s safe for emergency responders.
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Florida's Sarasota County tells residents now is the "last opportunity" to move to a shelter
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
A motorist drives near the Sarasota Bay waterfront in Sarasota, Florida, on Wednesday.
(Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Sarasota County, Florida, Communications Director Jamie Carson told residents right now is “the last opportunity to get to the evacuations centers,” adding that otherwise they will “need to be prepared to shelter in place.”
Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane said “the weather and the winds are picking up,” and warned that in a few more hours emergency vehicles will be suspended because of the high winds.
McCrane said this is a “serious storm” for the next 24 hours as it passes to the south of the county.
Sarasota County is along Florida’s west coast between Tampa and Fort Myers.
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At least 14 rivers across 3 states will see major flooding from Ian
From CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar
Central Florida could see “widespread, prolonged major and record river flooding,” the National Hurricane Center says.
At least a dozen river gauge locations are expected to hit major flood stage beginning as early as Wednesday evening. Flooding will also occur at another dozen locations, reaching minor to moderate flood stage across central and northern Florida.
Record levels are forecast for at least five locations in Florida:
Cypress Creek at Worthington Gardens forecast to reach 14.7 feet. Its previous record is 13.8 feet.
Myakka River at Myakka State Park forecast to reach 13.0 feet, with its previous record at 12.5 feet.
Horse Creek at Arcadia forecast to reach 18.5 feet. Its previous record is 18.0 feet.
Peace River at Zolfo forecast to reach 25.2 feet and its previous record is 25.0 feet.
Peace River at Bartow forecast to reach 11.2 feet with previous record at 11.0 feet.
For most of these locations, it will take at least three to five days before water levels return below major flood stage and one week before they return to “normal levels.”
As Ian crosses the state of Florida and makes its way up the East Coast, other states will also deal with major flooding potential including the Savannah River at Fort Pulaski in Georgia, and the Cooper River at Charleston Harbor in South Carolina.
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More than 130,000 customers have lost power in Florida so far
From CNN's Jamie Loftus
The state of Florida has surpassed 130,000 customers without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Collier County, which includes Naples and Marco Island, is the most affected, with over 32,000 customers out of power, according to the site.
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Hurricane Ian prompts closures across Florida
Here are some of the businesses and events that have been shut down or suspended in light of Hurricane Ian’s expected impact on Florida.
Airports:
Commercial operations at Orlando International Airport (MCO) will cease at 10:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) suspended operations Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET.
Sarasota-Bradenton airport closed at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday night.
The terminal at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport closed at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Theme parks:
SeaWorld Orlando, Disney theme parks and water parks, and Universal Orlando Resort theme parks and CityWalk will be closed Wednesday and Thursday.
Football:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday said they were relocating their football operations to Miami-Dade County and also postponing a ceremony for former coach Bruce Arians.
NASA:
Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex will be closed Wednesday and Thursday.
NASA has rolled the massive Artemis I mega moon rocket back into its hangar at the Kennedy Space Center.
Stores and resturants:
At least 11 Waffle House Stores have closed ahead of the hurricane.
Publix said it will close stores in 11 counties today.
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Tampa mayor: "We haven't even begun to feel the wrath of Hurricane Ian"
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
(CNN)
Tampa, Florida, Mayor Jane Castor warned Wednesday that the city hasn’t “even begun to feel the wrath of Hurricane Ian.”
“Our concerns clearly are still the wind, I never thought I would say that I was grateful to hear that we may endure tropical storm or a Category 1 hurricane force winds, but still the winds,” Castor told CNN’s New Day. “And the storm, you know, we’re going to bring in 18 to 20 inches into a community at Tampa Bay area that is already saturated.”
The mayor said flood warnings provided earlier will still be in effect, but fortunately the area had a couple of days to work on this due to prior predictions, meaning a lot of the coastal community have evacuated to higher ground.
The anticipated rainfall is “going to cause some flooding damage and still with the wind some damage as well,” she said. “But when you think about it, when that storm surge comes in and we’re trying to expel all of that rainwater through our stormwater systems, drainage, you know, that’s just not going to work. The water is going to continue to rise and we’re still going to have flooding.”
Her message to the people of Tampa over the next 24 hours remains the same, she said.
Hurricane Ian has sustained winds over 155 mph, according to NOAA Hurricane Hunter plane data. The storm is located roughly 55 miles off the coast of southwest Florida.
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Hurricane Ian will move slowly across Florida, NOAA official explains
A satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Ian approaching Florida on Wednesday at 8:31 a.m. ET.
(NOAA/NASA)
After Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida, it is expected to crawl across the central part of the state.
Here’s how a NOAA official explains it:
“So we’re going to have a very prolonged, heavy rainfall event. We could see widespread rainfall totals of 10 to 15 inches, Tampa, Orlando, up to near Jacksonville. And somewhere in there is probably going to get close to two feet of rain. We’re going to have widespread catastrophic flooding impacts across much of northern and central Florida from this storm as well,” he added.
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"You're not going to survive" a 16-foot storm surge, NOAA official explains
(CNN)
Given Hurricane Ian’s strengthening to a 155-mph, high-end Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center is forecasting a catastrophic storm surge of 12 to 16 feet from Englewood to Bonita Beach, Florida, including Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda as well as Cape Coral and Fort Myers.
“I’m six feet tall. That’s almost like three times my height. It’s not the just the rise of the water from the storm surge. It’s the breaking waves on top of it that are going to be driven by those 155 mph winds. Those waves can destroy buildings and basically lay a foundation to bare down to the slab. That’s not a situation you’re going to survive in,” he explained.
Residents in areas that are storm surge evacuation zones still have a few hours to leave and they should protect themselves today, Brennan urged.
Meanwhile, Ian is located about 55 miles west of Naples, moving north-northeast at 10 miles per hour, he said, adding that catastrophic impacts are expected along the southwest boarder coast today as the hurricane is just two miles shy of a Category 5 strength.
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Where Hurricane Ian is now — and where it's going next
Hurricane Ian, a strong Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, is about 55 west of Naples, Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 8 a.m. ET update.
Here’s a look at the latest projected track for Hurricane Ian, which is forecast to move northeastward throughout the day and into tomorrow:
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Emergency services suspended in Punta Gorda
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Emergency Services are currently suspended in Punta Gorda, Florida, as Hurricane Ian gets closer to land.
“Emergency services, including police, fire, and EMS, have been suspended in the City of Punta Gorda due to high winds,” a post on their website said. Once it is safe, emergency services will resume and “calls will be answered in order of priority,” the city noted.
After the storm goes through, officials warn response may be delayed “due to damage, road blockage, and flood waters.”
Punta Gorda is located north of Fort Myers in Charlotte County, Florida.
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Once winds hit 45 mph, first responders will not go out, Clearwater mayor warns resident sheltering in place
(CNN)
Clearwater, Florida, is a bit out of the projected path of Hurricane Ian, which is “good news,” says mayor Frank Hibbard, but he warned that this does not mean residents should let up yet.
“Our biggest thing now is don’t let up. We hate to see complacency because these bands are still going to bring with them tornadoes, incredible rains, and we will have downed trees. Just because the ground gets so saturated, the trees literally tip over, take out power lines and create very dangerous conditions,” he explained.
While Clearwater authorities issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents, ultimately people make the choice, Hibbard told CNN, adding that at this stage, nobody can enter but people can still leave.
Clearwater is a vulnerable region and a lot depends on which side of the hurricane bands it falls on, Hibbard said.
“If we’re on the wrong side of the bands, it’s going to push incredible amounts of water. And just think of it as a bathtub. It’s going to eventually overflow,” he added.
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Florida governor: "This is a very powerful, major hurricane that's going to have major impacts"
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt and Melissa Alonso
(Florida Governor's Office)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gave a briefing ahead of Hurricane Ian’s expected landfall later Wednesday, warning residents in several western counties that it is “no longer possible to safely evacuate.”
“This is a major, major storm. It’s something that we knew was going to be significant. The strengthening of this over the last night has been really, really significant,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis warned the highest risk is from Collier County up to Sarasota County, with landfall expected in Charlotte County.
“If you are in any of those counties, it’s no longer possible to safely evacuate. It’s time to hunker down and prepare for this storm. This is a powerful storm that should be treated like you would treat” a tornado approaching your home, DeSantis said.
At least 40,000 power outages have been reported, DeSantis said. “Outside of southwest Florida, crews are responding to those power outages,” he said.
According to the governor, “there are over 30,000 linemen staged and ready for power restoration efforts across the state of Florida.”
He warned residents to heed warnings from local officials and not to go outside until the storm has passed.
“Even if it seems calm, wait to make sure that the storm has actually passed. Once the storm has passed and it’s safe to go outside, I urge you to be cautious. Avoid downed power lines. Avoid standing water. Stay clear of damaged trees. If you are using a generator for power, make sure that is being operated outside your home. Do not operate that indoors. And then don’t drive in flooded streets,” he said.
DeSantis also said that there are 5,000 Florida National Guard members activated, as well as 2,000 from neighboring states.
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A city-by-city look at when to expect hurricane and tropical storm conditions from Ian
From CNN's Brandon Miller
Here are some key locations that will be impacted by Hurricane Ian and what CNN meteorologists expect when conditions begin to deteriorate, peak and subside.
This information is based on the latest forecast guidance and could still change. All times below are in ET.
Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte:
Period of tropical storm-force wind gusts: Now through 9 a.m. Thursday
Period of hurricane-force wind gusts: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. today
Peak winds: Gusts to 110-130 mph+, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. today
Rainfall expected: 6 to 8 inches
Surge expected: 12 to 16 feet
Sarasota:
Period of tropical storm-force wind gusts: Now to 9 p.m. Thursday afternoon
Period of hurricane-force wind gusts: 3 p.m. today to 2 a.m. Thursday
Peak winds: Gusts 80-90 mph+, 6 p.m. to midnight tonight
Rainfall expected: 10 to 14 inches
Surge expected: 6 to 10 feet
Fort Myers:
Period of tropical storm-force wind gusts: Now through 8 a.m. Thursday
Period of hurricane-force wind gusts: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today
Peak winds: Gusts to 80-90 mph+, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today
Rainfall expected: 4 to 6 inches
Surge expected: 12 to 16 feet
Tampa:
Period of tropical storm-force wind gusts: 8 a.m. today to Thursday afternoon
Peak winds: Gusts to 60 mph+, 5 p.m. today to Thursday morning
Rainfall expected: 12 to 15 inches
Surge expected: 4 to 6 feet
St. Petersburg:
Period of tropical storm-force wind gusts: Now to 12 a.m. Friday
Peak winds: Gusts to 70 mph+, 8 p.m. tonight to 4 a.m. Thursday
Rainfall expected: 10 to 13 inches
Surge expected: 4 to 6 feet
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Emergency services canceled in Cape Coral
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Emergency services have been canceled in Cape Coral, Florida, as Category 4 Hurricane Ian gets closer.
“Emergency services Citywide are now suspended, and will resume normal operations after winds are below 45 miles per hour,” according to an update on Cape Coral’s Fire Department website.
Those who call 911 during this time will be put onto a “prioritization list” and “assistance will be provided as soon as it is safe,” the update said. All residents were asked to shelter in place.
Hurricane Ian has sustained winds over 155 mph, according to NOAA Hurricane Hunter plane data, and is located roughly 55 miles off the coast of southwest Florida.
Cape Coral is located in Lee County, west of Fort Myers.
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At least 2 dead in Cuba from Hurricane Ian
From CNN’s Patrick Oppmann in Havana
Utility poles lean over a street in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, on Tuesday.
(Ramon Espinosa/AP)
Hurricane Ian has killed at least two people in Cuba, according to state outlet Prensa Latina on Wednesday.
Both deaths occurred in the hard-hit western province of Pinar del Rio. A woman died after a wall collapsed on her and a man died after his roof fell on him, state media reported.
Meanwhile, the entirety of Cuba lost power after Ian made landfall as a Category 3 storm just southwest of La Coloma in the Pinar del Rio province early Tuesday morning.
The powerful storm was expected to dump up to 16 inches of rain and trigger mudslides and flash flooding in the western region, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of residents. After the storm moved through, floodwaters blanketed fields and trees were uprooted in San Juan y Martinez, a town in Pinar del Rio, images from state media outlet Cubadebate show.
Cuban officials said they are hoping to begin restoring power to the country of 11 million people late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
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National Hurricane Center is now forecasting "catastrophic storm surge" up to 16 feet
From CNN's Brandon Miller
A satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Ian approaching Florida on Wednesday at 7:56 a.m. ET.
(NOAA/NASA)
Given Hurricane Ian’s strengthening to a 155 mph, high-end Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Center has increased the projected storm surge for portions of Florida that will fall on the right side of the eye’s landfall.
“We are now forecasting a catastrophic storm surge of 12 to 16 ft from Englewood to Bonita Beach, Florida,” the special advisory from the hurricane center said.
This includes Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda as well as Cape Coral and Fort Myers.
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Conditions "rapidly deteriorating" along southwest Florida as Ian approaches, National Hurricane Center says
From CNN's Brandon Miller
With the center of Hurricane Ian just over 55 miles from the coast of Southwest Florida, “conditions are deteriorating along the southwest Florida coast,” the National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday morning.
A weather station near Sanibel Island recently measured a wind of 39 mph and a wind gust to 55 mph, indicating that tropical-force winds with higher gusts are already occurring.
An ocean buoy near Ian’s eye in the Gulf of Mexico recently measured a gust to 94 mph, giving an indication of what to expect over land in the coming hours.
Ian’s eyewall — the most dangerous part of the storm with the strongest wind, heaviest rain, and worst surge — is only about 40 miles from the coastline, and will begin bringing some of the worst conditions in the next several hours.
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Ian strengthens to a 155 mph hurricane
From CNN's Dave Hennen
Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter plane shows that Ian now has sustained winds of 155 mph.
That is just two miles per hour short of Category 5 intensity.
Further strengthening is possible over the next several hours before Ian makes landfall later this afternoon.”
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Hurricane Ian begins lashing Florida before landfall is expected later Wednesday
From CNN's Nouran Salahieh
Hurricane Ian – now a stronger and “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm – has begun lashing Florida with major flooding and ruinous winds as it advances on a large swath of the state’s west coast with the potential within hours to inflict catastrophic floods and life-threatening storm surge.
“Conditions rapidly deteriorating along the southwest Florida coast,” the National Hurricane Center tweeted Wednesday morning, with Ian’s center just 55 miles from the coast.
The area between Naples and Sarasota faces the highest threat of dangerous storm surge, the hurricane center said, with more than 2.5 million people advised to flee, including 1.75 million people under mandatory evacuation orders.
After pummeling Cuba on Tuesday and leaving an islandwide blackout, Ian is taking aim at Florida’s vulnerable Gulf Coast, where residents have been boarding up and leaving in droves on congested highways. Schools, supermarkets, theme parks, hospitals and airports have announced closures. The Navy moved its ships, and the Coast Guard has shut down ports.
Parts of far southern Florida already have begun feeling the storm’s first effects, with tropical storm-force winds and at least two possible tornadoes reported in Broward County, including at North Perry Airport, where planes and hangers were damaged. Major flooding was being reported in Key West due to storm surge, along with power outages.
“The time to evacuate is now,” Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Tuesday, calling Ian “a statewide event.”
