Hurricane Ian – live: Florida counties face evacuations from category 2 storm as winds reach 100mph

Central Florida stores struggle to keep water on shelves ahead of Tropical Storm Ian

Mandatory evacuations are underway in parts of Florida amid warnings of life-threatening conditions from Hurricane Ian in the coming days.

The powerful system will impact the Cayman Islands and western Cuba on Monday and is tracking to hit Florida as a major, Category 4 hurricane by mid-week. Conditions in western Cuba will deteriorate this evening with significant winds and storm surge of up to 14 feet.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has warned people to prepare but not panic. “This is a really, really big hurricane at this point,” Gov. DeSantis said.

On Monday afternoon, the storm was rated a Category 2 hurricane, with sustsained winds of up to 100mph.

Gas stations and stores experienced shortages across Florida as residents prepared for impact.

Some 300,000 people are being evacuated in parts of Hillsborough county, which includes the city of Tampa, along with Manatee and Hernando counties. Pinellas County, which includes the cities of Clearwater and St Petersburg, will begin mandatory evacuations on Monday evening at 6pm.

There is risk of flash flooding, strong winds, storm surge of up to 10 feet, and possible isolated tornadoes along Florida’s Gulf Coast with impacts beginning up to 36 hours before the peak.

As Florida prepares, Atlantic Canada and parts of the Caribbean including Puerto Rico are still recovering from Hurricane Fiona last week.

1664241052Two views on Hurricane Ian as storm approaches FloridaAs night falls over Florida ahead of the approach of Hurricane Ian, here are two views on the growing storm.

One comes from government satellites and another from social media users.

Josh Marcus27 September 2022 02:10

1664239880Read the latest update on Hurricane Ian from Ron DeSantisFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis has released his latest update on the strengthening Hurricane Ian.

It contains detailed information on storm surges, school closures, and more.

Get all the information here.

Josh Marcus27 September 2022 01:51

1664239074Storm surge could reach 10 feet in Tampa area“There’s an old phrase: you hide from wind, but you run from water,” Richard Olson, director of extreme events research at Florida International University (FIU), told The Independent earlier this year. “Water kills more people than wind in a hurricane.”

That’s why Floridians are especially worried about the forecast from Hurricane Ian.

When the now-Category 2 storm hits Florida during the middle of this week, it could bring up to 10 feet of storm surge flooing to places like Tampa Bay, causing extreme damage along Florida’s low-lying coastal areas.

For more on Dr Olson’s work studying storm behaviour, here’s our piece from March.

Florida researchers are building a facility to test future of mega hurricanesThe climate crisis is making hurricanes stronger, so a new project aims to create the country’s most powerful hurricane simulator, Josh Marcus writes

Josh Marcus27 September 2022 01:37

1664237872School closures announced as Hurricane Ian approaches FloridaMultiple school districts in Florida are canceling classes as Hurricane Ian heads toward the state.

Baker, Columbia, and Putnam counties have all decided to close their schools later this week, News4 reports, as have districts in Hillsborough, Manatee, and Pinellas counties.

“Many factors are considered when opening a shelter, so even if our community experiences minimal physical effects from the storm, our district plays an important role,” Putnam Schools wrote in a statement. “School administrators manage the operations of the shelters, bus drivers support the transportation of some community members, food service teams provide meals to shelter occupants, and our custodial, maintenance and IT teams work to keep our facilities in order throughout the event.”

Josh Marcus27 September 2022 01:17

1664236972Hurricane Ian demonstrates the climate-driven perils of ‘rapid intensification’Hurricane Ian is offering a telling picture of our climate crisis age.

The storm has been rapidly intensifying as it passes through the Carribbean, expected to transform from a tropical storm into a Category 4 hurricane in an unprecedented 72 hours.

“A now climate change driven, once rare phenomenon, rapid intensification could rapidly intensify Ian going over the Gulf of Mexico’s hot waters,” director of the Climate Emergency Institute, said on Monday on Twitter.

Here’s our recent report on how warming oceans are driving stronger—and more deadly—storms.

Josh Marcus27 September 2022 01:02

1664236027Cuban military to evacuate 50,000 as Ian approaches Pinar del RíoBefore Hurricane Ian hits the US, it is expected to touch down in Cuba’s western Pinar del Río province.

Four reservoirs in the area have already overflowed, and the Cuban military plans to evacuate 50,000 people in the highest-risk areas from the province of 500,000.

The storm, now a Category 2, is expected to reach Category 3 as it passes over western Cuba on its way to Florida.

Throughout the rest of Cuba, officials have authorised extra sales of basic foodstuffs at government stores.

Josh Marcus27 September 2022 00:47

1664234530Rain and flooding already under way in Miami before Hurricane Ian enters USHurricane Ian isn’t forecast to hit Florida until Wednesday, but the storm, recently upgraded to a Category 2, is already flooding parts of Miami and causing man hole covers to burst off in jets of water, according to social media users.

Josh Marcus27 September 2022 00:22

1664233373Gas lines and panic buying as Hurricane Ian heads towards FloridaFloridians faced long lines at gas stations and empty shelves as residents prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Ian, a storm expected to reach Category 4 by the time it makes landfall in the Sunshine State later this week.

Lengthy queues were reported throughout the weekend in locations like Pasco County, north of Tampa, Tallahassee and Daytona Beach.

Alicia Socker of Lee County told WINK News she had encountered multiple “no gas” signs as she searched for fuel on Monday.

“No gas. Next gas station on the left, no gas next station in front of Publix, no gas,” she said, before eventually locating a Circle K station with supplies.

“If it was $8 a gallon, I would have gotten a couple right,” she added. “Seriously, when you need it, you need it.”

Get the full story below.

Josh Marcus27 September 2022 00:02

1664232191ISS captures the very very big picture view on Hurricane Ian The International Space Station passed high up above Hurricane Ian on Monday, resulting in a spectacular angle on the growing storm.

The clip captures the globe-spanning spiral of the hurricane, which is heading towards western Cuba this evening.

Josh Marcus26 September 2022 23:43

1664231269St. Pete-Clearwater Airport to shut down ahead of Hurricane IanAs Hurricane Ian makes its way towards the US, towns and cities across Florida are waiting in tense anticipation.

St Pete-Clearwater International Airport announced on Tuesday it will close down on Tuesday afternoon, due to mandatory evacuation orders in Pinellas County, which includes numerous low-sitting, west-facing beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.

Josh Marcus26 September 2022 23:27