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The National Hurricane Center said on Monday that Hurricane Ian is expected to deliver a dangerous storm surge and gusts as high as 140 mph when it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast in the middle of this week.
As of 2 p.m. ET on Monday, Ian had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. However, analysts predict that as it approaches near western Cuba, Ian will quickly strengthen into a significant storm with wind speeds exceeding 110 mph.
The hurricane Centre warned that in some places, Ian’s storm surge “may elevate sea levels by as much as 9 to 14 feet over normal tidal levels” as it makes landfall in Cuba.
In Florida, the surge is anticipated to be significantly less severe, although portions of Tampa Bay may still experience levels that are 5 to 10 feet over average.
According to the NHC’s 2 p.m. advisory, Ian is now moving northwest at 13 mph and is about 120 miles from Grand Cayman. The storm’s track is predicted to change during the next 48 hours in favor of the north and northeast, and the moment at which it does so will probably determine where it makes landfall on the U.S. mainland.
A hurricane warning — meaning dangerous conditions are imminent — is in effect for western Cuba. In the U.S., roughly 100 miles of the Florida coast is under a hurricane watch, from Englewood north to the Anclote River — a stretch that includes Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg. A hurricane watch is normally issued 48 hours before storm conditions arrive.
In a season that only saw its first hurricane earlier this month, Ian is the fourth Atlantic storm of 2022. It hasn’t happened yet, despite projections of above-average activity in the 2022 hurricane season. This is due to variations in the jet stream and heat waves in northern latitudes.
But Ian’s ominous demeanor serves as a reminder of a hurricane expert’s frequent caution: Just one severe storm is enough to completely change people’s lives.
In order to make it easier for federal and state agencies to coordinate their preparation and reaction, both President Biden and Governor Ron DeSantis have declared emergencies in Florida.
