Hurricane Ian is intensifying rapidly and on track to hit Florida on Wednesday.
Hurricane warnings are in place throughout Grand Cayman and Cuba, with storm surge watches in effect for the Florida Keys all the way up to Tampa Bay as Ian moves northwest, according to the National Hurricane Center. The center is urging residents throughout the warning areas to rush preparations to protect their lives and property.
“Cuba is expecting extreme hurricane force winds, also life threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall,” NHC senior specialist Daniel Brown told The Associated Press on Monday. Hurricane Ian is not expected to hover over Cuba, but strengthening is anticipated as the storm sits over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, the AP continued.
Evening model consensus now shows Hurricane #Ian making a direct hit on Tampa Bay, likely at a Category 3 strength.
This is a near-worst case scenario for one of the most storm-surge flood vulnerable cities in the world. pic.twitter.com/2Bud7MZjAI
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) September 26, 2022
Storm surges of up to 8 feet and 10 to 15 inches of rain are anticipated in areas around Tampa, Florida, sending enough water through ocean currents and rainfall to significantly impact low-lying coastal communities, the AP noted. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in response to the forecasts, the outlet continued.
“We’re going to keep monitoring the track of this storm. But it really is important to stress the degree of uncertainty that still exists,” DeSantis told the press on Sunday, noting that “even if you’re not necessarily right in the eye of the path of the storm, there’s going to be pretty broad impacts throughout the state.”
Flooding is possible throughout the Florida Keys and throughout the peninsula, with heavy rainfall possible for the north of the state, the AP noted. (RELATED: Hurricane Season Is Upon Us, And It’s Going To Be A Big One)
President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for the state, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist in coordinating disaster relief efforts, in a statement released Saturday. He also postponed his scheduled Tuesday trip to Florida as a result of the potential effects of the hurricane.