Florida Braces For Major Hurricane As Ian Strengthens Over Caribbean

Topline

Forecasters are urging Floridians across much of the state to plan ahead of a potential strike from Tropical Storm Ian, which is expected to become a major hurricane as it moves from the Caribbean Sea into the Gulf of Mexico next week, the first significant threat for the U.S. this hurricane season.

Tropical Storm Ian moves over the central Caribbean Sea on Saturday morning.

NOAA

Key Facts

Ian was located in the central Caribbean about 300 miles south-southeast of Jamaica on Saturday morning with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

The storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by early Monday morning as it moves near the Cayman Islands before making landfall in western Cuba and pushing into the Gulf of Mexico, where rapid intensification could take place.

It’s expected to become a potentially devastating Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph over the Gulf on Wednesday before making landfall in Florida either late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

The projected path of the storm puts it on a course toward the Tampa Bay area, but the entire western coastline of the Florida peninsula and the eastern half of the Florida Panhandle were also in the National Hurricane Center’s cone of uncertainty.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has issued states of emergency for 24 counties, mostly in the southern and western portions of the Florida Peninsula.

Crucial Quote

“Early next week, Ian is forecast to move near or over western Cuba as a strengthening hurricane and then approach the Florida peninsula at or near major hurricane strength, with the potential for significant impacts from storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall,” the National Hurricane Center said.

Key Background

The Atlantic basin has become extremely busy over the past few days, with Ian one of three active tropical storms, along with Gaston and Hermine, which pose no imminent threats to land. Hurricane Fiona transitioned to an extratropical system late Friday night before moving over Canadian Maritime areas Saturday, knocking out power to more than 400,000 in Nova Scotia. More than 780,000 remain without power due to Fiona thousands of miles to the south in Puerto Rico, after the storm passed near the island almost a week ago. The string of storms this month marked an abrupt end to a historically slow period—no named storms formed in the Atlantic basin between July 3 and the start of September, which was the first time that stretch went without a storm since 1941.

Tangent

President Joe Biden announced this week he’s authorized “100%” federal funding to cover Puerto Rico’s hurricane response over the next month.

Surprising Fact

Florida is the state most prone to hurricanes but it hasn’t had a major hurricane strike since 2018, when Hurricane Michael hit the Panhandle. Michael made landfall as a Category 5, just the fourth storm of such intensity to ever hit the United States.