Hurricane Ian Forecast to Explosively Strengthen into Cat 4 Threatening Florida

[Meatpie]

A satellite image showing Hurricane Ian just after it reached Category 2 force on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. The storm underwent rapid intensification Sunday into Monday.

Hurricane Ian keeps getting stronger as it barrels toward Florida, prompting urgent evacuations and threatening dangerous storm surges in places not used to getting hit directly by a hurricane.

Ian is now a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale, according to a 5 p.m. ET update from the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. The eye of the storm is located around 150 miles southeast of the western tip of Cuba and Ian is moving north-northwest near 13 mph, the center said.

Florida could start feeling Ian’s wrath as early as Tuesday, with hurricane conditions potentially hitting the state Wednesday.

Hurricane Ian strengthens to Category 2 storm and could be 'something that we haven't seen in our lifetime,' Tampa forecaster says | CNN

Hurricane Ian keeps getting stronger as it barrels toward Florida, prompting urgent evacuations and threatening dangerous storm surges in places not used to getting hit directly by a hurricane.

edition.cnn.com

 

[Meatpie]

Florida's governor has warned the state to brace for a potential "major disaster" as category two Hurricane Ian gathers force in the Caribbean.

"This is a really big hurricane at this point," Florida's governor said at a Monday news conference, urging residents to "remain calm", but "do what you need to be prepared".

The governor declared a state of emergency for all of Florida over the weekend and has activated 5,000 National Guard troops to assist with relief efforts.

Hurricane Ian: Florida warned to brace for 'major disaster'

Residents are stocking up on groceries, fuel and sandbags as Ian strengthens into a major hurricane.

www.bbc.com

 

[Meatpie]

Hurricane Ian Almost Category 5 Before Landfall in Tampa Bay

Hurricane Ian – now a much stronger and “extremely dangerous” almost Category 5 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 said Wednesday morning, with Ian’s center just 55 miles from the coast. Its maximum sustained winds were 155 mph – just 2 mph short of a Category 5, the center said at 7 a.m. ET.

 

[Meatpie]

Ian has officially made landfall, according to the National Hurricane Center.

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.

 

[Meatpie]

A Coast Guard flight shows the destruction and flooding in the Fort Myers area​

Dozens of homes are still underwater and many more buildings are badly damaged in the Fort Myers area this morning, according to new photos released by the US Coast Guard.

 

[Meatpie]

Damaged homes and debris are seen in Fort Myers, Florida on Thursday.

 

[Meatpie]

15ft Storm Surge Washes Away Homes in Ft. Myers Beach​

 

[Frazeeme]

Nature always wins.

 

[Meatpie]

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Hurricane Ian likely to be costliest since 1992.​

The maximum gust recorded was 155mph, just 2mph away from being categorised as a category 5 hurricane. As Ian moved inland, it brought 250-500mm (10-20 inches) of rainfall and storm surges of 12-15ft. About 10,000 people are still unaccounted for, and 1.7 million people have been driven from their homes.

 

[Meatpie]

Neighborhood destroyed by violent hurricane winds from Category 4 Ian in the community of Placida, Florida. Roofs, trees, houses and debris flying through air. All footage shot in Placida, FL during afternoon daylight on September 28, 2022.

 

[julio perez]

Hurricane Ian reminded me of another hurricane that killed many people in Honduras, Hurricane Mitch looked like a monster