Ian Expected to Rapidly Strengthen En Route to Florida

Forecasters predict Ian may impact Florida as a Cat 3 Major hurricane early Wednesday morning. Almost the entire state of Florida is in the cone of concern and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in all 67 counties.

"The Florida Division of Emergency Management, working together with the National Hurricane Center to evaluate weather predictions, has determined there is a continuing risk of dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, strong winds, hazardous seas, and isolated tornadic activity for Florida's Peninsula and portions of the Florida Big Bend, North Florida, and Northeast Florida," the DeSantis order states.

Ian's maximum sustained winds remain at 45 mph but strengthening is forecast during the next few days.

On the forecast track, the center of Ian is forecast to pass southwest of Jamaica on Sunday, and pass near the Cayman Islands Sunday night and early Monday. Ian will then approach western Cuba late Monday and emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.

When Ian finally approaches Florida, the official forecast from the NHC shows Ian as a major category 3 hurricane by Monday with maximum winds of 115 miles per hour as it approaches Florida by late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning.

A hurricane watch has been issued for the Cayman Islands along with tropical storm watches for Jamaica, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.


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