Hurricane Ian, now a Cat 4, is approaching Florida

St. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Hurricane Jan It rapidly strengthened off Florida’s southwest coast Wednesday morning, packing maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 kph), just below the most dangerous Category 5 status. Devastating winds and rain lashed the state’s heavily populated Gulf Coast, with Naples – Sarasota the region at “highest risk” of a devastating storm.

US Air Force Hurricane Chasers confirmed Ian was gaining strength over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico after striking Cuba, knocking out the country’s power grid and leaving the entire island without electricity. Ian’s center was 65 miles (105 kilometers) west-southwest of Naples at 7 a.m., spinning toward the coast at 10 mph (17 kph).

“It’s going to be a nasty nasty day, two days,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said early Wednesday. “It’s not going to be an easy stretch.”

The powerful storm appeared to be headed for Florida’s southwest coast somewhere north of Fort Myers and about 125 miles (201 kilometers) south of Tampa, sparing the Bay Area a rare direct hit from a hurricane. The Fort Myers area is popular with retirees and tourists who are drawn to the pristine white sand beaches and long barrier islands that forecasters predict could be completely submerged.

The hurricane center warned of catastrophic storm surges that could raise water levels between 12 feet (3.6 meters) and 16 feet (4.9 meters) above ground level in coastal areas between Punta Gorda and Fort Myers, which are between Naples and Sarasota.

More than 2.5 million people were under mandatory evacuation orders, but by law no one could be forced to flee. Florida residents rushed ahead of the blow to board up their homes, stash valuables upstairs and join long lines of cars farther from the shore.

“You can’t do anything about natural disasters,” said Vinod Nair, who drove inland from the Tampa area on Tuesday with his wife, son, dog and two kittens in search of a hotel in Orlando’s tourist area. “We live in a high-risk area, so we thought it best to evacuate.”

Tropical storm-force winds of 39 mph (63 kph) reached Florida by 3 a.m., and the first hurricane-force winds were recorded by 6 a.m., well before the eye moved inland, the center said. Miami. Rainfall near land may exceed 18 inches (46 centimeters).

Overnight, Hurricane Ian went through a natural cycle, losing an old eye and creating a new one. The timing for this is not good for the Florida coast because it means the storm has gotten stronger and bigger hours before it was supposed to make landfall, making it even more of a threat. Ian went from 120 mph (193 km/h) to 155 mph (250 kph) in just three hours, the second round of rapid intensification in the storm’s life cycle.

“At higher intensities, you’re going to see more severe wind damage. A larger wind field means more people will experience those storm-force winds,” said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy. And “it will really increase the number of storm surges.”

Ian’s forward motion over the Gulf has slowed, allowing the hurricane to become wider and stronger, and its forecast path has shifted slightly to the south. That would probably rid Tampa and St. Petersburg of them the first direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921.

Instead, the most damaging winds could hit the coastline, where the population has grown sevenfold since 1970, according to the U.S. Census, which shows Lee County had the eighth-highest population growth among more than 180 Atlantic and Gulf Coast counties in the past . 50 years.

There were 250,000 people in mandatory evacuation zones in Fort Myers/Lee County, and before the storm, authorities feared that only 10% or so would get out.

Gil Gonzalez was taking no chances. He boarded up the windows of his Tampa home and put down sandbags to protect against flooding. Before evacuating, he and his wife packed their car with bottled water, flashlights, cell phone batteries and a stove.

“We put all the valuables upstairs at a friend’s house,” Gonzalez said.

Airports in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Key West, as well as Disney World and Sea World theme parks in Orlando, are closed ahead of the storm.

A husband and wife from England found themselves in a shelter before the storm while on vacation in Tampa. Glyn and Christine Williams from London were told to leave their hotel near the beach when the evacuation was ordered. Since the airport was closed, they could not fly home.

“Unfortunately, all the hotels are full or closed, so it looks like we’re going to end up in one of the shelters,” Christine Williams said.

Her husband insisted that everything would be fine. “You know, you have to go with the flow,” Glyn Williams said. “So we’re very happy with what we’re doing.”

The exact location of landfall was still uncertain, but with Tropical Storm Yang extending 175 miles (280 kilometers) from its center, flash flooding was possible across the state. Parts of Florida’s east coast also faced a storm surge threat, with isolated tornadoes spinning from the storm long before landfall. One tornado damaged small planes and a hangar at North Perry Airport, west of Hollywood along the Atlantic coast.

Florida Power and Light warned those in Ian’s path to prepare for days without power. As a precaution, hundreds of residents were evacuated from several nursing homes in the Tampa area, where hospitals were also moving some patients.

Parts of Georgia and South Carolina may also see flooding and some coastal flooding on Saturday. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp preemptively declared a state of emergency, ordering 500 National Guard troops to be ready to respond if needed.

Before turning toward Florida, Ian slammed into Cuba’s Pinar del Río province with sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph) and wreaked havoc in the island nation’s world-famous tobacco belt. There were no deaths.

Local government station TelePinar reported severe damage at the main hospital in the city of Pinar del Río, tweeting photos of collapsed ceilings, strewn debris and downed trees. Some people left the damaged area on foot with their children, others tried to evacuate by buses through flooded streets. Others chose to stay in their damaged homes.

“It was terrible,” Pinar del Rio resident Yusimi Palacios said in her damaged home. “But we’re alive, and I’m only asking the Cuban revolution to help me with a roof and a mattress.”

Associated Press contributors include Cristina Mesquita in Havana, Cuba; Cody Jackson in Tampa, Florida; Frida Frisar in Miami; Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Seth Borenstein in Washington and Bobby Cain Calvan in New York.

Local government station TelePinar reported severe damage at the main hospital in the city of Pinar del Río, tweeting photos of collapsed ceilings, strewn debris and downed trees. Some people left the damaged area on foot with their children, others tried to evacuate by buses through flooded streets. Others chose to stay in their damaged homes.

“It was terrible,” Pinar del Rio resident Yusimi Palacios said in her damaged home. “But we’re alive, and I’m only asking the Cuban revolution to help me with a roof and a mattress.”

Associated Press contributors include Cristina Mesquita in Havana, Cuba; Cody Jackson in Tampa, Florida; Frida Frisar in Miami; Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Seth Borenstein in Washington and Bobby Cain Calvan in New York.