Here are all the closures announced in Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian's landfall
From CNN's Nouran Salahieh
Hurricane Ian's menacing approach to Florida has triggered preparations across the state as officials announced school closures and flight cancellations, and the military began moving ships and aircraft. Here are some closures and changes in services that you should know about:
Storm surge could reach 10 feet in areas of western Florida
From CNN's Nouran Salahieh
With tropical storm conditions possibly beginning Tuesday night, officials are concerned about Hurricane Ian’s storm surge – a rise in water level caused by a strong storm’s wind pushing water onshore.
A storm surge warning is effect for the Anclote River southward to Flamingo and Tampa Bay, where the inundation of water could reach 10 feet, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The Tampa Bay region is particularly vulnerable to storm surge and could see catastrophic damage from flooding – even if the area doesn’t get a direct hit from the hurricane.
Hurricane Ian is on its way to Florida. Here's what to expect
From CNN's Nouran Salahieh
Hurricane Ian is expected to pass west of the Florida Keys late Tuesday and approach the west coast of Florida late Wednesday into Thursday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned of power outages as well as possible evacuations and fuel shortages, telling people to “make preparations now.”
Here's what you should know now:
A hurricane warning is in place from Bonita Beach to the Anclote River, including Tampa Bay, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. This means that “hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case, within 24 to 36 hours,” the center said.
A tropical storm warning was issued for the Middle Florida Keys and portions of the state’s east and west coasts.
A tropical storm watch was issued for the southeast coast from Deerfield Beach north to Jupiter Inlet, the hurricane center said.
Mandatory evacuations orders have been issued for parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, and emergency shelters were opened.
“When we issued that mandatory evacuation, what that means is if you don’t and you call for help, we’re not coming because we’re not going to put our people in harm’s way and put them in peril because you didn’t listen to what we told you to do,” said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.
All along Florida’s west coast, officials are urging residents to get out of harm’s way instead of staying to protect their property. Here are some other evacuation orders:
Hurricane Ian made landfall in western Cuba as a Category 3 storm
From CNN's Nouran Salahieh
Rapidly intensifying Hurricane Ian made landfall in western Cuba early Tuesday morning while on its trek toward Florida, where residents in some coastal areas are evacuating.
The hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, made landfall just southwest of the town of La Coloma in the Pinar del Rio Province of Cuba at 4:30 a.m. ET, the National Hurricane Center said.
The region is enduring significant wind and storm surge, which could raise water levels by as much as 14 feet above normal tide levels along the coast of Cuba, the hurricane center said.
The storm is expected to move north-northwest and across the island, leaving devastating wind damage in its path, according to the center.
It is expected to emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and continue churning toward Florida, passing west of the Florida Keys late Tuesday and approaching the west coast of Florida late Wednesday into Thursday.
The hurricane is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge along much of Florida’s west coast by mid-week, as well as hurricane-force winds.
While its exact path remains uncertain, projections show the Tampa area could get its first direct hit from a hurricane since 1921, and impacts on the area could be devastating.