Hurricane Ian tracker

Hurricane Ian strengthened early Tuesday into a major Category 3 storm as Florida and Cuba braced for strong winds and possible floods.

[strengthened into a major Category 3 storm](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hurricane-ian-become-major-hurricane-overnight-officials-say-rcna49542) early Tuesday morning as it made landfall in western Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, the NHC said. Maximum sustained winds were at 125 mph as of early Tuesday morning, the NHC said. As of early Tuesday morning, the number of affected airports remained the same. Meanwhile, a hurricane watch was in affect from north of the Anclote River to the Suwannee River. ET, according the A number of counties along Florida’s west coast issued evacuation orders ahead of the arrival of the storm. [Cuba prepares evacuations as Hurricane Ian intensifies](https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/cuba-prepares-evacuations-as-hurricane-ian-intensifies-149291589782) ET, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, according the [National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/261155.shtml). [How FEMA is preparing for Hurricane Ian to make landfall in Florida](https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/fema-prepares-for-hurricane-ian-to-make-landfall-in-florida-149254213930) [National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/261755.shtml). The hurricane warning was in place for parts of the west coast from Bonita Beach to the Anclote River, including Tampa Bay, as of early Tuesday morning.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in west Cuba as a Category 3 storm and is on a path that could see it hitting Florida as a Category 4. Georgia leaders say they ...

For this particular event because it's so widespread - it's going to cover most of South Georgia - we do have materials in Macon ready to deploy," GEMA Director James C. The center defines a major hurricane as a Category 3 storm or higher, meaning maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph, and Ian became a Category 3 hurricane earlier Tuesday. Ron DeSantis declared a statewide emergency and warned that Ian could lash large areas of the state, knocking out power and interrupting fuel supplies as it swirls northward off the state’s Gulf Coast. Floridians lined up for hours in Tampa to collect bags of sand and cleared store shelves of bottled water. update that Ian made landfall in Cuba as it continued to strengthen, with sustained winds of 125 mph. Tuesday morning, Ian became a major Category 3 storm and made landfall in Cuba’s Pinar del Rio province.

The storm was forecast to roll off Cuban and then strengthen over warm, Gulf of Mexico waters to a Category 4 storm. Updates.

Significant, prolonged river flooding is expected across central to northern Florida.] [Limited flash and river flooding is expected over portions of the Southeast into the mid-Atlantic mid-to-late week.] [WHAT IS STORM SURGE?: ] [It's often a hurricane's deadliest and most destructive threat](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/05/18/storm-surge-definition-hurricane-threat/9797051002/) [Florida National Guard called into duty] [Florida Gov. [strengthen to a Category 4 storm over warm, Gulf of Mexico waters](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/26/hurricane-ian-rapid-intensification/8119513001/). [Category 4 storms can cause 'catastrophic' damage] [If the storm struck as a Category 4 hurricane, it could cause "catastrophic" damage, and power outages could last weeks or months, according to the National Weather Service's description of storms that strong. [Hurricane categories, explained: ] [Breaking down the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind speed scale](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/05/19/hurricane-wind-speed-saffir-simpson-scale/9807231002/) [What is 'rapid intensification'? [Hurricane Ian tracker] [Ian will slow down over the Gulf, growing wider and stronger, “which will have the potential to produce significant wind and storm surge impacts along the west coast of Florida,” the hurricane center said.] [Ian was forecast to emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico](https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/09/26/hurricane-tracker-where-is-ian-headed/8118340001/) on Tuesday and approach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday and Wednesday night. The storm's winds were forecast to approach 140 mph by late Tuesday.] ] ["Rapid intensification" is a process in which a storm undergoes accelerated growth: The phenomenon is typically defined to be a tropical cyclone (whether a tropical storm or hurricane) intensifying by at least 35 mph within 24 hours. "Just go straight across the state to Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach." The Gulf is going to be very angry as this comes in." "Because of the size of the storm, it's kicking up a lot of surge. Along with the howling winds, parts of Central Florida could see 12-16 inches of rain with 2 feet possible in isolated areas. Hundreds of thousands of Floridians faced mandatory evacuation orders as the National Hurricane Center expanded the hurricane warning along more than 150 miles of the state's Gulf Coast.

On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, the wind categories are: Tropical depression: up to 38 mph; Tropical storm: 39 to 73 mph; Category 1 hurricane: 74 ...

- Category 2 hurricane: 96 to 110 mph - Category 1 hurricane: 74 to 95 mph It's moving north at 10 mph.

Hurricane Ian is making its way through the Gulf of Mexico with its sight set on Florida, and people all along the coast are concerned about how it will ...

The very latest forecast information and current status of Hurricane Ian is here. - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com.

Storm surge is also expected on the Atlantic side of northeast Florida and into coastal Georgia and South Carolina beginning late Wednesday or Thursday. [storm surge warning](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/100939.shtml?wsurge#contents) is also in effect along much of Florida's west coast, from the mouth of the Suwanee River to the southwesternmost tip of the Peninsula, including Tampa Bay, and also on the Atlantic side of northeast Florida from the Flagler-Volusia County line to the Georgia state line including the St. A track near the left (west) side of the cone below could still bring a dangerous storm surge to Tampa-St. Those outages could last for days in locations that see the strongest winds. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM. While that danger is still there, the forecast trend suggests a lowering chance of the near worst-case storm surge scenario feared earlier. Johns River in northeast Florida may back up and flood. Pete area to near the Fort Myers area. There remain uncertainties regarding exactly where and when Ian will move ashore in Florida. This means dangerous storm surge is possible in 48 hours or less. [Live Updates](https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2022-09-27-major-hurricane-ian-strengthening-florida-prepares-for-impacts) A wind gust to 87 mph was measured in Havana Tuesday afternoon.

From Fort Myers to Sarasota and Tampa, here's the Hurricane Ian forecast for cities in Florida. More U.S. cities like Atlanta, Raleigh and Charleston will ...

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting 2 to 4 inches of rain and a 10 to 20 percent chance of tropical storm conditions. While winds below tropical storm force are currently forecast, the National Weather Service is warning that the forecast could change to feature sustained winds at tropical storm strength. A [flood watch](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=FLZ045&warncounty=FLC095&firewxzone=FLZ045&local_place1=Orlando%20FL&product1=Flood+Watch&lat=28.5047&lon=-81.3742) has also been posted for Orlando, which is expected to start seeing tropical storm conditions by Wednesday morning. The National Hurricane Center is warning residents to be prepared for wind speeds up to that of a Category 2 hurricane, as there remains considerable uncertainty in Ian’s eventual track, size and strength as it passes near Jacksonville. [storm surge warning](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=FLZ165&warncounty=FLC071&firewxzone=FLZ165&local_place1=2%20Miles%20N%20Saint%20James%20City%20FL&product1=Storm+Surge+Warning&lat=26.5343&lon=-82.0882) and a [hurricane warning](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=FLZ165&warncounty=FLC071&firewxzone=FLZ165&local_place1=2%20Miles%20N%20Saint%20James%20City%20FL&product1=Hurricane+Warning&lat=26.5343&lon=-82.0882), with a [flood watch](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=FLZ265&warncounty=FLC071&firewxzone=FLZ265&local_place1=Villas%20FL&product1=Flood+Watch&lat=26.5611&lon=-81.8639) also in effect until Thursday night. Regardless, Sarasota is expected to take a severe punch from the storm, with Regardless of how windy it gets, the city is already seeing impacts from Ian; a [flood watch](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=FLZ072&warncounty=FLC011&firewxzone=FLZ072&local_place1=Miami%20Gardens%20FL&product1=Flood+Watch&lat=25.9794&lon=-80.2028) and [tornado watch](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=FLZ072&warncounty=FLC011&firewxzone=FLZ072&local_place1=Miami%20Gardens%20FL&product1=Tornado+Watch&lat=25.9794&lon=-80.2028) are posted. Tornadoes will also be possible as the storm tracks closer to the city. Tropical storm conditions will begin Wednesday morning, with hurricane-force winds expected to begin Wednesday afternoon and not abating until Thursday afternoon. Freshwater flooding is also likely, with 4 to 8 inches of rainfall likely, with locally higher amounts possible. A modest storm surge of up to one foot is also possible. [tropical storm watch](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=FLZ173&warncounty=FLC086&firewxzone=FLZ173&local_place1=Miami%20FL&product1=Tropical+Storm+Watch&lat=25.77&lon=-80.2) for the possibility of sustained winds climbing to tropical storm force.