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Hurricane Ian makes landfall in southwest Florida as a category 4 storm
CIRA/NOAA
Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida’s Lee County on Wednesday afternoon. The class 4 hurricane produced winds of 150 miles per hour and storm surge over 7 ft excessive in Naples earlier than coming ashore.
The Nationwide Hurricane Heart predicts Ian’s excessive winds and rain will trigger intense storm surge and flooding, leading to catastrophic injury to properties and companies. Storm surge in Lee and Charlotte counties may attain heights of 18 ft.
305 PM EDT 28 Sep — Hurricane #Ian has made landfall as a particularly harmful Class 4 hurricane close to Cayo Costa, Florida with most sustained winds at 150 mph. The minimal stress from Air Drive Reconnaissance Hurricane Hunters was 940 mb.
Newest: https://t.co/tnOTyfORCw pic.twitter.com/O3agPDOZHk
— Nationwide Hurricane Heart (@NHC_Atlantic) September 28, 2022
The Nationwide Hurricane Heart’s Performing Director Jamie Rhome mentioned in an advisory that the time for evacuation has lengthy handed. Those that stay within the storm’s path have to hunker down within the middle of their house and put together for sustained devastating winds.
The hurricane’s eyewall reached Sanibel and Captiva islands, west of Fort Myers, shortly after midday. A webcam on Fort Meyers Seashore confirmed palm bushes bending within the wind as waves toss furnishings round within the surf.
Ian is forecast to proceed making its approach northeast throughout Florida. The scenario on the bottom will doubtless worsen earlier than it will get higher, as excessive tide is not till 7:06 p.m. Wednesday, which can contribute to storm surge circumstances.
The storm is anticipated to weaken after landfall, however could possibly be close to hurricane energy because it makes its approach over Florida’s east coast on Thursday, the NHC mentioned. Ian will proceed north towards Northeastern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina on Friday.
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Updates concerning the storm may be discovered on the Nationwide Hurricane Heart’s web site right here.