Tropical Storm Ian is “rapidly” strengthening into a major hurricane as it moves toward Florida where a state of emergency has been declared.
The National Hurricane Center expects storm Ian to become a hurricane Sunday after it was located 270 miles south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica late this morning.
“Early next week, Ian is forecast to move near or over western Cuba as a strengthening hurricane and then approach the Florida peninsula at or near major hurricane strength, with the potential for significant impacts from storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall,” the NHC said.
“Significant strengthening is forecast during the next few days.”
After initially signing an executive order issuing a state of emergency for 24 counties, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the order to cover the integrity of the state.
The tropical storm, expected to batter Florida’s West coast, represents a 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 governor said Saturday.
