Hurricane Ian Has Made Landfall in Southwest Florida
According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, with 150 mph maximum sustained winds, near Cayo Costa, Florida. The minimum pressure recorded by Air Force Reconnaissance Hurricane Hunters was 940 mb. The store is moving north-northeast at 9 mph. At 3:10, it was about 20 miles west-southwest of Punta Gorda.
Ian is an extremely dangerous storm. The National Weather Service's Tampa Bay outpost has issued an extreme wind warning for all of Charlotte, Lee and Sarasota counties, as well as southeastern Manatee County.
It's important to take cover now as the has the potential to cause catastrophic storm surge and other life-threatening conditions. The National Weather Service advises treating the winds as if a tornado as approaching and moving to the safe room of your shelter, taking action to protect your life. Please stay safe.