Florida preparing for Hurricane Ian
Two people have died and electricity has been cut across Cuba’s population of 11 million after Hurricane Ian knocked out one of the island’s main power plants.
The hurricane is gathering strength and bearing down on Florida as the state races to prepare for a storm expected to pass over the Florida Keys.
More than 2.5 million Floridians have been placed under evacuation orders or warnings with the expanding storm on track to make landfall as a Category 3 or Category 4 hurricane later today.
Gov. Ron DeSantis urged Floridians to heed warnings to evacuate to higher ground because of the potential for “catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge.”
He said 8,000 people were without power in Southeast Florida and 30,000 state personnel were on alert to help respond to the outages.
“This is very unpleasant weather that awaits us over the next few days,” he said.
The latest models have the hurricane making landfall south of Tampa Bay, where storm surges could reach 12 feet (3.7 meters). Up to 24 inches (61 cm) of rain are expected in some areas and wind speeds of 130 miles per hour (209 km/h).
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Dozens of flights delayed as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida
Tampa Bay International Airport announced it would close Tuesday afternoon as Hurricane Ian moves toward Florida.
The main airport, which has 280 daily flights, will suspend operations at 5pm amid the threat of the Category 3 storm which is expected to bring winds of more than 100mph, heavy downpours and coastal waves “life-threatening” on Florida’s west coast.
Gov. Ron DeSantis urged Floridians to heed warnings to evacuate and seek higher ground because of the potential for “catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge.”
The most recent weather models have Hurricane Ian making landfall south of Tampa Bay on Florida’s west coast.
Tampa International Airport will close Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Ian
Florida’s main west coast airport will suspend operations at 5 p.m
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 4:58 am
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Entire Cuba without power after hurricane destroys power grid
Cuba is facing a complete blackout after Hurricane Ian slammed into the western tip of the island.
The country’s 11 million people are without electricity after the power system suffered a total collapse and one of its power plants could not be restored, officials from the Cuban Electric Union said.
Power was initially cut to nearly a million people in Cuba’s western provinces, but the entire grid later collapsed.
The head of the electric power authority told Cuban state television on Tuesday that the island-wide blackout was due to a breakdown in the national electricity system.
The Category 3 storm on the west end of the island is heading toward Florida.
Shweta Sharma September 28, 2022 4:29 am
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Disney parks rush to prepare for Hurricane Ian
Disney has announced that it will close some operations as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida.
“Walt Disney World Resort is preparing for necessary operational adjustments based on the most recent information from the National Weather Service,” the company said in a statement posted on its site.
Blizzard Beach Water Park is currently closed and another water park, Typhoon Lagoon, will be temporarily closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and the Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will be temporarily closed Wednesday through Friday due to the weather, Disney said.
Read Gustaf Kilander’s full report.
Disney is evacuating hotels and closing some parks as Hurricane Ian approaches
“Walt Disney World Resort is preparing for necessary operational adjustments”
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 3:58 am
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Hurricane Ian is another sign of the impacts of climate change
Hurricane Ian officially formed as a Category 1 storm on Monday, bearing down on the Cayman Islands and Cuba, as Floridians were warned to “be prepared” for extreme weather in the coming days.
After months with few notable storms, the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season is in full swing. As Florida prepares for the incoming weather event, Atlantic Canada is recovering from post-tropical cyclone Fiona that made landfall in Nova Scotia early Saturday.
As the world’s average temperature rises and sea levels rise, hurricanes are expected to become stronger, and the damage more catastrophic, scientists say.
Research into 2017’s Hurricane Harvey in Texas found that global warming made rainfall during the days-long deluge 15% more intense. Another study on the 2019 Typhoon Hagbis in Japan found that the climate crisis added at least $4 billion in additional damage.
Ethan Freedman with the full story.
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 02:58 am
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What does a hurricane look like from space?
Satellites are capturing massive Hurricane Ian from space as the Category 3 storm barrels toward the Florida coast.
The images, released by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), showed bands of compact storms turning north as the eye passed over western Cuba on Tuesday morning.
As of noon Tuesday (EST), the storm was moving at 10 mph over Havana toward Key West with maximum sustained winds of about 115 mph.
Cuba was lashed by heavy rain and winds overnight, leading to the threat of coastal surges, flash floods and landslides.
Louise Boyle has the details.
Satellite images reveal monstrous Category 3 Hurricane Ian from space
The storm was passing west of Cuba on Tuesday and is expected to strengthen further before hitting Florida
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 1:58 am
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Hurricane Ian will bring ‘life-threatening’ storm surge to Florida
According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ian is expected to bring “life-threatening” stormwater to Florida’s west coast.
Just south of Tampa will suffer the worst, with surge levels up to 12 feet.
The rest of the state, however, will not be spared. Large parts of the Florida coast, where major cities are often at or below sea level, will face waves of up to five to six feet.
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 1:36 am
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Floridians play in flood waters and even wakeboard as Ian approaches
It goes without saying, but don’t try this at home!
As Hurricane Ian makes its way toward Florida, many residents have been heeding the advice of officials and preparing to evacuate to avoid rising waters.
Some, however, have taken the opposite approach.
Residents were captured playing in high water and even wakeboarding down a flooded street as the hurricane made its way toward the Sunshine State.
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 1:15 am
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What is it like to fly through the eye of a hurricane?
An incredible video clip shows National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel flying a Lockheed WP-3D Orion “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft nicknamed “Kermit” through the growing Hurricane Ian.
The plane sounds as the pilot’s crew of three steers the ship through the storm.
Here’s our recent article on why scientists fly into these storms and what it’s like.
Hurricane Ian: The planes flying in the eye of the storm
Hurricane hunters in the sky are gathering data about the hurricane, which allows weather stations to make predictions about who will be hit hardest and what will happen next
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 1:00 am
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Zero fatalities as Hurricane Ian passes over Cuba
Cuba felt the full impact of Hurricane Ian on Tuesday, with the storm expected to soon reach Category 4, leaving 1 million without power and prompting mass evacuations.
Cuban officials say they set up 55 shelters and transported 50,000 people to safety in Pinar del Río, a western province that suffered the worst of Hurricane Ian.
The island nation says it has so far suffered no deaths as a result of the hurricane.
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 12:45 am
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Hurricane Ian spawns a tornado as it heads toward Florida
The center of Hurricane Ian has not yet passed over Florida, but it is already generating extreme weather.
A Southwest Florida resident named Roger Felipe sent video to WINK News of a tornado developing along US 41 between Naples and Miami.
A tornado watch is in effect for much of the state.
Josh Marcus September 28, 2022 12:30 am