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CNN –
Hurricane Ian is poised to make landfall in southwest Florida on Wednesday and is already bringing a catastrophic trifecta of high winds, heavy rains and historic storm surge to the state.
Ian is a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 mph, and its center was located about 35 miles west-southwest of Fort Myers as of 1 p.m. ET, the National Weather Center said hurricanes The storm is moving at about 9 mph and is expected to make landfall, perhaps north of Fort Myers, near the Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda areas, this afternoon, the center said.
Much of West Central Florida and inland locations face disaster: “historic” storm surge of up to 18 feet is possible and could engulf coastal homes; the rain could cause flooding in much of the state; and crushing winds could flatten homes and knock out power service for days or weeks.
“This is a wind storm and a surge storm and a flooding storm all rolled into one,” CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said. “And that’s going to spread across the state. Everybody’s going to see something of that.”
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
NOAA/AP
A satellite image shows the eye of Hurricane Ian approaching the southwest coast of Florida on Wednesday, September 28.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/TNS/Abaca/Reuters
Sailboats anchored in Roberts Bay flew to Venice, Florida, on Wednesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Crystal Vander Weit/TCpalm/USA Today Network
Melvin Phillips stands in the flooded basement of his mobile home in Stuart, Fla., on Wednesday.
water was receding from Tampa Bay due to a negative storm surge Wednesday.” />
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images
A man walks along where water receded from Tampa Bay due to a negative storm surge on Wednesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/AP
Utility trucks are staged in a rural lot Wednesday at The Villages, a Florida retirement community.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Marco Bello/Reuters
Traffic lights are blown by strong gusts of wind in Fort Myers, Florida, Wednesday.
Officials believe it was caused by a tornado fueled by Hurricane Ian.” />
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post/USA Today Network
Damage was seen Wednesday at the Kings Point condominiums in Delray Beach, Florida. Officials believe it was caused by a tornado fueled by Hurricane Ian.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Marco Bello/Reuters
A television crew broadcasts from Fort Myers Beach on Wednesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Roads in Tampa, Florida are empty Wednesday before Hurricane Ian makes landfall. Several coastal counties in West Florida were under mandatory evacuations.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Wilfred Lee/AP
A plane overturned this Wednesday in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Joe Cavaretta / South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP
Zuram Rodriguez surveys the damage around his home in Davie, Fla., early Wednesday.
causing an island-wide blackout.” />
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Ramon Espinosa/AP
People play dominoes by flashlight during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday. Crews in Cuba have been working to restore power to millions of people after the storm battered the western region with strong winds and a dangerous storm surge, causing an island-wide blackout.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Chris O’Meara/AP
Workers board up windows on the University of Tampa campus on Tuesday, Sept. 27.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images
People walk through a flooded street in Batabano, Cuba, on Tuesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Chris O’Meara/AP
Southwest Airlines passengers check in near a sign showing canceled flights at Tampa International Airport on Tuesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Ramon Espinosa/AP
This Tuesday, Maria Llonch recovers her belongings at her home in Pinar del Rio, Cuba.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel via AP
Traffic builds up on Interstate 4 in Tampa on Tuesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
A man carries his children through the rain and debris in Pinar del Rio on Tuesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
People drive through debris in Pinar del Rio on Tuesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Frederic and Mary Herodet tackle their Gulf Bistro restaurant in St. Pete Beach, Fla., Tuesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images
People stand in front of a flooded warehouse in Batabano on Tuesday.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
NASA’s Artemis I rocket returns to the Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Tuesday. The rocket launch was postponed due to the imminent arrival of Hurricane Ian.
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
NASA via AP
Hurricane Ian is seen from the International Space Station on Monday, September 26.
Hurricane Ian hits Cuba on Monday.” />
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Photos: Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida
Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images
A Cuban family transports personal belongings to a safe place in the…