Hurricane Ian strengthens to Category
4 storm as it barrels toward Florida
NBC News,
by
Tim Stelloh
Original Article
Posted By: Dreadnought,
9/28/2022 10:45:03 AM
Hurricane Ian strengthened to a powerful Category 4 storm as it bore down on Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday after knocking out power to all of Cuba.
The hurricane was around 55 miles west of Naples by around 8 a.m. ET Wednesday, with maximum sustained winds near 155 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. The center of the storm was on track to approach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday morning and move onshore as soon as late morning to early afternoon.
Storm surge flooding was occurring early Wednesday across the lower Florida Keys, the hurricane center said, while thousands of customers were already without power in an early
Reply 1 - Posted by:
Rich323 9/28/2022 10:52:42 AM (No. 1290049)
Hopefully the higher wind speeds are more at altitude and less near the surface which could reduce storm surge levels. The jet stream was just about two days too late to shift this off Florida and into the Atlantic.
3 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
DVC 9/28/2022 11:57:29 AM (No. 1290109)
It is a very tight, compact storm. Looking at Accuweather this AM, they say hurricane force winds extend out 40 miles from the eye. So, yes, 155 mph in the eye wall but that drops below 75 mph forty miles away. This will help keep the wind damage to a much smaller footprint, which is good news. And they are predicting that by the time it gets ashore and moves north to be east of Tampa Bay it will be a Cat 1. Not clear how great the storm surge will be, a smaller storm can't pile up as much water as a very large one does.
A college roommate has several properties in Sarasota, and the current predictions there are for max gusts of about 69 mph, which will definitely bring down some trees, and cause power outages, but is unlikely to be very damaging, thank goodness. And while the Venice area and south is pretty densely packed with homes right on the coast, by the time you go even 5-10 miles inland in much of that area, things thin out, which will mean fewer homes exposed to the most intense winds.
An intense storm, but fortunately on the smaller side, looking for a ray of sunshine in the dark clouds.
And my relatives farther north in central Fla are unlikely to see anything but tropical storm winds maxing out in below 40 mph range. That is a relief, one has many large oak trees on the property, and it is a shame to lose them.
Still will be very damaging for those right on the SW coast from Venice to about Ft. Meyers, let's hope that everyone there is somewhere else safe and flooding is minimized.
7 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
SweetPea3 9/28/2022 12:06:03 PM (No. 1290114)
So far, ao good in Naples, FL. High winds, driving rain but haven't lost power, knock on wood. Ian stayed to our west and has now moved slowly northward past us. About 5 inches of water in our parking lot due to heavy rain. Cable TV winked out and then back on several times since e dawn as we prayed and held our breath. Fingers crossed and prayers to our fellow coastal Floridians in Ian's path , praying he blows out to the Atlantic and keeps going and sparing GA, NC, TN.
10 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Shells 9/28/2022 12:25:16 PM (No. 1290129)
We’re in Palm Beach county and experienced tornado warnings and horrific storms all night long last night. Caused by feeder bands, apparently. My husband had to peel me off the ceiling when a tornado siren went off at 3:30 a.m.
Good to know my adrenaline still works.
7 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
DVC 9/28/2022 1:25:45 PM (No. 1290178)
Re #3, good that it is now north of you. Things should be improving from here on for your area. I hope that most folks in the Rotonda West strange circular subdivision have bailed out. I don't think that it will drain well, and they will be getting the full force of this one. Build a bullseye and something will hit it.
If you've never seen this odd development, open up one of the satellite overhead views and put in Rotonda West. I hope those homes are evacuated by now.
2 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
SweetPea3 9/28/2022 2:12:15 PM (No. 1290219)
Sorry for 2nd post. STORM SURGES - Marco Island has announced mandatory evacuations, friends on Chocoloskee Island south of Everglades City and well eqst of Ian, , saw 3.5 to 4 FT surge come in and swamp their location. Ft Myers McGregor street near Ford and Edison museums are under water due to rising water. Fisherman's Wharf Marina in Punta Gorda has water sucked away leaves all the boats in their slips sitting on their keels in the mud. Coming storm surges as Ian impacts the coastline will be hitting near high tide. Prayers for all. PTL, so far, we in east Naples are OK and still have power, knock on wood. Eyewall is now hitting north of Ft Myers and headed for. Port Charlotte
3 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
DVC 9/28/2022 2:38:29 PM (No. 1290236)
Re #6. NOAA chart shows predicted storm surge around Englewood area, south of Venice at 12-18 ft. Venice is 13 ft above mean sea level, and Port Charlotte is only 7 or 8 ft above MSL. I wonder if the bay there at Port Charlotte will focus the surge. In Alaska's Turnagain Arm, at Anchorage, the tides are higher due to the bay capturing the tidal surges. It is looking like a lot of flooding in that area.
2 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
hershey 9/28/2022 2:53:33 PM (No. 1290252)
Wonder how many EV's are stranded on the interstates trying to leave..oh wait, it's Florida, not Kalifornia...no EV's there...conservatives have more sense...
5 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 9/28/2022 3:05:23 PM (No. 1290259)
My friend Gary has a place in Fort Myers. The area is getting pounded hard with 90+ mph wind. His place is getting beat up pretty bad. Roofing and siding partly gone. Palm trees are bare sticks. I'll go help with the repairs when this blow over.
7 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
3XALADY 9/28/2022 3:45:37 PM (No. 1290293)
#5 I worked at a real estate law firm in Port Charlotte starting in 2002. When I first started, lots in Rotonda were going for about $6,000. By the time the real estate high was over, Rotonda lots were going for $120,000.
2 people like this.
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