Hurricane Ian Live Updates: Water Blows Out Of Tampa Bay; Shelter In Place Orders Given

T​he outer bands of Hurricane Ian brought tornadoes and storm surge to South Florida overnight and into Wednesday morning, battering the Florida Keys, as the state hunkered down for landfall expected later in the day.

Ian, which has grown into a dangerous Category 4 hurricane and is just shy of Category 5, is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge and potentially catastrophic flooding and damaging winds, with impacts over a wide area of the state after causing major damage in Cuba. See the full forecast here.

Here’s a look at the news as it unfolds.

(10:43 a.m. ET) Worries Shifting

“I’ve lived here 43 years and never had to deal with something like this,” said Mari Haller who lives in South Venice, Florida, just north of where Hurricane Ian is expected to come ashore today.

“We were first scared about the storm surge, not so much about the wind. And now we’re more scared about the winds than the storm surge,” Haller said.

“We’re a little nervous about the water. We live right on the Myakka River. We are hunkered down,” she said.

She said few people had evacuated the area.

“Most of our neighborhood is here. There’s only a couple of people that have left.”

(​10:21 a.m. ET) FEMA Director: Most OF Florida Is In the Crosshairs

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said at a news conference, “From coastal storm surge to inland flooding, the majority of the state of Florida is in Ian’s crosshairs.”

S​he added, “That means we need everyone to heed the warnings of their local officials before, during, and after the storm … These are life-saving messages that simply cannot be ignored.”

(10:15 a.m. ET) Nearly 194,000 Without Power in Florida

Across the state, nearly 194,000 homes and businesses have lost electricity as Hurricane Ian approaches, according to poweroutage.us.

(​10:08 a.m. ET) Hillsborough Schools Closed Friday

H​illsborough County schools will remain closed until Monday, Superintendent Addison Davis tweeted. He said that will allow staffers to clean and prepare schools.

(​10:03 a.m. ET) ‘This Is The Real Model’

Sarasota’s Police Chief Rex Troche warned residents that emergency response would be limited if winds reach 45 mph.

“This hurricane is coming. It’s not a European model. This isn’t the American model. This is the real model. It’s on its way,” Troche said in a video posted on Twitter.

“We’re going to do the best we can, but it’s very difficult to put first responders out there and put them in danger with these winds,” he said.

(​9:44 a.m. ET) Roads Impassable on Marco Island

T​he city of Marco Island has said many roads on the barrier island south of Naples, Florida, are flooded and Goodland Road is impassable. Residents have been asked to shelter in place.

(9​:15 a.m. ET) Water Blows Out Of Tampa Bay

Video and photos from Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa show that winds have blown water out of Tampa Bay. With Hurricane Ian south of the Bay Area, winds are blowing toward the Gulf of Mexico in Tampa and pushing the water out of the bay. (Watch The Video.)

W​ater is also being blown out of Charlotte Harbor, which is expected to see a major storm surge later today as Ian gets closer.

(​8:51 a.m. ET) Tampa’s Mayor Warns Now It Not Time To Relax

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told CNN that even though Hurricane Ian may come ashore south of the Bay Area, the city is still not out of danger.

The city hasn’t “even begun to feel the wrath of Hurricane Ian,” Castor said.

“Our concerns clearly are still the wind, I never thought I would say that I was grateful to hear that we may endure tropical storm or a Category 1 hurricane force winds, but still the winds,” Castor said. “And the storm, you know, we’re going to bring in 18 to 20 inches into a community at Tampa Bay area that is already saturated.”

S​he said city residents should stay on higher ground where it is safer.

“Then once Ian, the effects of Ian, have traveled through our community, just be very considerate and aware of the fact that the majority of the injuries happen after the storm, with the downed power lines, with trees, water, standing water, just a number of different hazards out there that we need to pay attention to.”

(​8:42 a.m. ET) Residents Told To Shelter In Place

Charlotte County officials have warned residents to shelter in place and stay off roads. Winds from Hurricane Ian have reached sustained tropical storm speeds, the county said in a blog post.

Charlotte County law enforcement also suspended emergency response to calls for service because of hazardous weather conditions.

(​8:36 a.m. ET) ‘You’re Not Going To Survive’ That

Michael Brennan, acting deputy director of NOAA, warned of the dangers of the 12- to 16-foot storm surge being forecast from Englewood to Bonita Beach, Florida, including Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda as well as Cape Coral and Fort Myers.

“I’m six feet tall. That’s almost like three times my height. It’s not the just the rise of the water from the storm surge. It’s the breaking waves on top of it that are going to be driven by those 155 mph winds. Those waves can destroy buildings and basically lay a foundation to bare down to the slab. That’s not a situation you’re going to survive in,” Brennan told CNN.

(​8:34 a.m. ET) Punta Gorda Suspends Emergency Services

The city of Punta Gorda, in Florida’s Charlotte County, has suspended emergency services, including police, fire, and EMS, because of high winds. City officials announced emergency services will resume once it is deemed safe to do so, according to a post on the city website. Even then, the city said, responses could be delayed because of storm damage, road blockage and flood waters.

(​8:15 a.m. ET) Officials Expecting Ian To Be Category 5

The director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management says officials are expecting Hurricane Ian to be a Category 5 storm when it makes landfall.

“The storm is here, it is imminent. I know all the emergency managers in Southwest Florida. They have more than 200 years combined experience. And I’ll tell you, they are preparing for and expecting a Category 5,” director Kevin Guthrie said in a news conference Wednesday morning.

(​7:55 a.m. ET) Florida Governor: ‘It’s Going To Have Major Impacts’

Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis warned the Sunshine State is in for a couple of “nasty days” because of Hurricane Ian.

“This is a major, major storm,” DeSantis said in a news conference Wednesday morning. “The strengthening of this over the last night has been really, really significant.”

“It could make landfall as a Category 5. But clearly this is a very powerful major hurricane. It’s going to have major impacts … in terms of wind, rain, flooding. It’s going to be a nasty, nasty day, two days.”

DeSantis said some bridges in the state have already closed because of high winds, among them, the John Ringling Causeway that runs from Sarasota to St. Armands Key.

He also said 5,000 members of the Florida National Guard and 2,000 members from other states are standing by to help with recovery efforts.

More than 30,000 utility workers, many from other states, are staged to help restore power, DeSantis said.

All told, 26 states have sent support to Florida, the governor said.

(​7:47 a.m. ET) Sunshine Skyway Closes

T​he Sunshine Skyway bridge, which crosses over the mouth of Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg, Florida, to Manatee County has closed, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

T​he bridge, which rises 180 feet above the water, closes when winds reach 40 mph.

T​he FHP said it will remain closed until inclement weather from Hurricane Ian subsides.

(​MORE: Track Hurricane Ian’s Path)

(6​:51 a.m. ET) Tornado Damages Apartments, Cars in Delray Beach

A large tree was left dangling and part of the roof was ripped off a building in a Kings Point condo complex in Delray Beach, Florida, after a tornado roared through Tuesday night.

One person was trapped in her bathroom after a roof collapse, according to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. About 35 people were evacuated because of the damage, the fire department said in a Facebook post.

Two people were taken to a hospital.

The tornado blew the roofs off several top floor apartments. It also flipped cars and downed numerous trees.

(6​:37 a.m. ET) Casino Closing

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino announced it is closing to all non-registered hotel guests starting at 8 a.m. today because of Hurricane Ian.

(​6:17 a.m. ET) Firefighters Evacuate Sanibel

T​he barrier island of Sanibel in Lee County, Florida, is under a mandatory evacuation order, and as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, firefighters and EMS workers joined those departing, according to WINK. Members of the Sanibel Fire Department told the station they were impressed by the number of residents who heeded the evcauation order.

(​6:05 a.m. ET) Tobacco Farms Take Big Blow

S​ome of Cuba’s important tobacco farms have been devastated by Hurricane Ian, which slammed into the island’s Pinar del Río province on Tuesday as a Category 3 storm.

“It was apocalyptic, a real disaster,” Hirochi Robaina, owner of the farm that bears his name, told the Associated Press.

(​5:38 a.m. ET) Over 8,000 Without Power In Keys

M​ore than 8,000 customers in the Florida Keys are without power, according to Keys Energy Services.

(​5:30 a.m. ET) Airport Is Not A Shelter, Official Says

T​he CEO of Tampa International Airport told residents considering the airport as a shelter from Hurrican Ian to look elsewhere.

P​assengers remaining at the airport when it closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday were to be taken to nearby evacuation shelters.

(​5 a.m. ET) Surge Washes Into Key West

A storm surge of 4.4 feet above the average high tide was measured on Key West about 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Monroe County Commission. It was the third highest storm surge in over 100 years.

“It was fast and kind of out of nowhere,” Dylan Estevez told the New York Times. “Our whole neighborhood, any house on the first floor is going to be pretty engulfed in water.”

H​e said water began seeping into his Key West apartment about 9:30 p.m.

(1​1:27 p.m. ET) Cuba Left In The Dark

H​igh winds and heavy rains from Ian caused Cuba’s power grid to completely collapse, leaving 11 million in the dark. Hurricane Ian struck the island with heavy rain and winds up to 125 mph. It’s not clear how long it might take to restore power.

More of our ongoing hurricane coverage: Storm Tracker – 12 Things You May Not Know About Your Hurricane Forecast – Four Things You Need To Know About Spaghetti Models – Hurricane Ian Forecast FAQ – 7 Things Florida Newcomers Should Know About Hurricane Season – Hurricane Ian Preparations In Photos

(1​0:25 p.m. ET) College Football Games Postponed

S​everal college football games and other sporting events are being affected by Hurricane Ian, according to ESPN. They include: University of Florida vs. Eastern Washington, moved to Sunday; Central Florida against Southern Methodist moved to Sunday; South Florida vs. East Carolina moved from Tampa to Boca Raton on Saturday; The NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning postponed two preseason games.

I​n addition, the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved operations to Miami and the NBA’s Orlando Magic canceled tomorrow’s practice.

(​10:18 p.m. ET) Tampa Bay TV Station Moves To Safer Spot

W​TSP-TV evacuated their primary studio in St. Petersburg and moved to another site nearby.

“We will be with you through the storm no matter what to keep you informed, prepared and connected!” the station tweeted. “Stay safe and evacuate if you are ordered to do so.”

(​10:10 p.m. ET) Tornado In Ian’s Outer Bands Causes Damage In South Florida

M​ultiple tornadoes have been reported in the outer bands of the storm. One, in Broward County, damaged planes at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines. Click here for more details.

(8​:39 p.m. ET) Evacuations In A Dozen Counties

Mandatory e​vacuations are currently in effect in 11 different counties. They are: Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota. The latest county added to the list, St. Johns, will issue an order tomorrow morning. Orders vary by county, but in general apply to coastal and low-lying areas as well as buildings vulnerable to damage such as mobile homes.

(​8:19 p.m. ET) Hurricane Ian Delays Two More Rocket Launches

Two rocket launches planned for the coming days at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center have been delayed over weather concerns, Florida Today reported. NASA and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Tuesday for the launch of the Crew-5 mission carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch was also postponed.

T​he delays come after NASA’s Artemis 1 moon rocket was rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building ahead of Hurricane Ian, the latest delay for the program.

(​7:43 p.m. ET) Ships, Planes Evacuate Naval Station Mayport

H​urricane preparations are underway at Naval Station Mayport. Ships and aircraft began evacuating today. The base is located in Duval County on the east side of Jacksonville where the St. John’s River meets the Atlantic Ocean.

M​eanwhile, in Tampa, MacDill Air Force Base moved into Hurricane Condition 1, which means damaging winds are expected within 12 hours.

(​6:39 p.m. ET) Hurricane Hunters Fly Into Ian’s Eye

H​urricane Hunters provide critical information on storms like Ian. Tuesday morning, NOAA’s WP-3D Orion named Kermit recorded their bump ride out of the storm’s center. Click here to watch.

(6​:12 p.m. ET) Evacuations Extend To Florida’s East Coast

M​andatory evacuations go into effect at 6 a.m. tomorrow in parts of St. Johns County, on Florida’s Atlantic Coast south of Jacksonville. The evacuation order applies to Zone A, B and parts of F and includes the entire cities of St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach.

T​he reason for issuing evacuations in this area due mostly to threats of storm surge, but there will also be heavy rainfall.

“As counter-clockwise-spinning Ian moves across central Florida, St Johns County will be on the north side of the storm, meaning the wind will be coming onshore from the east, causing storm surge flooding,” weather.com meteorologist Ari Sarsalari said. “It’s a slow moving storm, so this will be a prolonged storm surge event that will last a couple tide cycles.”

The worst will be on Thursday into Thursday night.

(​5:51 p.m. ET) Disney Closing, Other Attractions Also Shutting Down

W​alt Disney World will close all its Orlando theme parks on Wednesday and Thursday. That includes Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The company had previously announced that some activities would be scaled back.

O​ther theme parks closing include Universal and Sea World in Orlando, and Busch Gardens in Tampa.

Parks have varying weather cancellation policies, so it’s best to check with individual attractions for information on refunds or rescheduling.

(​4:34 p.m. ET) Federal Emergency Declaration Approved In Florida

“I’ve approved a federal emergency declaration and have instructed (FEMA) Administrator Criswell to ensure that all available federal support is surged to Florida to prepare and respond to the hurricane,” Biden said in a tweet. “I encourage Florida families to heed evacuation orders.”

(4​:26 p.m. ET) Publix Stores Closing

More than 280 Publix stores are closing ahead of Hurricane Ian. The closures stretch a​long the coast from Weeki Wachee south to Marco Island, including Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg, and inland to some areas west and south of Orlando. Closures and planned reopening times vary. Publix is the largest supermarket chain in Florida.

(​3:26 p.m. ET) Governor: ‘You Don’t Get A Mulligan’

I​n an interview this afternoon with The Weather Channel, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis emphasized the dangers of the storm and the importance of being prepared.

“If you’re in a low-lying area that is prone to storm surge or flooding, you need to get to higher ground and get to a safe place,” DeSantis said.

“The point I’m making is at the end of the day you don’t get a mulligan on this so it’s better to take the precaution and then not end up having had a significant impact than the reverse.”

(​3:03 p.m. ET) Sarasota County Extends Evacuation Order

M​andatory evacuations in Sarasota County, to the south of Tampa Bay, now include Zone B, in addition to Zone A and all mobile homes. Click here to see our running list of evacuations, and be sure to follow local officials on social media and via text alert for the most up-to-date information for your area.

(​2:11 p.m. ET) Police Urging Some Manatee County Residents To Evacuate

P​olice in Bradenton, on the south side of Tampa Bay, are going through certain neighborhoods asking residents to leave. A video posted to Facebook shows a police cruiser playing a message over a loud speaker.

“​A mandatory evacuation has been ordered. Please leave this area,” the message says.

(12:20 p.m. ET) Orlando International Airport Ceasing Operations

O​rlando International Airport announced via a message on the homepage of their website that airport operations will cease beginning Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. ET. Those with booked flights were instructed to contact their airline company directly.

(12:05 p.m. ET) National Hurricane Center Issuing Hourly Updates

T​he National Hurricane Center announced that they will be issuing hourly updates on the status of Hurricane Ian. The center says hourly updates will continue as long as the eye of the storm is easily trackable by land-based radar. Typically, public advisories for Atlantic tropical cyclones are issued every six hours.

(11:30 a.m. ET) About 2.5 Million Floridians Under Evacuation Orders

F​lorida Governor Ron DeSantis says about 2.5 million Floridians are under some type of evacuation order.

“When you’re talking about storm surge like this — when you’re talking about historic flooding — that water is a very very difficult adversary,” he said. “You do not want to put yourself in harm’s way unnecessarily. If you’re ordered to evacuate, that’s a decision based on what we’re seeing with this storm and what your local officials are seeing with this storm.”

(11:20 a.m. ET) Lee County Issues New Mandatory Evacuations

L​ee County officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for all of Evacuation Zones A and B. Earlier this morning, the county issued an order that only covered Zone A and part of Zone B. The expansion of the order to include all of Zone B affects additional residents in the Cape Coral and Fort Myers communities.

V​ideo showed the Cape Coral Fire Department driving through neighborhoods announcing evacuation orders over a loudspeaker.

(10:35 a.m. ET) Charlotte County Expands Mandatory Evacuation Order

C​harlotte County officials announced that the mandatory evacuation order in place was expanded to include Evacuation Zone B in addition to Evacuation Zone A. The evacuation order also applies to residents of mobile homes, regardless of evacuation zone.

(10:10 a.m. ET) Hillsborough Sheriff: The Time To Act Is Now

I​n a plea to affected residents, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister urged people to follow the orders of county officials in order to avoid ‘senseless’ loss of life.

“I don’t want any of you to have to go to funerals because you didn’t want to feel uncomfortable and have to go stay at a friend’s house or stay at a shelter,” he said. “The time to act is now.”

H​illsborough County residents in Evacuation Zones A or B are under mandatory evacuation orders.

(10:05 a.m. ET) Hillsborough County Zone B Evacuation Upgraded

H​illsborough county officials announced that the previously voluntary evacuation order for Evacuation Zone B was upgraded to a mandatory evacuation.

“Due to the growing intensity and size of the major hurricane Ian, and the increasing likelihood that Hillsborough county will be significantly impacted, we are amending the voluntary evacuation for Zone B to mandatory evacuation,” a county administrator Bonnie Wise said.

T​he new evacuation begins at noon today and affects about 90,000 additional residents.

​(9:15 a.m. ET) DeSantis Says Ian’s Effects Broader Than Landfall

I​n a press conference, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the remaining uncertainty about where Hurricane Ian will make landfall in Florida.​

“There’s still uncertainty with where that exact landfall will be, but just understand, the impacts are going to be far, far broader than just where the eye of the storm happens to make landfall,” he said.

The governor added that some areas will see catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge.

(​8:45 a.m. ET) Mandatory Evacuations Extended In Manatee County

M​anatee County officials announced that mandatory evacuations orders expanded to include Evacuation Zone B in addition to Zone A. As of yesterday, only Zone A was under a mandatory evacuation order. Evacuation orders for Zone C remain ‘recommended’ but not mandatory.

(​4:30 a.m. ET) Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall In Cuba

Western Cuba was hit by intense wind as Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 3 storm. Ian produced sustained winds of 125 MPH. According to the National Hurricane Center, as the storm moved over western Cuba, it caused ‘significant wind and storm surge impacts.’

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