Hurricane Ian Expected to 'Continue Rapidly Strengthening' Before Hitting Florida Midweek
AP/Shutterstock Satellite image of Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian is continuing to gain strength as it barrels through the Gulf of Mexico and toward the United States.
A Hurricane Watch is now in effect for a portion of Florida's west coast, including Tampa Bay and Sarasota, according to the National Weather Service, after Ian intensified into a hurricane overnight.
Forecasters predict the storm will become a major hurricane late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, the National Hurricane Center said in an update shared Monday morning.
Ian currently has maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, and is expected to "continue rapidly strengthening" until it makes landfall in the U.S. on Wednesday.
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Hillsborough County has issued a mandatory evacuation order for Evacuation Zone A and a voluntary evacuation for Zone B. Manatee County issued the same orders on Monday.
"This is a worst-case scenario with a very strong slow-moving storm just to the west of us," Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes said, per the county's website.
GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Floridians line up outside of a Sam's Club as they prepare for Hurricane Ian
Forecasters believe Ian will maintain major hurricane status as it travels over the southeastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday before it hits Florida.
Several parts of Florida — including the lower Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas — are under a Tropical Storm Warning ahead of Ian's landfall, according to the NWS. A Tropical Storm Watch is also in place for various locations from the Middle Keys to Orlando.
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Heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surge are expected to impact Florida by the middle of the week. Flooding is of particular concern "given already saturated conditions," the hurricane center said.
ristobal Reyes/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty
The Florida Keys are expected to receive four to six inches of rain while central west Florida may see eight to 10 inches, including some areas that could even receive upwards of 15 inches. Portions of the Peninsula, meanwhile, may see three to eight inches of rain.
Portions of the Florida coast, including Tampa Bay, could also see a 10-foot storm surge, while other coastal communities may experience between two and eight feet.
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On Sunday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned the entire state of Florida of the potential destruction that could result from Hurricane Ian, according to CNN.
"Make preparations now," DeSantis said. "The things that you should be prepared with are things like food, water, batteries, medicine, fuel."
