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Everything To Know About Hurricane Ian

Todo lo que debe saber sobre el huracán Ian que tocará tierra próximamente en Florida

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HURRICANE Ian, which made landfall in Cuba early Tuesday with winds of about 125 miles per hour (205 km/h), will maintain its strength as it crosses the Greater Antilles and will strengthen as it emerges in the Gulf of Mexico as a major threat to Florida in the form of storm surge, wind, rain, and tornadoes.

The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) reported at 08:00 (12:00 GMT) that Ian, a category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale (out of 5), is having “significant wind and storm surge impacts over western Cuba”.

At the time of the bulletin, the center of Ian, the fourth Atlantic hurricane of 2022, was located about 10 miles (15 km) north-northeast of the city of Pinar del Rio (Cuba) and about 115 miles (185 km) south-southwest of Dry Tortugas, one of the Florida Keys.

As of tonight Ian, which is moving at about 12 miles per hour (19 km/h) as it passes over western Cuba, will turn north-northeast and slow down.

Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph (205 km/h) with higher gusts and little change in strength is expected as Ian moves over Cuba, although it will strengthen as it moves through the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane-force winds extend up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and weaker tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 115 miles (185 km).

According to the forecast track, after passing Cuba, Ian will emerge today over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and pass west of the Florida Keys, some of which are under a hurricane warning.

It will approach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday and make landfall probably that night or early Thursday somewhere along the central Florida coast as a “dangerous major hurricane”.

The NHC warnings and watches also extend to a sector of central Florida and another along the southeast coast of the state.

As in Cuba, the part of Florida included in Ian’s path cone can experience dangerous storm surges that, combined with the tidal surge, inundate normally dry areas of the coastline.

In western Cuba, according to the NHC, sea levels may rise by 9 to 14 feet (2.7 to 4.2 meters).

Water could reach up to 10 feet (3 meters) above ground level in the Tampa Bay area, where more than 3.1 million people reside and mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders are in place.

In addition to these sea level rises, accompanied by heavy surf in some locations, Ian is expected to produce heavy rainfall in Cuba and Florida, with a risk of flash flooding.

Tornadoes and undertow complete Ian’s picture.

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