Hurricane Ian Continues To Quickly Intensify; Hurricane and Storm Surge Warnings Posted for Florida

The National Weather Service has issued a hurricane warning for much of Southwest Florida, including all of Charlotte, Sarasota and Lee counties.

Hurricane Ian will bring a life-threatening storm surge along much of the Florida west coast where a Storm Surge Warning has been issued, with the highest risk from Fort Myers to the Tampa Bay region. Hurricane-force winds are expected in west-central Florida beginning Wednesday morning. Heavy rainfall may cause flash, urban, and small stream flooding over Florida this week

The weather service issued the warning following a 5 a.m. Tuesday update of Hurricane Ian’s predicted path. DeSoto County is in a hurricane watch. The warning area was extended southward to include the Charlotte County portion of Englewood and south into Lee County.

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area in the next 36 hours. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion, according to the National Weather Service.

Hurricane Ian continues to move north-northwest across Cuba, and is expected to continue strengthening into a Major Hurricane as it moves north into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Numerous local impacts are expected with watches and warnings in place across the area. Residents should rush to completion any preparedness activities. POTENTIAL IMPACTS —————– * SURGE: Protect against life-threatening surge having possible devastating impacts across west central and southwest Florida. Potential impacts in this area include: – Widespread deep inundation, with storm surge flooding greatly accentuated by powerful battering waves. Structural damage to buildings, with many washing away. Damage greatly compounded from considerable floating debris. Locations may be uninhabitable for an extended period. – Near-shore escape routes and secondary roads washed out or severely flooded. Flood control systems and barriers may become stressed. – Extreme beach erosion. New shoreline cuts possible. – Massive damage to marinas, docks, boardwalks, and piers. Numerous small craft broken away from moorings with many lifted onshore and stranded. * WIND: Protect against life-threatening wind having possible devastating impacts across west central and southwest Florida. Potential impacts in this area include: – Structural damage to sturdy buildings, some with complete roof and wall failures. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Damage greatly accentuated by large airborne projectiles. Locations may be uninhabitable for weeks or months. – Numerous large trees snapped or uprooted along with fences and roadway signs blown over. – Many roads impassable from large debris, and more within urban or heavily wooded places. Many bridges, causeways, and access routes impassable. – Widespread power and communications outages. * FLOODING RAIN: Protect against life-threatening rainfall flooding having possible devastating impacts across west central and southwest Florida. Potential impacts include: – Extreme rainfall flooding may prompt numerous evacuations and rescues. – Rivers and tributaries may overwhelmingly overflow their banks in many places with deep moving water. Small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches may become raging rivers. Flood control systems and barriers may become stressed. – Flood waters can enter numerous structures within multiple communities, some structures becoming uninhabitable or washed away. Numerous places where flood waters may cover escape routes. Streets and parking lots become rivers of raging water with underpasses submerged. Driving conditions become very dangerous. Numerous road and bridge closures with some weakened or washed out. * TORNADOES: Protect against a tornado event having possible limited impacts across west central and southwest Florida. Potential impacts include: – The occurrence of isolated tornadoes can hinder the execution of emergency plans during tropical events. – A few places may experience tornado damage, along with power and communications disruptions. – Locations could realize roofs peeled off buildings, chimneys toppled, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, large tree tops and branches snapped off, shallow-rooted trees knocked over, moving vehicles blown off roads, and boats pulled from moorings.

STAY TUNED TO WENG RADIO 98.1, 107.5 FM AND 1530 AM #englewoodfl #southwestfl #sarasota county #charlottecounty