Hurricane Ian intensified into an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm as it approached Florida and wind speeds have increased to nearly Category 5 levels.
Hurricane Ian intensified into an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm as it approached Florida on Wednesday morning. The National Hurricane Center said that maximum sustained winds had increased to 155 mph just after 6:30 a.m. Those speeds were recorded by a Hurricane Hunter aircraft that flew into the storm. Those wind speeds are just below Category 5 status.
The hurricane could push as much as 12 feet of ocean water ashore in Florida, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said, urging people to evacuate the danger zone if they still can. More than 2.5 million people were under mandatory evacuation orders, but by law no one could be forced to flee.
The hurricane center predicted Ian would roar ashore Wednesday afternoon. Winds exceeding tropical-storm strength of 39 mph reached Florida by 3 a.m. and hurricane-force winds were expected in Florida well in advance of the eyewall moving inland, the Miami-based center said. Rainfall near the area of landfall could top 18 inches .
A couple from England on vacation in Tampa found themselves faced with riding out the storm at a shelter. Glyn and Christine Williams of London were told to leave their hotel near the beach when evacuations were ordered. Because the airport shut down, they could get no flight home.
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