Hurricane Ian downgraded to Category 2, but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warns troubles not over, and to be on guard
The worst of the storm still ahead
As Tropical Storm Ian approached the Florida coastline with hurricane-force winds early Wednesday morning, National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham issued a stark warning: “While Hurricane Ian is not over, you are not out.”
A Hurricane Hunter aircraft captured this image of Hurricane Ian on Wednesday morning, showing the heavy rain that has already fallen over the Carolinas
The damage: A post-tropical cyclone in the Caribbean Sea, Ian brought heavy rains and gusty winds across the Southeastern United States on Tuesday and Wednesday
As Tropical Storm Ian approached the Florida coastline with hurricane-force winds early Wednesday morning, National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham issued a stark warning: “While Hurricane Ian is not over, you are not out.”
‘A lot of the rainfall that was predicted to fall in the Miami area and on the panhandle, we’re actually seeing it in Palm Beach County,” Graham said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon at the National Hurricane Center. “It’s already being felt on the beaches.”
Graham said a strong cold front that will bring cooler, drier air to the region will help ease flooding and slow the rate of runoff. The storm is continuing to move north at an approximate speed of 20 miles an hour, but the rain and the impact of the winds will likely continue throughout the morning and afternoon, he said.
Graham said a mandatory evacuation of Key Biscayne and southern Fort Lauderdale that included almost 30,000 homes and 5,000 vehicles has been lifted, and residents are allowed to remain.
‘Tremendous storm surge’
In addition to the impact on residents, the hurricane is producing a significant storm surge that is likely to flood areas that are not normally prone to flooding, Graham said.
The National Hurricane Center is also warning that high surf and high tides from the storm are increasing the surf and high water levels on the barrier islands and other areas that are not normally vulnerable to storm surges.
‘It’s only going to get worse tonight’
An area where residents should stay alert is a portion of the Intracoastal Water