Weather forecasters predict that Tropical Storm Ian will "rapidly" intensify this weekend and turn into a major hurricane before making landfall in Florida early next week. A state of emergency has been proclaimed by Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida.
Tropical Storm Ian was reportedly moving over the central Caribbean Sea on Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). By Saturday night, it had traveled 255 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, and was heading west at 16 mph. It had sustained winds of up to 45 mph.
The NHC predicted that Ian will develop into a hurricane by late Sunday and a major storm by late Monday or early Tuesday.
According to the NHC, Ian was expected to pass close to western Cuba late on Monday after passing west of the Cayman Islands on Sunday night. By Tuesday, it might have reached Florida per CBS News.
Authorities Advise the Public To Prepare for Incoming Storm
John Cangialosi, a senior hurricane specialist in Miami, says it's unknown which part of Florida will be hit hardest by Ian. He advised the public to get ready for the storm by getting supplies in case the electricity goes out.
According to the National Weather Service, Ian will bring dangerous weather, including storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and rainfall flooding, to Cuba and certain areas of Florida.
There might be up to 12 inches of rain in certain places, and Jamaica and Cuba could see mudslides and flash flooding.
NASA postponed Tuesday's launch of the uncrewed Artemis 1 lunar mission due to the approaching storm.
State of Emergency Raised in Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a state of emergency for 24 counties on Friday and the whole state on Saturday, placing the National Guard on standby and demanding a federal pre-landfall emergency declaration.
"This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations," DeSantis said in a statement. He added that state officials are now cooperating with local government partners to track the potential storm impact areas.
On Saturday, President Biden proclaimed the state to be in a state of emergency, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to oversee relief operations, according to NPR.
According to the weather center, Ian is predicted to produce between two and four inches of rain in some areas of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, between three and six inches in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, and between four and eight inches in western and central Cuba.
For Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands government upped its hurricane watch to a hurricane warning. A warning is often issued 36 hours before the first predicted occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds.
The New York Times reported that tropical storm activity was anticipated over the next 48 hours on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, which are now under a tropical storm watch. A hurricane warning was in effect for Grand Cayman.
The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season has nine named storms, with Ian becoming the ninth. Once it hits wind speeds of at least 39 m.p.h., a storm is given a name.
