Storm surge warning issued for Florida KeysThe National Hurricane Center issued a storm surge warning for the lower Florida Keys, from Big Pine Key to Key West, early Wednesday morning. Water levels had already risen 2 feet above normal high tide in Key West late Tuesday night. At 12:30 a.m. ET Wednesday, Hurricane Ian was located about 100 miles southwest of Naples, Florida. It was moving north-northeast at 10 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. Water levels in Key West risingWater levels in Key West, Florida, have already risen more than 2 feet above normal high tide, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Hurricane position and strength as of 11 p.m. ETAt 11 p.m. ET, Hurricane Ian was located about 110 miles southwest of Naples, Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving north-northeast at 10 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, making it a Category 3 storm. Storm location and strength as of 10 p.m. ETAs of 10 p.m. ET, Hurricane Ian was located about 175 miles south-southwest of Punta Gorda, Florida, and about 5 miles south of The Dry Tortugas. It was moving north-northeast at 10 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. Hurricane Ian lashes Cuba as it heads for Florida coastHurricane Ian tore into western Cuba as a major hurricane Tuesday and left 1 million people without electricity, then churned on a collision course with Florida over warm Gulf waters amid expectations it would strengthen into a catastrophic Category 4 storm. Ian made landfall in Cubaâs Pinar del Rio province, where officials set up 55 shelters, evacuated 50,000 people, and took steps to protect crops in the nationâs main tobacco-growing region. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Cuba suffered âsignificant wind and storm surge impactsâ when the hurricane struck with top sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kmh). Tampa fire chief discusses Hurricane Ian preparationsLocation and speed of Ian as of 8 p.m. ETAt 8 p.m. ET, Hurricane Ian was located about 180 miles south-southwest of Punta Gorda, Florida, and 20 miles south-southwest of the Dry Tortugas, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was moving north-northeast at 10 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. âYou can hide from the wind, but you need to run from that waterâ: Tampa mayor on Hurricane Ian threatTampa Mayor Jane Castor urged those who have not evacuated the area as Hurricane Ian approaches to do so, predicting that the city will lose power and could see a tidal surge. âWe used to have the old âWell, we can just wait this out and see what happens,'â Castor told âCBS Evening Newsâ anchor and managing editor Norah OâDonnell on Tuesday. âWeâre talking 10- to 15-foot tidal surge. Nobody can withstand that. Thereâs no waiting that out.â âWe always use the adage, you can hide from the wind, but you need to run from that water,â Castor said. Disney World closing theme and water parksDisney World announced that it is closing all theme and water parks on Wednesday and Thursday as it braces for Hurricane Ian. ESPNâs Wide World of Sports Complex will also be closed and any Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser âvoyagesâ that were scheduled to begin Tuesday or Thursday have been canceled, the park announced. Disney hotels and resorts will remain open, however, guests must check in by 3 p.m. Wednesday and will be required to shelter in place âfor the duration of the storm.â Cancellation fees will be waived for guests who wish to rebook their stays or cancel outright, the park said. Disney World also warned that dining options for hotel guests âwill vary, and in some cases may be very limited.â Biden speaks with DeSantisPresident Biden spoke with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis âto discuss the steps the federal government is taking to help Florida prepare for Hurricane Ian,â White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. Details of the conversation were not released, but both âcommited to continued close coordination,â Jean-Pierre said. Tracking Hurricane Ianâs expected landfallEvacuations underway as Hurricane Ian barrels toward FloridaPiney Point under 24-hour supervision ahead of Hurricane IanPiney Point, a former phosphate mining facility in Manatee County, Florida, is undergoing 24-hour surveillance ahead of Hurricane Ian, CBS News has learned. The site made headlines last year when a massive leak was detected in the liner of a gypsum stack. The issue resulted in millions of gallons of wastewater ending up in Tampa Bay and helped contribute to a devastating months-long red tide event. Florida Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried told CBS News on Tuesday that she had spoken with Floridaâs Department of Environmental Protection earlier in the day and that they do not foresee Hurricane Ian being âa huge problem,â given its current forecasts. âBased on the water that is currently in Piney Point, they can sustain about 25 inches of rain. And thinking that weâre supposed to get 12 to 15 inches of rain, they are not seeing this to be a huge problem,â Fried said. Fried said the department informed her that the water has been partially treated, so that even if there is an overflow, âit wonât be of issue.â However, the treatment of that water, she told CBS News, is something she ânever had full trust and confidence in.â The site is undergoing 24-hour monitoring, Fried said. The stateâs dedicated site for Piney Point updates last provided information on Friday, saying that preparations also include staging backup pumps and adjusting water management levels. There are roughly 268 million gallons in the siteâs reservoir. According to Manatee Countyâs evacuation maps, Piney Point is in evacuation zone B, meaning that the area could see a potential surge inundation of 14 feet. The county issued mandatory evacuations for those in zones A and B on Tuesday. Those in zone C have been recommended to evacuate. The state is more concerned with construction equipment on site, which the department is in the process of âhunkering downâ and moving offsite to avoid heavy winds turning the equioment into projectiles. A deep injection well, approved in December, is under construction to hold the water that is in the reservoir, and the site is currently in the initial process of closing its south compartment, according to the website. Part of the process involves grading and shaping the area so it doesnât accumulate rainwater. âThe secretary seems to be pretty confident that they should be OK with the amount of rain,â Fried said. âOf course, if it was to be head-on with 140 mph sustained wind, that would be an issue. But with this just potentially being a rain event more than anything else in that Piney point area, he felt confident that they could sustain the rain.â Hurricane warning extended southThe National Hurricane Center extended a hurricane warning southward along Floridaâs west coast. The warning now stretches from the Anclote River down to Chokoloskee. In addition, the storm surge watch from Marineland to the Flagler/Volusia County Line has been upgraded to a storm surge warning, the NHC said. Hurricane location as of 5 p.m. ETAs of 5 p.m. ET, Hurricane Ian was located roughly 230 miles south of Sarasota, Florida, and about 50 miles south-southwest of the Dry Tortugas, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and was moving north at 10 mph. House Jan. 6 panel postpones hearing due to IanThe House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has postponed a hearing scheduled for Wednesday due to Hurricane Ian. âIn light of Hurricane Ian bearing down on parts of Florida, we have decided to postpone tomorrowâs proceedings. Weâre praying for the safety of all those in the stormâs path,â the committee said in a statement. âThe Select Committeeâs investigation goes forward and we will soon announce a date for the postponed proceedings.â College football games moved because of IanFloridaâs home football game against Eastern Washington has been moved from Saturday to Sunday because of Hurricane Ian. The Gators and Eagles will kick off at noon in Gainesville shortly before NFL games around the country. Also, South Florida and East Carolina, which had been slated to play in Tampa on Saturday night, will instead play in Boca Raton. The game will now kick off at 2:30 p.m. at Florida Atlanticâs stadium. The University of Florida canceled classes and all student-related activities Wednesday through Friday in anticipation of Ianâs predicted landfall. Meanwhile, South Carolinaâs home game with South Carolina State has been moved from Saturday to Thursday night due to Ianâs track. Warning and watches as of 2 p.m. ETThe National Hurricane Center said in its 2 p.m. advisory that the following warnings and watches are in effect: A hurricane warning is in effect for:
What the hurricane categories meanHurricanes are rated on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which includes five categories based on the stormâs sustained wind speeds. It also estimates possible damage to property, ranging from âsome damageâ to âcatastrophic.â If a storm is a Category 3, 4 or 5, it is deemed a âmajorâ hurricane due to the potential for âsignificant loss of life and damage,â the National Hurricane Center says. Hurricanes that fall into categories 1 or 2 are still considered dangerous, the center says. Uber offering discounted rides to hurricane sheltersResidents of Floridaâs Gulf Coast who need to evacuate to a shelter ahead of Hurricane Ian are eligible for a discounted Uber ride to do so, Governor Ron DeSantisâ office announced. The discounted rides are eligible for residents in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Pasco counties. DeSantisâ office said that Uber will be offering the round-trip rides to and from state-approved shelters. The promotional code âIANRELIEFâ will take up to $30 off the ride each way. FloridaDisaster.org maintains a list of shelters available. Hurricane Ian disrupts energy sectorHurricane Ian is disrupting the energy sector, with oil producers BP and Chevron halting production at offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. On Monday, BP said it had evacuated personnel from its Na Kika platform, which produces 130,000 barrels of oil per day as well as 550 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. It is also cutting production at its Thunder Horse platform, which produces 250,000 barrels of oil per day, as well as 200 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. Chevron also said it is removing personnel from its Petronius and Blind Faith platforms and temporarily suspending operations at the facilities. Combined, they produce around 120,000 barrels of oil per day. Orlando airport announces operations will haltOrlando International Airport said commercial operations will halt Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. due to Hurricane Ian. âEntry to all parking facilities will be closed at that same period,â said the airport, which is located northeast of Tampa, in central Florida. Passengers are advised to contact their airlines regarding flight updates. County official calls evacuation centers a âlast resortâThe emergency management chief for Sarasota County, on Floridaâs west coast, gave some advice for people considering riding out Hurricane Ian in an evacuation center. âEvacuation centers ⦠should be your last resort,â Ed McCrane said during a press conference with Gov. Ron DeSantis. âTheyâre the lifeboat. You should go to friends or family if you can, and you donât have to go hundreds of miles. You can go tens of miles. You can choose east-west routes.â People seeking shelter could also head south, McCrane said. âIf youâre going to an evacuation center, eat before you go, bring your emergency kit, including bedding, and bring a flashlight, toiletries,â McCrane said. âYouâre going to get 20 square feet of space there.â He said all of the countyâs evacuation centers are pet-friendly. Disney World announces closuresWalt Disney World, located in central Florida, announced some closures Tuesday as Hurricane Ian approaches the state. It said the following resorts will be closed from Wednesday through Friday because of the storm:
Disneyâs Typhoon Lagoon and Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. Evacuations ordered for 8 Florida countiesAs of Tuesday morning, evacuation orders had been issued for eight Florida counties:
âPeople ⦠who decide not to go, they do so at their own perilâLee County â where Fort Myers is on Floridaâs southwest Gulf Coast â issued mandatory evacuations early Tuesday for low-lying areas including Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Bonita Beach, where about 250,000 people live, after forecasters expanded the hurricane warning area. âPeople on the barrier islands who decide not to go, they do so at their own peril,â Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais said early Tuesday. âThe best thing they can do is leave.â âItâs a dangerous place to be,â Desjarlais said. âWe cannot by law force people off the islands, but we strongly recommend that they go.â Pinellas County residents urged to finalize shelter plansResidents of Pinellas County, which is located just west of Tampa, are being urged by local officials to finalize their shelter plans as Hurricane Ian nears. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for the countyâs Zone A and mobile homes on Monday, and for Zones B and C Tuesday morning. âResidents should finalize their sheltering plans soon, whether it is in their non-evacuation zone home, in a hotel, or with a friend or family member,â the county tweeted Tuesday. âThere are 25 shelters currently open around the county.â Warnings and watches in effect as of 11 a.m. ETThe National Hurricane Center posted the following warnings and watches at 11 a.m. ET Tuesday: A hurricane warning is in effect for:
A storm surge warning is in effect for:
A tropical storm warning is in effect for:
A storm surge watch is in effect for:
A hurricane watch is in effect for:
A tropical storm watch is in effect for:
Sarasota, Florida, announces closuresSarasota, Florida, which is located just north of where Hurricane Ian is expected to make landfall, says the cityâs administrative offices will close Tuesday at noon and not open until Friday, âconditions permitting.â The Siesta and John Ringling Causeway bridges will be closed to non-residents at 3 p.m., and then will close to all vehicles at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., water will be shut off to the barrier islands. Tampa airport suspending operationsHurricane Ian is impacting air travel, with Tampa International Airport announcing it will halt operations Tuesday starting at 5 p.m. âThe 5 p.m. closure will allow the Airport to prepare the airfield and terminals, including the securing of jet bridges, ground equipment, and any remaining aircraft,â the airport says. âThe Airport, including the Main Terminal, Airsides, and parking garages will be closed to all visitors at that time.â Disney World is open for nowWalt Disney World, which is located in central Florida, says on its website it is âoperating under normal conditionsâ as it prepares to make ânecessary adjustmentsâ based on the latest weather information. It asked people to continue checking its site for the most up-to-date information about temporary impacts and park closures as Hurricane Ian nears. âWe continue to put the safety of our Cast Members and Guests first and will share updates with you as we monitor Hurricane Ian,â it says. Disney World is located about 125 miles northeast of where Ian is expected to make landfall. Manatee County issues mandatory evacuation orderA mandatory evacuation order is in place for Manatee Countyâs zones A and B. Zone C is under a voluntary evacuation order, officials tweeted Tuesday. âYour window to prepare ⦠essentially is going to be closing later todayâMichael Brennan, acting deputy director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told CBS News people in Florida should follow evacuation orders from their local officials as Hurricane Ian heads toward the stateâs west coast. âIf you live in one of these storm surge evacuation zones and youâve been asked to leave, please do so because your window to prepare and get ready for the storm essentially is going to be closing later today, and by tonight, youâre going to need to be where youâre going to ride out the storm,â Brennan said. Brennan said Tuesday morning the storm surge threat applies to the stateâs west coast from north of Tampa to Collier County in the southern part of the state, a large area that includes Fort Myers, Naples, Port Charlotte and Sarasota. Ianâs winds could damage homes and cause widespread power outages, Brennan said. Landfall predicted in Venice WednesdayHurricane Ian is forecast to make landfall Wednesday evening in Venice, Florida, south of Tampa, Kevin Guthrie, director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said at a press conference Tuesday morning. It is expected to hit as a Category 3 storm. âThe National Hurricane Center is now predicting that landfall will be Venice in 35 hours, at 125 mph ⦠making it a major, Category 3, landfalling hurricane,â Guthrie said at the press conference, which was held at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Guthrie said the best option for many people in the southwest Florida area is to evacuate across the state. âJust go straight across the state to Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach. Donât try to go north,â he said, nothing that this will help ease traffic. Residents can find out if they live in an evacuation zone by visiting FloridaDisaster.org/know or FloridaDisaster.org/planprepare, he said. Florida governor warns of âcatastrophicâ and âlife-threateningâ impactsFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge will be seen in some areas as Hurricane Ian hits the stateâs west coast on Wednesday. He urged people to heed evacuation orders, which identify people living in areas that are vulnerable to major storm surge. People evacuating donât need to go to another state, he noted, saying shelters are open in other parts of Florida. âImpacts will be far, far broader than where of the eye makes landfall,â he said at a press conference Tuesday morning. Evacuation orders in effect in Hillsborough CountyMandatory and voluntary orders have been issued for Hillsborough County, Florida, which is home to Tampa. Zone A in the county is under a mandatory evacuation notice and Zone B is under a voluntary evacuation notice. âThose living in mobile and manufactured homes are encouraged to evacuate as well,â the county tweeted Monday. Evacuation zones can be seen in this interactive evacuation assessment tool. Ian moves over western CubaThe center of Hurricane Ian is moving north over western Cuba Tuesday morning, with tropical storm force winds extending outward 115 miles. The storm made landfall at 4:30 a.m. ET in Cubaâs Pinar del Rio province, where officials set up 55 shelters, evacuated 50,000 people, rushed in emergency personnel and took steps to protect crops in Cubaâs main tobacco-growing region. Cubaâs capital was getting rain and strong gusts, and Havanaâs residents openly worried about flooding ahead of the storm, with workers unclogging storm drains and fishermen taking their boats out of the water. âI am very scared because my house gets completely flooded, with water up to here,â Adyz Ladron said, pointing to his chest. In Havanaâs El Fanguito, a poor neighborhood near the Almendares River, residents packed up what they could. âI hope we escape this one because it would be the end of us. We already have so little,â health worker Abel Rodrigues said. Ianâs forward movement was expected to slow over the gulf, enabling the hurricane to grow wider and stronger before it brings punishing wind and water to Floridaâs west coast. Warnings and watches in effect as of 8 a.m ETThe National Hurricane Center posted the following warnings and watches at 8 a.m. ET Tuesday: A hurricane warning is in effect for:
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