Floridians head for shelters as Ian barrels toward Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. — More than 2 million people in Florida were under orders to pack up and head east to safer ground Tuesday as Hurricane Ian barreled north from Cuba on a path toward Tampa.
Before city officials ordered mandatory evacuations of the Tampa neighborhoods closest to the water, Steve McClure, 54, had stocked up on food, batteries and flashlights and made plans to bunk with his parents in a nearby county.
“I’d rather be safe than sorry, especially with the track of the hurricane consistently changing,” said McClure, a three-year Tampa resident who was living in nearby Clearwater when Hurricane Elena battered Florida’s Gulf Coast in 1985. “First it was coming right at us a day ago. Now it’s turning a bit to the east.”
Biden speaks to DeSantis about federal response to Ian
President Joe Biden spoke with Gov. Ron DeSantis to "discuss the steps the Federal government is taking to help Florida prepare for Hurricane Ian," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted Tuesday night.
"The President and the Governor committed to continued close coordination," she added.
The hurricane prompted the White House, for the second time in three months, to postpone a presidential trip to Florida. Biden had been scheduled to campaign Tuesday with Charlie Crist, the Democrat who hopes to unseat DeSantis in November.
Florida mayor: ‘There’s still time to evacuate’
Ian reignites panic for Florida’s strapped insurance market
Hurricane Ian is speeding toward the Gulf Coast of Florida at a perilous time for property owners in the state, who have been weathering an insurance crisis that the Category 3 storm could aggravate.
Numerous insurance companies in Florida have closed their doors in recent years in a slow-moving collapse for the industry, forcing rates to spike and property owners to turn to the state-owned insurer of last resort.
“Florida’s property insurance market was the most volatile in the U.S. before Hurricane Ian formed and will most likely become even more unstable in the wake of the storm,” said Mark Friedlander, a director at the Insurance Information Institute in Florida.
Life-threatening storm surge in Florida 'increasingly likely,' NHC warns
The National Hurricane Center warned that life-threatening storm surge is “increasingly likely” along Florida’s west coast in its Tuesday evening advisory about Hurricane Ian, saying the highest risk is the region from Naples to Sarasota.
The storm remains a Category 3 hurricane, and it is expected to intensify today through Wednesday. Forecasters predict it will approach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday “as an extremely dangerous major hurricane.”
Ian could also bring damaging winds as early as Wednesday morning in southwest and west-central Florida, the hurricane center said. “Devastating wind damage is expected near the core of Ian. Residents should rush all preparations to completions,” it said in a statement.
Heavy rain will also affect much of Florida “for the next several days,” it said. “Considerable flooding is expected with widespread, prolonged moderate to major river flooding expected across central Florida.”
Disney World theme parks will close in anticipation of Ian
Although Walt Disney World Resort remained open Tuesday, the Orlando-area attraction announced it would be closing in anticipation of Hurricane Ian’s making landfall in Florida on Wednesday.
"Given the latest projections, Walt Disney World theme parks and water parks will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 28 and Thursday, Sept. 29. Disney Springs will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 28," Disney Parks said Tuesday afternoon.
"We anticipate Disney Springs will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 29, and we will provide updates as we continue to track the storm. We are monitoring weather conditions so we can make timely decisions for the safety of our cast and guests, including when it's safe for cast to return to the site to prepare for reopening."
‘Better to be safe than sorry’: Tampa residents evacuate ahead of Hurricane Ian
Universal theme park in Orlando plans two-day closure
Universal Orlando Resort will shut its doors Wednesday and Thursday because of Hurricane Ian, the theme park and entertainment complex announced Tuesday afternoon.
The park will reopen Friday "as conditions permit," it said in a statement.
The complex's hotels are "currently at full capacity and will remain operational as they focus on taking care of our guests," the statement said.
Universal Orlando Resort and NBC News are both units of Comcast's NBCUniversal.
Georgia declares state of emergency in preparation for Ian
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for all counties Tuesday in preparation for Ian's impact later in the week. The state of emergency will go into effect 7 a.m. Thursday and expire midnight Friday.
"Damaging winds will be possible statewide, even well away from the center of the storm, and downed trees and powerlines are possible statewide on Friday and Saturday," the governor's office said in a statement.
"Widespread rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is also possible statewide, with 4 to 6 inches or more forecast in Southeast Georgia. Flash flooding, power outages, and other dangerous situations are possible, especially in Southeast Georgia."
Kemp encouraged residents to remain alert and take precautions to protect themselves and their families.