Florida residents have been warned to “be prepared” for a possible hurricane this week as Tropical Storm Ian continues to strengthen as it tracks a path toward the Sunshine State. The National Hurricane Center predicts Ian will become a hurricane by late Sunday as it moves across the Caribbean toward western Cuba. By midweek, the agency expects it to have reached Florida as a major hurricane. On Saturday, President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for the state, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance. The president also postponed a trip to Fort Lauderdale that was scheduled for Tuesday in view of the extreme weather. The federal emergency declaration came as Gov. Ron DeSandis also expanded a state of emergency from 24 counties across the state and mobilized the Florida National Guard. As Florida prepares for the upcoming weather event, Canada is beginning to assess damage and begin recovery efforts after Tropical Cyclone Fiona hit on Saturday. Former hurricane Fiona left at least 16 dead in Puerto Rico.
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Tropical Storm Ian is forecast to become a hurricane by late Sunday
The National Hurricane Center predicts Tropical Storm Ian will become a hurricane by the end of the day Sunday as it tracks a path through the Caribbean, continuing to strengthen along the way. As of Sunday morning, it had reached wind speeds of 50 mph (85 km/h), the agency said. The storm is expected to move over the Cayman Islands and western Cuba before reaching the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle as a major hurricane by midweek. By then, it could be a Category 3 hurricane with winds of up to 109 miles per hour (175 kilometers per hour). While forecasters say it is too early to determine the exact track and strength, parts of coastal Georgia are now also within the hurricane’s cone of uncertainty. Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 20:30 1664131540
The Cuban government is upgrading the hurricane watch to a hurricane warning
The Cuban government has upgraded its hurricane watch to a hurricane warning for the Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio and Artemisa as Tropical Storm Ian heads toward the country. Cuba has also upgraded its tropical storm watch to a tropical storm warning for the provinces of La Habana, Mayabeque and Matanzas. The upgrade comes as the National Hurricane Center now predicts Ian will become a hurricane by the end of Sunday. Now, a hurricane warning is in effect for Grand Cayman and the Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio and Artemisa. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 19:45 1664128840
National Hurricane Center issues advisory
The National Hurricane Center issued a new advisory for Tropical Storm Ian, warning of “significant wind and storm surge impacts” in western Cuba. “Tropical storm #Ian Advisory 10: Ian forecast to begin strengthening rapidly later today,” the agency tweeted in its 11 a.m. alert. “Hurricane warning issued for Western Cuba where significant wind and storm impacts are expected”. Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 19:00 1664127040
Florida prepares to send 2 million meals and 1 million gallons of water to affected areas
The Florida government is counting on two million meals and one million gallons of water, which it will be able to distribute to the affected areas when the time comes. Officials said at a news conference Sunday that the storm’s impact will be widespread across the state and that it is now preparing to stock essential supplies. Governor Ron DeSantis said Tropical Storm Ian will be a hurricane within the next 24 hours and will likely be a major hurricane “very soon.” Mr DeSantis urged residents to ensure they have enough food, water, batteries, medicine and fuel as he warned that power outages were expected. “Make preparations now,” he said. “Listen to local officials and just be prepared that with a hurricane of this size these things are likely to happen.” Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 18:30 1664125240
Officials urge Florida residents not to ‘over-evacuate’
Florida residents have been urged not to “over-evacuate” when Tropical Storm Ian moves into the Sunshine State in the coming days. Speaking at a news conference Sunday morning, officials told state residents to “know your zone and know your home.” If your home is in an evacuation zone, then you should follow official instructions and leave, they said. But if your home is not in an evacuation zone, then you “need to know your home” and whether it has the ability to withstand high winds. “If you are not in an evacuation zone and if your home is able to withstand the winds, then you may want to evacuate,” an official said. Residents sheltering inside their homes should prepare to lose power for several days and should make sure they have enough food and water. The guidance came after officials said two million people were over-evacuated during Hurricane Irma in 2017. Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 18:00 1664123440
DeSantis says he “appreciates” Biden’s “quick action.”
Florida’s governor said he “appreciates the quick action” of President Joe Biden, who accepted the state’s request to issue a federal emergency declaration on Saturday. “We appreciate it, we’re grateful,” he said at a news conference Sunday morning. Mr. Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida on Saturday, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance if or when Ian reaches the state Sunshine. Mr DeSantis also extended the state of emergency from 24 counties across the state on Saturday. Officials said Sunday they had also received calls from every state in the southeast region, saying they were “ready and willing to help in our time of need.” Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 17:30 1664121640
Ron DeSantis gives press conference on Tropical Storm Ian
Florida Governor Ron DeSandis held a press conference Sunday morning, where he urged residents to prepare for Tropical Storm Ian. Mr DeSantis said the impact of Ian, which is expected to become a hurricane as early as today, will reach far beyond the Sunshine State and so Floridians across the forecast cone should prepare. “It’s important to point out to people that the path of this is still uncertain. The effects will be broad across the state of Florida,” he said. The governor said power and fuel outages are likely to occur when the hurricane hits the state in the middle of the week. “With a hurricane of this size it’s likely to happen,” he said. He said the state would provide an additional update on the storm’s track at 5 p.m. local time Sunday. Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 17:00 1664118940
Biden has declared a state of emergency in Florida and is postponing his visit
President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in Florida as Tropical Storm Ian is on track to become a major hurricane in the coming days. The president issued the emergency declaration on Saturday, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance if or when Ian makes landfall in the Sunshine State . The announcement came after Biden postponed a trip to south Florida that was scheduled for Tuesday in view of the extreme weather. The president was expected to give a speech on Medicare and Social Security in Fort Lauderdale before heading to Orlando to address a Democratic National Committee rally for Florida’s Democratic candidates. It would be his first visit to the Sunshine State in more than a year. Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 16:15 1664116241
Typhoon Noru Barrels in the Philippines
While Canada assesses damage from Storm Fiona and Florida assesses incoming Storm Ian, the Philippines is also at the mercy of extreme weather. Typhoon Noru slammed into the northeastern part of the country on Sunday, hitting the coastal town of Burdeos on Polillo Island in Quezon. The powerful typhoon – which has sustained winds of 195 kilometers (121 mph) and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph) – is expected to chart a path of destruction across the main island of Luzon overnight toward the capital . Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in the path of the hurricane. Noru is forecast to reach the South China Sea on Monday before heading to Vietnam later in the week. Rachel Sharp25 September 2022 15:30 1664113541
Prime Minister Trudeau says the government will match Red Cross donations
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged that the Canadian government will match all Red Cross donations for communities hit hard by post-tropical Cyclone Fiona. The former hurricane made landfall in Nova Scotia early Saturday morning before carving a destructive path up the country’s east coast. At a press conference Saturday night local time, Mr. Trudeau addressed the nation about the government’s response and announced the commitment. “I know Canadians across the country always want to help,” he said “So we’re announcing that we will be matching Red Cross donations made by Canadians and businesses over the next 30 days.” The prime minister held an incident response meeting with government officials that morning as he postponed his visit to Japan to deal with the crisis. Mr. Trudeau said he had also approved Nova Scotia’s request for federal aid and is developing…
