NEWS: Hurricane Ian Downgraded to Tropical Storm in Florida

By Sara McOmber Leave a Comment

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida yesterday as a Category 4 storm. It first landed in Cayo Costa, Florida, with winds of 150 mph. Since then, flood, tornado, and hurricane warnings have been issued throughout the state, with much of the damage happening in Central Florida.

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Although officials continue to warn residents to remain inside their shelters and be on alert, it looks like the storm has weakened as it progresses through Florida.

The National Hurricane Center has downgraded the hurricane to a tropical storm. They reported that “coastal water levels continue to subside along the west coast of Florida,” although “there is a danger of life-threatening storm surge through Friday along the coast of northeast Florida.”

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The main difference between a hurricane and a tropical storm is the sustained wind speed of the storm. Currently, Tropical Storm Ian has sustained winds at 65 mph.

Florida residents can still expect tropical storm-force winds and possible catastrophic flooding. According to CNBC, over 2.5 million Florida residents have lost power due to the storm. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that this storm would be “one of the top 5 hurricanes to ever hit the Florida peninsula.”

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In response to the destruction, President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster. This means that federal aid will be deployed to help local and state officials in recovery efforts.

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Tropical Storm Ian was expected to weaken as it passed over land, but experts warn that it could reach hurricane strength again when it passes over Florida’s east coast on September 29th.

Rain from Hurricane Ian near Disney World

At 5PM, the storm was once again upgraded to a category 1 hurricane.

Heads up: Ian Has Strengthened to a Hurricane Once Again over the Western Atlantic with Strong Tropical Storm Wind Gusts Continuing Over Land. .

— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) September 29, 2022