TRACKING IAN: Category 4 hurricane makes landfall in Florida’s Gulf Coast
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – 3:45 p.m. UPDATE: Ian made landfall on Florida’s mainland south of Punta Gorda near Pirate Harbor.
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3:30 p.m. UPDATE: In anticipation of Hurricane Ian moving north, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency.
No evacuations or school closures have been ordered yet.
Updated models show the storm crossing Florida and entering the Atlantic before making landfall once again along the South Carolina coast over the weekend.
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Hurricane Ian made landfall on the gulf coast of Florida on Wednesday around 3:05 p.m. EST near Cayo Costa as winds reached a high-end Category 4 status.
The storm hit the gulf coast at a Category 4 with sustained 155 mph winds.
After Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for all 67 counties in preparation for the storm, over 2.5 million residents received mandatory evacuation orders.
Residents in the area reported roads and highways at a standstill as people evacuate the area.
Ian strengthened to a Category 3 as it made landfall in Cuba on Tuesday. Since the hurricane strengthened to a Category 4 with wind gusts just shy of a Category 5 as the storm neared Florida’s coast.
Over 644,000 power outages have been reported in the area.
Over the weekend, the storm was initially predicted to make landfall near anywhere between Tallahassee and Tampa.
On Tuesday, Deanne Criswell the administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency said, “Floridians are going to experience the impacts from the storm for a very long time.”
A search and rescue coordination group was activated on Tuesday. The team includes members from FEMA’s urban search and rescue teams, the Coast Guard, the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior.
The Red Cross has established 29 shelters and is prepared to open 60 more shelters if needed.
Criswell stressed, “To those who may be watching at home, get ready and do not underestimate the potential that the storm can bring.”
Crews from Lincoln Electric System left Nebraska Wednesday morning and are expected to arrive in Florida on Friday. Employees will provide relief and restore power to affected areas.
SEE ALSO: Lincoln Electric System sends crews to Florida for storm relief
