Ian now a Category 3 major hurricane, continues to batter Cuba

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hurricane Ian continues to intensify, and the National Hurricane Center says it has increased to a Category 3 major hurricane.

As of Tuesday morning, tropical storm watches had expanded to include most of our Northeast Florida counties, including Duval, Clay, Putnam, St. Johns, Flagler and a portion of Bradford counties.

Storm surge watches also include the Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia coastlines.

Ian is expected to reach Category 4 strength in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Latest advisory

At 8 a.m., the center of Hurricane Ian was located near latitude 22.6 North, longitude 83.6 West. Ian made landfall in Cuba with winds at maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h). This makes Ian a Category 3 as it continues moving over Western Cuba, battering the island with high winds and life-threatening storm surge.

Ian is moving north at 12 mph, and on the forecast track, the center of Ian is expected to emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico in a couple of hours, pass west of the Florida Keys later Tuesday, and approach the west coast of Florida within the hurricane warning area on Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph (205 km/h) with higher gusts. Ian is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Little change in strength is expected while Ian moves over Cuba. Strengthening is expected later Tuesday morning after Ian emerges over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Ian is forecast to approach the west coast of Florida has a major hurricane.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 950 mb (28.12 inches).

Hurricane Warning in effect for:

• Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio, and Artemisa
• Bonita Beach to the Anclote River, including Tampa Bay
• Dry Tortugas

Storm Surge Warning is in effect for:

• Anclote River southward to Flamingo
• Tampa Bay

Storm Surge Watch in effect for:

• Florida Keys from the Card Sound Bridge westward to Key West
• Dry Tortugas
• Florida Bay
• Aucilla River to Anclote River
• Altamaha Sound to Flagler/Volusia County Line
• St. Johns River

Tropical Storm Warning in effect for:

• Cuban provinces of La Habana, Mayabeque, and Matanzas
• Lower Florida Keys from Seven Mile Bridge westward to Key West
• Flamingo to Bonita Beach
• Suwannee River to the Anclote River
• Volusia/Brevard County Line south to Jupiter Inlet
• Lake Okeechobee

Hurricane Watch is in effect for:

• North of Anclote River to the Suwannee River

Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:

• North of the Suwannee River to Indian Pass
• Altamaha Sound to Volusia/Brevard County line -- including Coastal Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam, Clay, Alachua and half of Bradford counties
• Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet