Hurricane

Both hurricanes caused large storm surges — about 10 feet of water — near Naples and Fort Myers with strong onshore winds, while the water got “sucked” out of ...

Because of the extreme wind, rain, and ocean waves in hurricanes, in the past, we have not be able to get data inside the hurricane at the surface where hurricanes get energy to fuel themselves. We need to advance multidisciplinary research, technologies and training of new generation of scientists to take on this grand challenge. We also collect observations in the atmosphere, ocean, and at the air-sea interface for large ocean waves. Saildrones were able to collect valuable data in Hurricane Sam for the first time in 2021, and repeated its success in Hurricane Fiona in 2022. In fact, one of the most costly events, Hurricane Andrew in 1992, occurred during a year when we had one of the lowest number of storms. [Shuyi Chen](https://environment.uw.edu/faculty/shuyi-chen/), a UW professor of atmospheric sciences, was traveling to a conference in Boston as Hurricane Ian approached the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Ian had weakened to a Category 1 late Wednesday, but the powerful storm that caused life-threatening storm surges, floods that stranded people in.

Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais said Wednesday evening the damage is extensive in the county, which includes Cayo Costa, Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Central and northeast Florida could get 20 inches of rain, and life-threatening storm surge remained a risk for parts of Florida’s western and eastern coasts, the hurricane center said. “At a minimum, it’s going to be a very strong Category 4 that’s going to rank as one of the top five hurricanes to ever hit the Florida peninsula,” he said. Ron DeSantis said the intensity of the storm will be historic. The full scope of the impact was not known as the storm and winds still raged. Though Ian was expected to continue to weaken, the hurricane center cautioned that it could be near hurricane strength when it moved over Florida’s east coast Thursday. Around 2.4 million customers in Florida were without power early Thursday after Ian struck the state’s western coast, causing a path of destruction as it moved toward the Atlantic Ocean. The storm is believed to be one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded making landfall in Florida. Thursday morning, the storm was around 55 miles southwest of Cape Canaveral Ian had maximum sustained winds of near 65 mph with higher gusts early Thursday as it moved slowly through central Florida on its way to the western Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center. - Hurricane Ian had weakened to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of near 65 mph Thursday By 5 a.m., Ian was around 55 miles southwest of Cape Canaveral and moving northeast at 9 mph, the hurricane center said.

The storm dumped as much as a foot of rain on some cities as it barreled across the Florida Peninsula. It was forecast to bring severe rain and wind for at ...

As much as 12 to 18 inches of rain could fall across central and northeast Florida, with the possibility of 30 inches in some spots. Some areas of Fort Myers are under three to four feet of water, and the city is responding to fires, extensive flooding and life-threatening conditions, the city said in a Facebook post Wednesday night. The airport had remained open as Hurricane Ian approached and had said it would try to stay open. Half of the streets are not passable due to high water and tides may raise the water level further. The post asked residents to conserve water and resepct the curfew. Large parts of the state will be feeling the impacts of the flooding for days and possibly up to a week, Mr. Thursday, Horse Creek near the city of Arcadia had swelled to 20.45 feet, setting a record. The declaration allows the state to mobilize resources and equipment needed for response and recovery efforts. Ian barreled across the Florida peninsula early Thursday, dumping as much as a foot of rain on some cities, causing severe flooding and knocking out power to millions of customers. Rivers, streams and creeks inland will be overrun, but unable to drain out to sea because of the The storm has caused widespread flooding and storm surge, and forecasters are predicting more rain over the next few days. It was forecast to bring severe rain and wind to the state for at least another day before moving north.

Some 2.4 million homes and businesses are without electricity after one of the worst storms in years.

According to news agency AFP, some neighbourhoods in the city of 80,000 had been left resembling lakes. You can also get in touch in the following ways: Two people are understood to have been killed in Cuba and more than 20 Cuban migrants are believed to be missing at sea. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the Cuba's western coast was hit by Hurricane Ian on Tuesday. "Rain shooting like needles. My street is a river," he said in a text message to the In Lee County - the south-west region where Ian made landfall - police were prevented from responding to reports of looting at a petrol station because of the storm damage. "We are going to get the majority of the rain and the higher winds starting about 20:00, and they are going to last throughout the night," Jane Castor said during a Wednesday evening briefing. One of the most dangerous storms to hit the US in years has left 2.4 million homes and businesses in Florida without power and floodwaters surging inland. However, Floridians were warned that the most dangerous 24 hours lay ahead and the mayor of Tampa urged people to shelter in place through the night into Thursday morning.

A flooded street is seen in downtown as Hurricane Ian makes landfall in southwestern Florida, in Fort Myers, Florida, U.S. September 28, 2022. Marco Bello | ...

Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais said Wednesday evening the damage is extensive in the county, which includes Cayo Costa, Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Photos and videos on social media showed scenes of devastation: Orlando inundated by floodwater, boats wrecked in Fort Myers, trees snapped like toothpicks in Punta Gorda. [Georgia](https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2022-09-27/gov-kemp-issues-state-emergency-ahead-hurricane-ian), [South Carolina](https://governor.sc.gov/news/2022-09/state-agencies-preparing-potential-impact-hurricane-ian) and [North Carolina](https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2022/09/28/governor-cooper-issues-state-emergency-advance-severe-weather) have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm's arrival. Florida Gov. [poweroutage.us](https://poweroutage.us/area/state/florida) put the number of Florida customers without electricity at more than 2.5 million early Thursday. The full scope of the impact was not known as the storm and winds still raged. Central and northeast Florida could get 20 inches of rain, and life-threatening storm surge remained a risk for parts of Florida's western and eastern coasts, the hurricane center said. Ron DeSantis said the storm would rank as "one of the top five hurricanes to ever hit the Florida peninsula." Ian had maximum sustained winds of near 65 mph with higher gusts early Thursday as it moved slowly through central Florida on its way to the western Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center. "Watching the water from my condo in the heart of downtown, watching that water rise and just flood out all the stores on the first floor, it was heartbreaking," Anderson said. [told NBC's "TODAY" show](https://www.today.com/news/climate/fort-myers-mayor-hurricane-ian-rcna49942) that Ian was one of the most ferocious storms he had witnessed in decades, gutting him emotionally. Florida woke up Thursday to the catastrophic aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

VENICE, Florida: Hurricane Ian plowed into Florida's Gulf Coast with catastrophic force on Wednesday (Sep 28), unleashing howling winds, torrential rains ...

"Hurricane Ian's rapid intensification could prove to be another example of how a warming planet is changing hurricanes," said Kait Parker, meteorologist and climate scientist at IBM's weather.com. "I'm staying vigilant, but trying not to worry." Earlier this week, more than 2.5 million residents had been told to evacuate. In terms of its sustained wind speeds, which peaked at 249kph before landfall, Ian ranks as one of the most ferocious hurricanes to strike the US mainland in recent years. The town of Fort Myers Beach was nearly submerged by floodwaters. Forecasters also warned of intense thunderstorms and possible tornadoes.

Although 2.5 million people were under mandatory evacuation orders, some residents stayed put. Others hosted or attended hurricane parties. A hurricane party is ...

Which ones do you score the highest in?](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/10/harvard-psychologist-types-of-intelligence-where-do-you-score-highest-in.html) "People said it felt selfish to leave when they knew people who couldn't get out," she says. Especially when the reality is evacuation, something that can be inconvenient and expensive. Here's the rarest one—and why psychologists say they outperform everyone else](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/17/the-rarest-type-of-employees-and-why-psychologists-say-they-are-smartest-and-most-successful.html) [The most emotionally intelligent people have these 12 traits. "The horrors of experiencing water damage. "People will remember facts about the hurricane, but what fades from memory fastest is the emotional memory," he says.

VENICE, Florida: Rescue workers and residents of Florida's Gulf Coast searched for missing people and picked up the pieces from wrecked homes on Thursday ...

Communication was nearly impossible in many spots. "This storm showed us ... Local officials would make their first push at dawn to assess damage and start addressing the roughly 190,000 power outages there, he said. As Ian made landfall from the Gulf of Mexico, roiling seawaters swept into waterfront homes in Naples, Fort Myers and other towns and cities. We are trying to get a hold of my daughter," said Terri Byrd as she sat in a vehicle in a Walmart parking lot trying to get cell service after spending the night at an elementary school in Venice. The search was made more difficult as cell phone services were often cut.

Hurricane Ian has weakened to a tropical storm and is still expected to produce strong winds, heavy rains and storm surge across portions of Florida, according ...

Hurricane-force winds are expected to continue along the east-central Florida coast through Thursday. It is moving off the east-central coast of Florida and emerging into the western Atlantic later Thursday. We will continue to monitor and update the UF community as Hurricane Ian makes its way over the Florida peninsula. Alachua County is under a tropical storm watch. Hurricane Ian has weakened to a tropical storm and is still expected to produce strong winds, heavy rains and storm surge across portions of Florida, according to the Wednesday, 5 a.m. The weather in Northeast Florida will deteriorate, according to forecasters at the National Weather Service office in Jacksonville.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned Hurricane Ian will leave historic devastation, as the storm batters the state with catastrophic wind and rain.

But while the Carolinas are expected to be hit, they will likely face a weaker storm than Cuba and Florida have endured. "I spend a lot of time studying hurricane damage, and I'm thinking it will be $100bn (£90bn) in damage and several hundred fatalities," said Hugh Willoughby, a meteorology professor at Florida International University. You can also get in touch in the following ways: Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida's history," he said on Thursday afternoon. "From what we're seeing now, Fort Myers beach, Bonita Beach, Naples - these places are going to look dramatically different when this is finally done," Mr Salna said. But there is little left to keep her here. If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the "Hurricanes derive their energy from warm ocean water and the Gulf Stream is sort of the warmest ocean water around," he told the BBC. Basic rebuilding and construction efforts will take until the new year, he said, though a full recovery to the area will take "several years". "The amount of water that's been rising, and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flooding event," he said. "We were in the bathroom and could feel the wall shaking," Tom told the BBC.

Tropical Storm Ian, weakened by its devastating trip across the Florida peninsula, is expected to regain strength over the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical-storm-force winds will start affecting Georgia and South Carolina Thursday, the NHC said. The storm is very large, putting a wide area at risk. Forecasters are warning of a dangerous storm surge and other impacts, from Florida to North Carolina. ET, Tropical Storm Ian's center was about 25 miles north-northeast of Cape Canaveral, Fla. "While we will not see the full force of Hurricane Ian the way Florida did, we could see high winds, rain, flash flooding and even tornadoes," S.C. The combination of storm surges and torrential rain could bring "considerable urban and flash flooding, especially Friday," according to the A long stretch of the coast is under warning of a life-threatening storm surge, from Palm Coast, Fla., up through the entire shorelines of Georgia and South Carolina. "Ian is expected to become a hurricane again this evening and make landfall as a hurricane on Friday," the National Hurricane Center [forecast track ](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/093959.shtml?gm_track#contents)sees Ian moving out northeast over the ocean as it passes Jacksonville, before turning more to the northwest and making landfall between Savannah, Ga., and Charleston. [Current forecasts](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/291500.shtml?) predict it will hit South Carolina as a Category 1 storm. A hurricane warning — meaning hurricane conditions are expected within the area in the near future — is now in effect for the entire coastline of South Carolina. Ian is exiting Florida as a tropical storm — but as it moves back over the water, it will likely regain hurricane status, drawing power from the Atlantic Ocean.

Communities like Cape Coral and Fort Myers, south of Tampa Bay, suddenly found themselves at the center of the hurricane.

“We just saw two of them in the past hour decide to leave. We may be one of the few remaining,” Ms. The brunt of the storm was initially expected to hit farther north, in Tampa. Some of her neighbors changed their minds and fled for safer ground as the storm barreled toward them earlier on Wednesday. On Wednesday, she had fled her home along the swelling Caloosahatchee River, which runs nearby, in the hopes of finding safety farther inland at her sister’s house in a different neighborhood of Cape Coral. “When I was growing up it was all retired people,” said Ms. “That’s a concern.” [Florida’s southwest coast](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/28/us/hurricane-ian-florida-storm-surge.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-hurricane-ian&variant=show®ion=MAIN_CONTENT_1&block=storyline_top_links_recirc)was a place to escape the chaos. In Everglades City, a mecca for stone-crab fishing, some residents who had barely finished rebuilding after the devastation of Hurricane Irma in 2017 had lost everything once more, said Holly Dudley, whose family runs a crabbing business. Police officers, firefighters and medics were not responding to 911 calls on Wednesday until the winds eased off. “I know God has a plan,” Ms. But on Wednesday, much of that had been shattered.

Tropical Storm Ian, which pushed into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after battering Florida, was expected to regain strength as it turns north and make ...

[The National Weather Service said](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/290859.shtml) landslides were possible across the southern Appalachians, and “considerable” flash, urban and river flooding could occur this weekend across portions of the region. Hurricane conditions were also possible by late Thursday in parts of Georgia and northeastern Florida. [the state’s Department of Public Safety said](https://www.ncdps.gov/news/press-releases/2022/09/28/governor-cooper-issues-state-emergency-advance-severe-weather) on Wednesday.

Areas from northern Florida all the way up through New York City could see impacts from Ian, which has resumed strengthening.

The Tidewater region of Virginia is expected to see a widespread 4 to 6 inches of rain from Ian and its remnants, with limited coastal flooding possible in spots from Norfolk up through Williamsburg. [Tropical storm warnings](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=NCZ196&warncounty=NCC031&firewxzone=NCZ196&local_place1=Harkers%20Island%20NC&product1=Tropical+Storm+Warning&lat=34.695&lon=-76.5587) and storm surge watches are up as far north as Nags Head, which the National Weather Service says could see sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45. Rainfall should extend further up the East Coast as well, with 2 to 4 inches possible into Salisbury, Md., and coastal parts of New Jersey. [#Ian] [pic.twitter.com/Je1lR5ugsp] [September 29, 2022] [Tropical storm warnings](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=NCZ041&warncounty=NCC183&firewxzone=NCZ041&local_place1=Raleigh-Durham%20International%20Airport%20NC&product1=Tropical+Storm+Warning&lat=35.8795&lon=-78.7871) have also been issued for areas far inland, including out to the cities of Charlotte, Hickory, Winston-Salem and Raleigh-Durham. A “life-threatening” storm surge of 4 to 7 feet is possible within surge-prone areas, and a Further south toward the beach town of Southport, sustained winds could climb as high as 35 to 45 mph with hurricane-force gusts. Near hurricane-force winds are expected to begin along the South Carolina coastline on Friday morning, with sustained winds of 55 to 70 mph and gusts up to 90 mph forecast around Charleston. [hurricane watch](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=GAZ119&warncounty=GAC051&firewxzone=GAZ119&local_place1=Tybee%20Island%20GA&product1=Hurricane+Watch&lat=32.0088&lon=-80.8426), a peak storm surge of 4 to 6 feet remains possible through Saturday morning. In these spots, 2 to 4 inches of rain is also forecast, with locally higher amounts possible, which is enough to cause significant flooding. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph remain possible, and a “life-threatening” storm surge of 4 to 6 feet may occur in surge-prone areas. All of coastal Georgia remains under storm surge warnings, with impacts from Ian expected to last into Friday night. The worst of Ian’s rainfall is expected to move offshore, but several more inches are possible northeast of Orlando through Thursday afternoon.

Hurricane and storm surge warnings have been issued for the South Carolina coast. States of emergencies have been issued in Georgia, Virginia and the Carolinas.

A large swath from Georgia to Virginia is forecast to pick up at least 2-4 inches of rain from Ian spanning Friday through the weekend, according to Accuweather. The warm Atlantic waters are expected to help it gather strength as it curves back toward the U.S. with a nasty mix of rain, wind and storm surge over the next few days, forecasters said. The Hurricane Center warned that storm surge of 6 feet or more was still possible from Daytona Beach, Florida, to north of Charleston, South Carolina. We’re still expecting quite a bit of rainfall,” Robbie Berg, senior hurricane specialist with the Hurricane Center, said. The National Weather Service’s latest forecast showed that Ian’s winds were at 70 mph, just shy of hurricane force.

Storm surges crash through beachfront towns, knocking out power for millions of residents. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Lisamarie Pierro said that the storm "was long and intense... My house is still standing." The storm was set to move off the east-central coast of Florida later Thursday and emerge into the Atlantic before blowing through Georgia and the Carolinas to the north. We're fine." The US Border Patrol said a boat carrying migrants sank at sea during the hurricane, leaving 20 missing. "We're alive.

Joe Biden discusses federal response with governor Ron DeSantis as power outages hit 2.6mn.

The death toll from Tropical Storm Ian remained unclear early Thursday after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said it brought “historic” damage to the state, ...

Smith/AFP/Getty Images Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images The death toll from Tropical Storm Ian remained unclear early Thursday after Florida Gov.

Ian "taking aim at the Carolinas and Georgia with life-threatening flooding, storm surge and strong winds," the center said. Hurricane warnings are now in ...

[Hurricane Ian slams southwest Florida with "catastrophic" storm surge](/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-storm-surge-southwest-florida) [Hurricane Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) was flooding some areas of Florida's west coast with storm surges that could reach up to 18 feet above ground level as it moved across the peninsula after making landfall Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center [said](https://twitter.com/NHC_Surge/status/1575238982664826880). A photo of him and Scott posing together has also been replaced by a photo of only Scott. [Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida), which is now creeping up eastern Florida as a tropical storm. - Ian's remnant circulation will likely hit Virginia over the weekend, leading to heavy rains across the Appalachians in particular. Gusty winds and heavy rain are the main threats to north and central Georgia through late Saturday. - As of midday, only a few businesses in the popular tourist district had boarded their windows or placed sandbags outside. Scott’s Amazon author page, where her two novels are featured, no longer mentions “her husband, Dan,” as the Times reported. [As of 6:30am Thursday](That letter now is missing from the site, as is Jewett’s name. The storm has [Ian weakens to tropical storm as it pummels Florida](/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) [Follow live news updates](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/live-updates-tropical-storm-ian-georgia-carolinas-thursday) on Tropical Storm Ian as it heads toward Georgia and the Carolinas. [Hurricane Ian slams southwest Florida with "catastrophic" storm surge](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-storm-surge-southwest-florida) [Flooding from Hurricane Ian likely to linger in Florida](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/florida-hurricane-ian-flooding) [Power outages from Hurricane Ian in Florida top 2.6 million](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-florida-power-outage) [Ian confirms the new normal for hurricanes](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/ian-new-normal-hurricanes) [Hurricane prep: Can't afford to, can't afford not to](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/hurricane-preparation-low-income-costs) [regained hurricane](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) status Thursday evening on its way to a damaging encounter with the Carolinas after bringing [record storm surge flooding](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-storm-surge-southwest-florida) and intense winds to Florida's west coast, the [National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/292059.shtml?) said.

A woman describes how flood waters were above waist height at her home after the hurricane hit Florida.

VENICE, Florida: Emergency crews raced on Thursday (Sep 29) to reach stranded Florida residents as Hurricane Ian trained its sights on the Carolinas after ...

Biden said that he will travel to the state when conditions allow. "It was insane," local landscaper Jeffrey Chambers, 53, said, describing sideways rain that erased all visibility. We are trying to get a hold of my daughter," said Terri Byrd, as she tried to get cell service in a Walmart parking lot after spending the night at a Venice elementary school. A hurricane warning was in effect for approximately 370km of coastline from the South Carolina-Georgia border north to Cape Fear, North Carolina. More than 2.6 million homes and businesses in Florida remained without power. Authorities in Sarasota County were investigating two possible storm-related deaths, a sheriff's spokesperson said.

Universal Orlando Resort also said a Friday reopening is expected “as conditions permit.”

more frequently in recent years](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/09/29/record-us-hurricane-landfalls-climate/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_9). [seven safety tips to help you get ready for hurricanes](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/03/hurricane-safety-prepare-noaa/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_6). And last summer alone, [nearly 1 in 3 Americans experienced a weather disaster](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/09/04/climate-disaster-hurricane-ida/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_10). [intensified this fall with conditions prime for storms](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/08/17/hurricane-season-tropical-atlantic/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_1). Read more about [how climate change is fueling severe weather events](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/10/22/climate-curious-disasters-climate-change/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_11). [said](https://newsroom.ocfl.net/media-advisories/press-releases/2022/09/hurricane-ian-updates/) the area could continue to see sustained winds of 30 to 40 miles an hour Thursday, with gusts up to 50 miles an hour. Some videos also [showed](https://twitter.com/disneyfoodblog/status/1575565084889210880?s=12&t=6IKmtjBhIJT0fVo5YNVy_w) post-storm cleanup. For the seventh year in a row, hurricane officials expect [an above-average season of hurricane activity](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/24/noaa-atlantic-hurricane-outlook-2022/?itid=lb_the-atlantic-hurricane-season_5). “With that as our focus, we remain closed today as we follow our procedures and conduct detailed inspections across our entire destination at this time. Between eight and 12 inches of rain have fallen in the county, and up to 16 inches in some areas. “While theme parks and many operating areas remain closed to guests today, we anticipate weather conditions to improve this evening.” Hotels at the sprawling complex near Orlando were open to current visitors Thursday, though no new check-ins were allowed.

Ian roared ashore in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane. EU officials are concerned about explosions at Nord Stream pipelines. Britain's pound weakens to a ...

This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. And then yesterday, there was a very rare intervention by the central bank here, the Bank of England, which stepped in and promised to start buying up U.K. His solution seemed to be to lower taxes slightly for everyone and lower them quite a bit, 5%, for the country's highest earners, as well as end caps on bonuses for the very top earners in the financial sector. And the new British prime minister, Liz Truss, she's been in the job less than a month and is already facing pressure from within her party to fire her finance minister. MARTIN: The country's currency, the pound, weakened to a record low against the U.S. So the British economy is in turmoil. And you are seeing counties in different parts of the state issue evacuation orders. And there will be wind and surge damage up the coast in Sarasota and as far north as St. The company is going to be deploying a large drone today, one that's larger than a private plane, to begin assessing the damage. The 911 call center was down in Lee County, one of the places that was hit hardest in the storm. So as I mentioned earlier, the storm's now downgraded to a tropical storm. But during the storm, we heard reports and saw videos of a massive storm surge in beachfront communities in Naples and Fort Myers.

Tom Park begins the work of cleaning up after Hurricane Ian moved through the Gulf Coast. Congress is poised to enact a stopgap government funding ...

Port Tampa Bay, the largest on the state’s Gulf Coast, opened for land-side operations on Thursday afternoon, which allows fuel terminal operators and fuel trucks in and out of the port. The other thing that happens is with all that water, all the roads close to the coast, there’s a lot of risk.” “That’s one of the issues you deal with, and especially the bridges — all the bridges have to be checked. Port Everglades is in “good shape from a fuel perspective” according to Florida Ports Council spokesperson Edie Ousley. The LYNX transit system in Orlando and Central Florida is also shut down. But most of it is open and gives us what we need to be able to continue to move supplies into the area.” CSX suspended services ahead of Ian’s landfall across most of the state but had not provided a damage assessment as of Thursday afternoon. Gates will need to be put back in place and power restored so they can operate before trains resume service, Magliari said. But sometimes it takes a while to assess the damages,” he said. It also allows FEMA to spend through the Disaster Relief Fund, which currently has about $15 billion, at a higher rate to respond to the hurricanes that have slammed into Florida and Puerto Rico. The state will need to assess an untold number of other bridges. “The hope is all of [I-75] will be open.

Damaged homes and debris are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Fla. on Sept. 29. Photo: AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee.

[Florida begins recovery efforts as Ian moves through state](/2022/09/29/florida-hurricane-ian-recovery) [Hurricane Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-storm-surge-southwest-florida), which continued to move northeast as a [tropical storm](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) across the state Thursday on its way to the Carolinas. [2.6 million](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-florida-power-outage) in the state were without power Thursday after Ian brought strong winds, " [life-threatening](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/290259.shtml), catastrophic" flooding, and [storm surges](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-storm-surge-southwest-florida) as high as 12 feet in some areas. [Florida begins recovery efforts as Ian moves through state](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/florida-hurricane-ian-recovery) [Biden intends to visit Florida and Puerto Rico after hurricane devastation](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/biden-visit-florida-puerto-rico) [Live updates: Hurricane warning issued for South Carolina coast](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/live-updates-tropical-storm-ian-georgia-carolinas-thursday) [widespread power outages](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-florida-power-outage) and [flash flooding](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/florida-hurricane-ian-flooding) as Ian crossed through the state Wednesday after making landfall in the Fort Myers area as a Category 4 hurricane. [re-intensifying Tropical Storm Ian](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/27/live-hurricane-ian-southwest-florida) heads [over to the Carolinas](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/29/live-updates-tropical-storm-ian-georgia-carolinas-thursday) on Thursday, Florida is dealing with severe damage in the hurricane's aftermath.