By
Associated Press
Florida finalizes containment preparations before the advance of Tropical Storm Ian, which could become a hurricane this Sunday as it passes through the Caribbean and may impact the Northwest of the state with greater power at the beginning of the week.
Governor Ron DeSantis finally declared a state of emergency for all of Florida on Saturday, after initially issuing the order for only 24 counties on Friday.
Tropical Storm Ian over the Caribbean, in a satellite image captured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on September 24, 2022. NOAA via AP
But given the weather forecast for Ian, he expanded the emergency measure to the entire state, urging residents to prepare for the arrival of a powerful storm that could hit large swaths of Florida.
"This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations," DeSantis said in a statement.
"We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track the potential impacts of this storm," he added.
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The governor's declaration releases emergency protection funds and activates members of the Florida National Guard, his office said.
His order underscores the risk of storm surge, flooding, dangerous winds and other weather conditions throughout the state.
Separately, President Joe Biden also declared an emergency for the state, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance to protect lives and property.
The president postponed his planned September 27 trip to Florida because of the storm.
Biden approves the emergency declaration for Florida, which takes action in the face of the proximity of the storm
Sept.
25, 202200:22
Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula, in the Ian Pass
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) expects Ian to "begin to rapidly intensify" as it moves west from Cuba and heads towards the West Coast and the Florida Panhandle in the middle of next week.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was located early Sunday about 320 miles south-southeast of Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands, and 590 miles southeast of the western tip of Cuba, moving at 12 mph.
According to the trajectory defined by the NHC, it will pass through the Yucatan Peninsula, in Mexico.
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"Ian is forecast to be a major hurricane when it passes near or over western Cuba, and there is growing confidence of life-threatening storm surge and gale force winds in parts of western Cuba beginning in late Monday," the NHC warned.
A hurricane warning was in effect for the island, and hurricane watches were issued for western Cuba.
Forecast path of Tropical Storm Ian, which may become a powerful hurricane. National Hurricane Center (NHC)
John Cangialosi, a hurricane specialist at the Miami-based center, said it is still unknown where this weather phenomenon will hit the hardest when it reaches Florida.
"It's too early to tell if it's going to be a Southeast Florida problem or a Central Florida problem or a statewide problem," he explained.
"So at this point, really the right message for those of you who live in Florida is to look at the forecasts and prepare and prepare for the potential impact of this tropical system," he warned.
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In Pinellas Park, near Tampa, residents formed a long line waiting for a Home Depot to open to buy supplies for Ian's arrival.
Manager Wendy Macrini told the Tampa Bay Times that the store had sold 600 cases of water by early Saturday afternoon and had run out of generators.
Customers also bought plywood to put over their windows: "It's better to have and not need than to need and not have," Matt Beaver told the Times.