SITUATION OVERVIEW
According to the National Hurricane Centre, at 800 PM EDT (0000 UTC), the center of Hurricane Ian was located near latitude 24.4 North, longitude 83.0 West. Ian is moving toward the north-northeast near 10 mph (17 km/h). This general motion with a reduction in forward speed is forecast tonight and Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Ian is expected to pass west of the Florida Keys later tonight and approach the west coast of Florida within the hurricane warning area on Wednesday.
Ian is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected tonight through Wednesday, and Ian is forecast to approach the west coast of Florida as an extremely dangerous major hurricane.
