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The National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded Tropical Storm Ian to hurricane status early Monday morning, as authorities and residents in Florida kept a cautious eye on the storm rumbling northward through the Caribbean.
"Additional rapid strengthening is expected today," warned the NHC in a 5 a.m. Eastern advisory. The storm is expected to become a major hurricane as it approaches Florida's western coast by mid-week.
Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for all of Florida over the weekend, expanding an initial order that covered two dozen counties. He urged residents to prepare for a storm that could lash large swaths of the state with heavy rains, high winds and rising seas.
Forecasters were still unsure exactly where Ian could make landfall, with current models plotting it toward Florida's west coast or panhandle regions, but CBS News meteorologist David Parkinson said early Monday that given the forecasting models, "a certain amount of storm surge destruction" in and around Tampa Bay appeared "nearly baked in at this point" when the storm does approach later in the week.
Hurricane Ian churns toward Florida, with "rapid strengthening" expected in coming days
Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the whole state, which is at risk of major flash flooding this week.
www.cbsnews.com
