After a quieter than usual start to the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Hurricane Ian, the fourth named storm of the season has battered Cuba and is now heading for Florida. UPDATE: Maximum sustained winds were around 150 mph as it hit the southwest coast at the island of Cayo Costa near Fort Myers and Cape Coral on Wednesday afternoon (28 September).

Published 2 years ago

After forecast modellers predicted an above average hurricane season for 2022 in the Atlantic basin, things went a bit quiet.  The average date for the season’s first hurricane is August 11^th, but this year Tropical Storm Danielle didn’t become the first named hurricane of the Atlantic season until September 1st and was the first named storm in the North Atlantic since July 3rd.

However, things picked up in September and while Danielle churned in the North Atlantic well offshore from any land mass, hurricane Earl was formed east of the Leeward Islands passing less than 100 miles ESE of Bermuda.

Then along came Fiona which strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on September 22nd, that has had the longest and most destructive journey so far through the Caribbean and even north into Canada hitting Nova Scotia at hurricane strength. Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and Canada’s eastern seaboard all suffered extensive damage.

And Now It’s Ian’s Turn

Hurricane Ian, the 4th of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, has battered Cuba and is on track to impact Florida as a major hurricane.

The Hurricane pummelled the western end of Cuba, leaving the island completely without power, according to a government announcement.

The electrical system is experiencing total collapse, officials said, after one of the main power plants could not be brought back online.

The category three hurricane, packing wind speeds of up to 195km/h (120mph), is now bearing down on Florida.

The hurricane has been gathering force in the south-eastern Gulf of Mexico after leaving Cuba, says the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The NHC says that Ian could be a category four hurricane by the time it strikes Florida’s western coast, with wind speeds topping 130mph.  Some 2.5 million people in Florida are under evacuation orders.

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Related News:

Millions in Florida Urged to Evacute as Hurricane Ian nears (Reuters)

Hurricane Ian:  Cuba suffers complete blackout (BBC)

Hurricane Fiona leaves a trail of devastation (Noonsite)

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Related Links:

National Hurricane Center