Hurricane Ian strengthens to Category 3 as it moves across Cuba

At 500 AM EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Ian was located near latitude 22.3 North, longitude 83.7 West. Ian is moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue today. A turn toward the north-northeast with a reduction in forward speed is forecast tonight and Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Ian is expected to move over western Cuba during the next few hours. Ian will then emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico later this morning, pass west of the Florida Keys later today, and approach the west coast of Florida within the hurricane warning area on Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph (205 km/h) with higher gusts. Ian is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Little change in strength is expected while Ian moves over Cuba. Strengthening is expected later this morning after Ian emerges over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Ian is forecast to approach the west coast of Florida has a major hurricane.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 952 mb (28.12 inches).

The Hurricane Warning has been extended southward along the west coast of Florida to Bonita Beach

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the Middle Florida Keys from the Channel 5 Bridge westward to the Seven Mile Bridge.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the west coast of Florida from the Anclote River northward to the Suwannee River.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued along the east coast of Florida from Jupiter Inlet to the Volusia/Brevard County Line including Lake Okeechobee.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for southeast coast of Florida from Deerfield Beach northward to Jupiter Inlet.