TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Hurricane Ian became a Category 4 hurricane Wednesday in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Ian will approach the southwest coast of Florida on Wednesday and storm impacts are expected to spread northward throughout the week.
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Mandatory Evacuation Orders have been issued for coastal communities, mobile homes and low-lying areas in the following counties:
Charlotte
Citrus
Collier
Hernando
Hillsborough
Lee
Levy
Manatee
Pasco
Pinellas
Putnam
Sarasota
Current Watches and Warnings in Effect:
A Hurricane Warning has been issued for west central Florida including Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Polk, Lake, Seminole, Orange, Osceola, Okeechobee, Hardee, Highlands, Desoto, Charlotte, Lee, Coastal Collier counties.
A Hurricane Watch has been issued for Glades, Hendry, Inland Collier counties.
Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Inland Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Brevard, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, Levy, Dixie, Coastal Taylor, Coastal Jefferson, Coastal Wakulla, Coastal Franklin, Marion, Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Duval, Coastal Nassau, Clay, Putnam counties.
Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for Inland Nassau, Baker, Union, Bradford, Alachua, Gilchrist counties.
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from Suwannee River southward to Flamingo, including Tampa Bay, Dry Tortugas, as well as from the Flagler/Volusia Line to the mouth of the St. Mary’s River. A Surge Warning is also in effect along the St. Johns River.
