IMAGE COURTESY NOAAHurricane Ian overnight intensified significantly into a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds near 155 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 7 a.m. advisory. The storm has a minimum central pressure of 937 millibars or 27.67 inches of mercury. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles.
At 7 a.m., the center of Ian was situated about 65 miles west-southwest of Naples, Fla. and around 80 miles south-southwest of Punta Gorda, Fla. The storm is currently moving north-northeast at 9 mph. Ian is forecast to make landfall on the west coast of Florida as a catastrophic category 4 hurricane. Weakening is expected after landfall.
IMAGE COURTESY NOAASoundings Trade Only deputy editor, Michael Labella, who lives in the Venice, Fla., area, told Trade Only Today this morning, “It’s raining like hell, and the wind is picking up. Power has blinked off and back on, so internet is down. We are in the crosshairs but shuttered and buttoned up.”
Ian is expected to make landfall this afternoon between Naples, Fla., and Venice and cause catastrophic damage to boating and marine trade interests. NHC is predicting the following storm surges:
* Englewood to Bonita Beach, including Charlotte Harbor … 12-16 feet
* Middle of Longboat Key to Englewood … 6-10 feet
* Bonita Beach to Chokoloskee … 7-11 feet
* Anclote River to Middle of Longboat Key, including Tampa Bay … 4-6 feet
Stay tuned to the Soundings Trade Only website and Facebook page for updates as they become available.
