STORM IAN COULD HIT FLORIDA AS MAJOR HURRICANE

Governor declares state of emergency to aid preparedness

Tropical Storm Ian, which formed late Friday over the central Caribbean Sea, could threaten Florida as a major hurricane early this week after cutting across western Cuba, forecasters said.

The National Hurricane Center said that residents of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Keys should prepare hurricane supplies by sunset Monday. The storm could hit the peninsula as a Category 3 hurricane or higher, it said.

The storm was about 255 miles south of Jamaica’s capital, Kingston, on Saturday evening. It was headed west at 16 mph and carried maximum winds of 45 mph, the hurricane center said.

Ian was expected to move across the central Caribbean Sea on Saturday, then pass southwest of Jamaica and near or over the Cayman Islands today before approaching western Cuba on Monday. South Florida and the Florida Keys could see heavy rain as early as Monday, according to the center, and limited flooding was possible.

Models as of Saturday afternoon showed that the storm would veer west — taking South Florida out of the main cone — and toward the coast by the Gulf of Mexico.

On Saturday afternoon, Gov. Ron Desantis of Florida declared a state of emergency for all of Florida’s 67 counties before the storm. Under the order, money would be freed up for protective measures and the National Guard would be activated, Desantis said.

“This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane, and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations,” he said in a statement.

Monroe County Emergency Management, which oversees Key West, said it would not be making any evacuation decisions as of Saturday morning, according to Kristen Livengood, a spokesperson. County government offices were set to be open Monday.

“Review your tropical cyclone preparedness plans now and ensure your emergency supply kit is wellstocked,” a post said. “If your plans include several days’ worth of preparedness actions, be sure to begin your actions as soon as possible.”

Crews in Tampa, on Florida’s west coast, began to remove debris and clear drains before the potential storm, to prevent drainage issues and chances of flooding.

Ian is expected to generate 2 to 4 inches of rain in parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, 3 to 6 inches in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, and 4 to 8 inches in western and central Cuba, the center said.

This rainfall could lead to flash flooding and mudslides in higher-terrain areas, particularly in Jamaica and Cuba, forecasters said. Swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

The government of the Cayman Islands upgraded its hurricane watch to a hurricane warning for Grand Cayman. A warning is usually issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical storm-force winds.

In the Tampa area, Cassandra Sumwun, 49, spent her Saturday clearing the f loor of her garage to prepare for flooding and picking up yard debris in case of strong winds at her 5-acre home in the woods, with the help of her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren.

Sumwun has lived in Florida her whole life and has so far avoided being in harm’s way during hurricanes, she said, but she always prepares for them. She has filled tanks with water but still has to board up her sliding glass doors and fill gas cans for the generator.

“I think far too many people take these storms lightly,” she said.