At 200 PM EDT (1800 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Ian was located by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft and Tampa radar data near latitude 26.6 North, longitude 82.3 West.
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Ian is moving toward the north-northeast near 9 mph (15 km/h).
This general motion with a reduction in forward speed is forecast today, followed by a turn toward the northeast on Thursday.
On the forecast track, the center of Ian is expected to move onshore soon, move over central Florida tonight and Thursday morning and emerge over the western Atlantic by late Thursday.
Ian is forecast to turn northward on Friday and approach the northeastern Florida coast in addition to the Georgia and South Carolina coasts late Friday.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 155 mph (250 km/h) with higher gusts.
Ian is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Ian is forecast to make landfall on the west coast of Florida as a catastrophic hurricane soon.
Weakening is expected after landfall, but Ian could be near hurricane strength when it moves over the Florida East coast tomorrow, and when it approaches the northeastern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coasts late Friday.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km).
A River, Estuary, and Coastal Network station at Redfish Pass, Florida, recently reported sustained winds of 94 mph (151 km/h) and a wind gust of 126 mph (203 km/h), A Weatherflow station at Tarpon Point recently reported sustained winds of 83 mph (134 km/h) with a gust to 101 mph (163 km/h).
The minimum central pressure is 937 mb (27.67 inches) based on Air Force Reserve dropsonde data.
The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the right of the center, where the surge will be accompanied by large waves.
Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.
For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.
Catastrophic wind damage is likely where the core of Ian moves onshore.
Hurricane conditions are ongoing within the Hurricane Warning area now and will slowly spread northeastward through the day.
Hurricane conditions are expected to begin along the east coast of Florida in the Hurricane Warning area starting early Thursday.
Hurricane conditions are possible in the Hurricane Watch area on Thursday through late Friday.
Tropical storm conditions are occurring in the warning area in the Florida Keys, and will continue for a few more hours.
Tropical storm conditions are occuring in parts of the warning area on the east coast and should spread northward through the Georgia and South Carolina coasts tonight and Thursday. ■