Latest Hurricane Ian: Category 3 storm makes landfall in Cuba

Tampa International Airport will suspend all operations beginning at 5 p.m. today due to Hurricane Ian, which continues to threaten the Tampa Bay area with strong winds, heavy rain and storms.

The closure will allow the airport to prepare the airport and terminals, including securing jet bridges, ground equipment and any remaining aircraft, the statement said. The airport, including the main terminal, sides and parking lots will be closed to all visitors at that time.

The statement adds: “Damage assessments will begin as soon as it is safe to do so. TPA will closely coordinate the reopening of the airport with its partners based on road safety, facility readiness, and staffing.”

Hurricane Ian is a Category 3 storm and is expected to become a Category 4 storm, but what does that actually mean?

Hurricane categories are based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, a rating of 1 to 5 based solely on a hurricane’s maximum sustained wind speed. This scale does not take into account other deadly hazards such as storm surge, flooding, rain, and hurricanes.

here Manual Fact SheetMail from NOAA.

The Florida Department of Emergency Management urged citizens to prepare for the impact of Hurricane Ian, and in a statement on Twitter, said hurricane warnings were in effect for Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties.

Hurricane hours also apply in areas along the Gulf Coast.

This stunning satellite image shows the terrifying range of Hurricane Ian. It was released by the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and shows the extreme weather event moving across the Gulf of Mexico.

Uber offers free rides to hurricane shelters in Florida. The ride-sharing service says drivers will have free rides to and from evacuation shelters in Hillsboro, Pinellas, Manatee and Pasco County. More details below:

Hurricane Ian made landfall in the Cuban province of Pinar del Rio today.

The Category 3 storm brought rain and winds to the western tip of Cuba where the US National Hurricane Center said the island’s western coast could see up to 14 feet (4.3 meters) of storm surge.

According to the center, a major hurricane is defined as a category 3 or higher storm, with maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph (178 km/h).

Hurricane Ian became a Category 3 hurricane earlier today.

“Cuba is expecting strong hurricane-force winds, as well as life-threatening storms and torrential rain,” hurricane center specialist Daniel Brown told the Associated Press.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in a Twitter update that schools in 24 Florida counties have closed as the state prepares for Hurricane Ian.

More schools are expected to close as the path of the hurricane becomes clearer.

NASA suspended plans to launch its Artemis I Moon mission rocket today as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida.

In a statement yesterday, NASA said that due to weather conditions, the teams will be returning the Artemis rocket and Orion spacecraft back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate as Hurricane Ian charted a path toward Florida’s west coast with strong winds, flash floods, storms and possible hurricanes.

About 300,000 people have been evacuated in Hillsborough County, which includes the city of Tampa, along with Manatee and Hernando counties.

The National Hurricane Center said today that Ian strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane and is expected to make landfall over western Cuba.

The commission said the hurricane was located about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of the Cuban city of Pinar del Rio, with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour (185 kilometers per hour).