Look out! Jim Cantore of Weather Channel battles branch, 150 mph winds of Hurricane Ian

Dan Rorabaugh, Fort Myers News-Press
·2 min read
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Jim Cantore headed to Florida's West Coast to be at the center of Hurricane Ian. The storm gave him its best shot when it made landfall Wednesday.

The Weather Channel meteorologist went out into the empty streets of Punta Gorda to face Ian's 150 mph winds. Video shows him nearly being taken out by a branch, then holding on for dear life to a street sign as he made his way back to safety.

Hurricane Ian made landfall about 3 p.m. Wednesday at Cayo Costa, an island about 22 miles southwest of Punta Gorda. The storm was a catastrophic Category 4 when it reached Florida.

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Where is Jim Cantore? Weather Channel meteorologist spotted in Punta Gorda

Caught on video: Camera goes underwater, then viral as Hurricane Ian floods Fort Myers Beach

Who is Jim Cantore?

Cantore is known as a harbinger of hurricane damage, as the meteorologist tries to position himself directly into the path of oncoming hurricanes.

This may be the first time the hurricane nearly won the matchup.

Twitter reacts to Jim Cantore battling Hurricane Ian

Naturally, weather followers on social media had some things to say about the video. Some begged Cantore to get out of the path of the storm, while others jokingly judged his form in taking on the flying branch.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Jim Cantore fights Hurricane Ian winds in Florida