'Catastrophic winds': Hurricane Ian to approach Florida's west coast on Wednesday

Hurricane Ian remains a Category 3 hurricane with the same speed as earlier today, according to the 11 p.m. National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in western Cuba early Tuesday as a powerful Category 3 storm.

Ian's maximum sustained winds are 120 mph and is expected to strengthen through Wednesday.

The center of Ian is expected to pass west of the Florida Keys within the next few hours. It is expected to move over central Florida Wednesday night and Thursday morning and emerge over the western Atlantic by late Thursday.

Cone of uncertainty: See the latest graphic from the NHC

And: See latest satellite image from NOAA, for a clearer picture of the storm's size

According to the NHC, hurricane conditions are expected along the west coast of Florida within the hurricane warning area on Wednesday morning, with tropical storm conditions possible Tuesday night. Ian is forecast to approach the west coast of Florida as an extremely dangerous major hurricane.

Heavy rainfall is expected to bring 6 to 8 inches of rain to the Florida Keys and South Florida, with isolated totals up to 12 inches.

For Central West Florida, 12 to 18 inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 24 inches. For Northeast Florida and the remainder of the Central Florida Peninsula, 5 to 10 inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 12 inches, is in the forecast.

'Widespread catastrophic' flash, urban and river flooding are expected midweek across central and west Florida.  Widespread considerable flash, urban, and river flooding is expected across northern Florida, southeastern Georgia, and coastal South Carolina from the end of the week through the weekend. Limited river flooding is expected over portions of the southeastern United States into the Mid-Atlantic mid-to-late week.

Tornadoes are possible through Wednesday across central and south Florida.

A hurricane warning is in effect for:

• Chokoloskee to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay

• Dry Tortugas

A storm surge warning is in effect for:

• Suwannee River southward to Flamingo

• Tampa Bay

• Dry Tortugas

• Flagler/Volusia Line to the mouth of the St. Mary's River

• St. Johns River

A tropical storm warning is in effect for:

• Cuban provinces of La Habana, Mayabeque, and Matanzas

• Suwannee River to the Anclote River

• All of the Florida Keys

• Flamingo to South Santee River

• Flamingo to Chokoloskee

• Lake Okeechobee

• Florida Bay

• Bimini and Grand Bahama Islands

A storm surge watch is in effect for:

• Florida Keys from the Card Sound Bridge westward to Key West

• Florida Bay

• Mouth of St. Mary's River to South Santee River

Where is Hurricane Ian now?

Here is the latest data on Hurricane Ian pulled from the National Hurricane Center's  11 p.m. advisory.

• Location: 110 miles southwest of Naples

• Maximum sustained winds: 120  mph

• Movement: north-northeast  at 10  mph

• Pressure: 952  MB (millibars)

• When next advisory will be released: 2 a.m.

Spaghetti models: Track Hurricane Ian

Watches and warnings issued ahead of Hurricane Ian

If you can't see any local weather warnings here, you'll need to open this story in a web browser.

Helpful hurricane resources and links

• Get your home ready: Here's how to prepare your home for a hurricane, from well in advance to just before a storm's arrival

• Need to prepare for a hurricane? Here's what you should have in a disaster supply kit

• Hurricane preparedness list: If a storm is coming, here is what you need to do now

• Video: Helpful tips for a hurricane survival kit

• Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones: What’s an invest and why do they keep saying tropical cyclone?

Officials encourage residents to assemble a hurricane kit early, storing enough supplies to last at least three days. Doing so ensures there are adequate supplies available on store shelves and prevents a rush — and shortages — that regularly occur when a storm is imminent.

USAT-Florida Network has removed the paywall for hurricane-related content for residents within the path of Ian to help keep everyone safe and informed during this emergency. Please consider subscribing. 

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Ian could become Category 4 storm off Naples, west coast of Florida