Tampa International Airport to shut down and cancel flights in preparation for Hurricane Ian

Tampa International Airport will shut down and cancel commercial flights today in preparation for Hurricane Ian beginning at 5p.m.

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While many people will be missing their flights tonight, most of them are more worried about the possible damage this storm will do to their homes.

Sunshine state residents are doing what they can to protect their homes by putting up window protections, adding heavy sandbags around their house and hoping for the best.

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Other residents are leaving to stay with friends or family due to being in the mandatory evacuation zone and are beginning to prepare themselves for what they might see when they return home once the storm passes.

“It’s kind of surreal, thinking that you might lose everything that you own,” Tampa resident, Tim Kelly, expressed. “You move to Florida, you want to live by the water, this is the risk you take.”

Kelly told Newscenter 7′s Mike Campbell that if torrential rains raise water levels to almost 10 feet, then his rooms will all look like a bathtub.

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We will keep you informed about Hurricane Ians path and the problems it is creating over the next several days.