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In a sign of the severity of Hurricane Ian, Waffle House told NBC News on Wednesday it had closed 21 Florida locations that are in the path of the Category 4 storm. Waffle House has gained a reputation over the years for staying open in all but the most extreme circumstances, offering food and beverages to emergency crews and individuals riding out natural disasters. Waffle House spokesperson Njeri Boss said in an email that most of the affected locations were in the projected path of the hurricane, with a few others in low-lying flood zones. In previous years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has used an unofficial “Waffle House Index” in part to help assess damage in disaster areas. "If a Waffle House can serve a full menu, they’ve likely got power (or are running on a generator)," FEMA wrote on its blog in 2017.

Storm surge map, they didn’t have a color for 12 to 15 feet," he said about the historic levels of storm surge expected near where Ian is expected to make landfall. Share this -Link copiedA view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station A view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station, on Monday. “We are extremely concerned about the potential impacts Hurricane Ian may have on phosphate facilities around the state,” Whitlock added. Share this -Link copiedIan strengthens into Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian has strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it advances upon Florida's west coast. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday.

☆ The most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Okeechobee Hurricane, 1928: This Category 4 storm had already devastated the Caribbean, killing 1,500 people by the time it hit southern Florida, destroying thousands of homes in West Palm Beach. The official Florida death toll was 1,836, most of them migrant farm workers. Decades later, the National Weather Service would revise the toll upward to "at least 2,500," adding that the real number will never be known. Many of the bodies washed out to the Everglades, never to be recovered. Courtesy NOAA/National Weather ServiceClose

Share this -Link copiedView of Hurricane Ian from International Space Station View of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station. Share this -Link copiedIan on track to make landfall in Florida as 'catastrophic' Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian is strengthening as it nears Florida's west coast, officials said. “We are extremely concerned about the potential impacts Hurricane Ian may have on phosphate facilities around the state,” Whitlock added. Share this -Link copiedIan strengthens into Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian has strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it advances upon Florida's west coast. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early on Wednesday morning.

☆ Hurricane Ian strengthens to Category 4 storm as it barrels toward Florida
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Hurricane Ian strengthened to a powerful Category 4 storm as it bore down on Florida’s Gulf Coast Wednesday after knocking out power to all of Cuba. Traffic moves slowly Tuesday on Interstate 4 East in Four Corners, Fla., as residents evacuate the Gulf Coast of Florida in advance of the arrival of Hurricane Ian. Win McNamee / Getty ImagesMore than 2 million people along Florida’s Gulf Coast were under evacuation orders, DeSantis said. The latest on Hurricane Ian The Category 4 storm was 75 miles from Naples, on Florida's Gulf Coast, early Wednesday. Ian was producing storm surge flooding early Wednesday across the lower Florida Keys.

☆ Hurricane Ian Strengthens to Category 4 Storm Ahead of Expected Florida Landfall
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Jon Kamp | Cameron Mcwhirter | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Hurricane Ian strengthened to a dangerous Category 4 storm as it barreled toward Florida’s Gulf Coast ahead of expected landfall later Wednesday. The storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 miles an hour, was located about 75 miles from Naples, Fla., early Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. It appeared headed for landfall in a region south of the Tampa Bay area, but the effects are expected to be widespread, from tropical-storm force winds extending out 175 miles to a potential foot-high storm surge and as much as two feet of rain.

Hurricane Ian in the Gulf of Mexico on Sept. 27, 2022. Share this -Link copiedHurricane Ian over Cuba on Tuesday morning Hurricane Ian over Cuba, on Tuesday. Share this -Link copiedIan expected to strengthen later Tuesday morning Hurricane Ian is expected to strengthen later Tuesday morning, officials said. Share this -Link copiedStorm clouds over St. Petersburg, Florida Storm clouds are seen as Hurricane Ian approaches in St. Petersburg, Florida on Monday. Ricardo Arduengo / AFP - Getty Images Share this -Link copiedHurricane Ian as it barrelled towards Cuba Hurricane Ian growing stronger as it barrelled toward Cuba on Monday.

☆ Cuban migrant boat sinks off Florida due to Hurricane Ian; 23 missing
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Border Patrol said on Wednesday that 23 people were missing off the coast of Florida after a Cuban migrant boat sank due to Hurricane Ian. The Border Patrol agents responded to a migrant landing in Stock Island, Florida, officials said on Twitter, adding that the U.S. Coast Guard had initiated a search operation for the 23 missing people. Four Cuban migrants swam to shore after their vessel sank due to inclement weather, Chief Patrol Agent Walter Slosar said. The hurricane hit Cuba at a time of dire economic crisis. On Wednesday, the hurricane began lashing Florida's Gulf Coast with powerful winds and drenching rain.

☆ Hurricane Ian strengthens as millions urged to evacuate Florida Gulf Coast
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

By late Tuesday night, tropical storm-force winds generated by Ian extended through the Florida Keys island chain to the southernmost shores of the state's Gulf Coast, the NHC said. U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Deanne Criswell said she worried that too few Florida residents were taking the threat seriously. 1/6 A hurricane evacuation route sign is displayed as Hurricane Ian spins toward the state carrying high winds, torrential rains and a powerful storm surge, in Punta Gorda, Florida, U.S. September 27, 2022. If Ian strikes the Tampa area, it would be the first hurricane to make landfall there since the 1921 Tarpon Springs storm. But officials said Hurricane Ian had proven too much, knocking out power even in far eastern Cuba, which was largely unaffected by the storm.

☆ Factbox: Over 169,000 customers without power in Florida from Hurricane Ian
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - More than 169,000 homes and businesses were without power in Florida as Hurricane Ian approached the state's west coast on Wednesday, according to local power companies. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Ian was moving onshore and would cause catastrophic storm surge, winds and flooding in the Florida Peninsula. The storm was located about 45 miles (75 km) west-northwest of Naples, Florida, and was packing maximum sustained winds of 155 miles (250 km) per hour at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT). Florida Gulf Coast residents emptied grocery shelves, boarded up windows and fled to evacuation shelters as Hurricane Ian barreled closer on Wednesday, lashing the state's southern tip hours before it was forecast to make U.S. landfall. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe utility with the most outages so far was Florida Power & Light Co (FPL), a unit of Florida energy company NextEra Energy Inc (<NEE.N>).

☆ Donald Trump is raising money off a "ransacking" in Florida — but it has nothing to do with Hurricane Ian
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Meanwhile, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast. Mar-a-Lago, a sprawling 17-acre estate owned by Trump, is located in Palm Beach, Florida, and Trump is himself a Florida resident. The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Ian was generating a "catastrophic storm surge" with "widespread, life-threatening catastrophic flash and urban flooding." In the email, Trump asked his supporters to take a poll, titled, "Official Trump Election Year Poll." Trump sent the email during the 1 p.m. hour Eastern Time as Hurricane Ian neared landfall.

☆ Explainer: How hurricanes cause dangerous, destructive storm surges
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Storm surges are often the most deadly and destructive phenomenon to accompany a hurricane. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterWHAT IS A STORM SURGE? WHY ARE STORM SURGES SO DESTRUCTIVE AND DANGEROUS? Hurricane Katrina in 2005 caused storm surges of over 25 feet in New Orleans. The NHC says many of the 1,500 people killed lost their lives, directly or indirectly, to the storm surges.

Flack, one of thousands who decided to flout official evacuation orders and ride out Hurricane Ian, was not worried about her safety. Some 2.5 million coastal residents and others in danger zones around Tampa, Ft. Myers and nearby communities were ordered or encouraged to evacuate ahead of the massive storm. But many did not, with some simply vowing to ride it out and others unable to leave for financial or other reasons. In Venice, Doug Toe walked through rainfall on Wednesday morning to see how a friend's home was weathering the storm. Nearby, residents of an assisted living facility also decided to ride out the storm in a new building meant to withstand the most severe hurricanes.

☆ Factbox: Over a million customers without power in Florida from Hurricane Ian
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People walk in a hallway using a flashlight during a power outage as Hurricane Ian makes landfall in southwestern Florida, in Fort Myers, Florida, U.S. September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Marco BelloSept 28 (Reuters) - More than 1.3 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida as Hurricane Ian hit the state's west coast on Wednesday, according to local power companies. Some utilities have started to restore customers now that the storm has passed southern Florida even though the number of outages continues to increase as the storm heads inland. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Ian was causing catastrophic storm surge, winds and flooding in the Florida Peninsula. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe utility with the most outages so far was Florida Power & Light Co (FPL), a unit of Florida energy company NextEra Energy Inc (<NEE.N>).

☆ Hurricane Ian roars ashore in southwest Florida, bringing destructive floods and wind
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The National Weather Service has also issued the highest-possible wind warning for several regions in Florida in anticipation of extreme wind damage from the storm. Hurricane Ian approaches west coast of Florida on Sept. 28th, 2022. A sail boat is beached at Sarasota Bay as Hurricane Ian approaches on September 28, 2022 in Sarasota, Florida. President Joe Biden told Florida residents Wednesday he would support them through the storm "every step of the way." Utility trucks are staged in a rural lot in The Villages of Sumter County, Fla., Wednesday morning, Sept. 28, 2022, in preparation for Hurricane Ian.

TAMPA, Fla. — More than 2 million people in Florida were under orders to pack up and head east to safer ground Tuesday as Hurricane Ian barreled north from Cuba on a path toward Tampa. But Burks, who moved to Tampa in 2005 and has weathered several hurricanes since then, said he's not going far. Many Floridians in more rural areas like Polk County live in trailers that are especially vulnerable to high winds. “Just go straight across the state to Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach.”And "do not go north," because that's where Hurricane Ian is going, he said. Three bridges span Old Tampa Bay, two of which connect Tampa to St. Petersburg and the third of which links to northern Pinellas County.

Sept 27 (Reuters) - Airlines canceled over 2,000 U.S. flights on Tuesday and Wednesday and some Florida airports halted operations as they braced for impact from Hurricane Ian, which was set to make landfall in the state. Airlines had scrapped 367 flights on Tuesday and 1,748 on Wednesday across the United States, according to flight-tracking website Flightaware.com. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File PhotoloadingEven Florida airports not closing were experiencing major impacts. Airlines canceled about 40% of flights at Miami International Airport on Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was "closely monitoring" Hurricane Ian and its path.

Tampa has been undergoing major infrastructure upgrades to protect the vulnerable city from flooding, but as Hurricane Ian barrels toward Florida’s west coast, the project is still years from completion. Construction is only about 30% done, said Sean Sullivan, executive director of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. “The potential area of inundation for the same intensity storm would be greater in the Tampa Bay area,” he said. The region has not borne the brunt of a major hurricane since 1921. “The Tampa Bay area hasn’t seen this type of storm in decades, if not 100 years,” said Rick Davis, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Tampa office.

☆ Ian to become a major hurricane overnight, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Hurricane Ian was forecast to become a major hurricane overnight as it churned toward Cuba with powerful winds and a storm surge that was expected to swamp the island’s western coast, U.S. weather officials said late Monday. Ron DeSantis declared a statewide emergency, saying Ian could hit the state as a punishing Category 4 hurricane, with wind speeds topping 130 mph. "We already have so little.”Earlier Monday, Ian passed by the nearby Cayman Islands with no major damage reported. The latest on Hurricane Ian By Monday night, Ian, moving northwest at 13 mph, was about 105 miles east-southeast of the western tip of Cuba, with top sustained winds increasing to 105 mph. Forecasters expect Ian to hit Florida’s west coast as a major hurricane as early as Tuesday.

☆ Hurricane Ian Threatens to Bring ‘Life-Threatening’ Storm Surge to Florida Coast
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Taylor Umlauf | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Water levels rose Tuesday in Key West, Fla., as early bands of rain associated with Hurricane Ian passed west of the Florida Keys. Authorities are keeping close watch on the potential for Hurricane Ian to unleash dangerous storm surge along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Tuesday forecasts suggest the highest storm surge could be up to 12 feet in the roughly 90-mile stretch just south of Tampa Bay, between Longboat Key down to Bonita Beach, according to the National Hurricane Center. For Tampa Bay, the latest forecast puts the surge potential at 4 feet to 7 feet.

☆ Millions in Florida urged to evacuate as Hurricane Ian nears
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

A man runs by a boarded up storefront, as Hurricane Ian spins toward the state carrying high winds, torrential rains and a powerful storm surge, in the downtown area of Tampa, Florida, U.S., September 27, 2022. The latest 8 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) hurricane advisory put Ian's top winds at 120 mph (195 km per hour). Ian was most likely to come ashore south of Tampa near Sarasota, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Parts of central Florida could see as much of 2 feet (0.6 meter) of rain from Ian, according to the National Weather Service. If Ian strikes Tampa, it would be the first hurricane to make landfall in the area since the Tarpon Springs storm in 1921.

Local residents fill sandbags, as Hurricane Ian spun toward the state carrying high winds, torrential rains and a powerful storm surge, at Ben T. Davis Beach in Tampa, Florida, U.S., September 26, 2022. Before heading to Florida, Hurricane Ian slammed into Cuba, forcing evacuations, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of people and swamping fishing villages. A Category 3 storm features maximum sustained winds of up to 129 miles per hour (208 km per hour). "I wasn't particularly scared until I saw the storm track this morning," Martino, 78, said as she prepared to go to her son's house north of Tampa. If Ian strikes Tampa, it would be the first hurricane to make landfall in the area since the Tarpon Springs storm in 1921.

☆ Hurricane Ian makes landfall over western Cuba, with Florida in its sights
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Local residents fill sandbags, as Hurricane Ian spun toward the state carrying high winds, torrential rains and a powerful storm surge, at Ben T. Davis Beach in Tampa, Florida, U.S., September 26, 2022. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSept 27 (Reuters) - Hurricane Ian made landfall over western Cuba on Tuesday and was headed for the west coast of Florida, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Ian is expected to strengthen on Tuesday after emerging over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, reaching Category 4 strength before it approaches the Florida west coast, the NHC said. A life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds, flash floods and possible mudslides are expected in portions of western Cuba on Tuesday, the NHC added. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Brijesh Patel and Deep Vakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Disney to shutter Florida theme parks as Hurricane Ian draws near
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 27 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) will close its theme and water parks on Wednesday and Thursday as Hurricane Ian nears the coast of Florida, the company said on Tuesday. read moreThe attractions that will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday include Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Magic Kingdom, a spokesperson said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterWalt Disney had earlier said that some of its hotels in the region would be closed through Friday. Comcast Corp's (CMCSA.O) Universal Resort and SeaWorld Entertainment Inc (SEAS.N) also announced the closure of their theme parks on Wednesday and Thursday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Helen Coster in New York; Editing by Sriraj KalluvilaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Morning Bid: Eye of the storm
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYA look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike Dolan. As Hurricane Ian raged and set its sights on Cuba and Florida, a global financial storm in bond and currency markets calmed moderately - though likely only temporarily. read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFor all its potential destruction, Ian doesn't yet appear on the world markets radar. UK debt auctions this week will be watched very closely. But this may be the eye of the storm.

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