The destruction Hurricane Ian is about to bring to Florida’s Gulf Coast is unlike any seen in the modern era and may take years to recover from, a top forecaster warned Wednesday.
"No one alive has seen 12 feet of storm surge in that area, and many areas could take years to recover," the National Hurricane Center's Eric Blake tweeted. (Subsequent to his tweet, the NHC actually increased the storm surge forecast.)
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WATCH HEREAs of Wednesday morning, Category 4 (and nearly Category 5) Hurricane Ian was about to make landfall with winds up to 155 mph, projected rainfall of as much as 20” — and a mind-boggling 16 feet of storm surge.
Water that high will drown people, submerge homes, flood infrastructure and cause the kind of general devastation that’s hard to comprehend.
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SIGN UP One of the closest historical analogues to Ian is 2004's Hurricane Charley, which caused more than $10 billion in insured losses and was, at the time, the second-costliest hurricane in U.S. history.
But while the two storms have similar paths, Ian is orders of magnitude larger than Charley was.
Hurricane Ian: The Latest
Breaking Down Hurricane Categories
Category 1 (max sustained winds of 74-95 mph): Very dangerous winds will produce some damage. Well-constructed frame homes could have damage to roof, shingles, vinyl siding and gutters. Large branches of trees will snap and shallowly rooted trees may be toppled. Extensive damage to power lines and poles likely will result in power outages that could last a few to several days.
Category 2 (max sustained winds of 96-110 mph): Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage. Well-constructed frame homes could sustain major roof and siding damage. Many shallowly rooted trees will be snapped or uprooted and block numerous roads. Near-total power loss is expected with outages that could last from several days to weeks.
Category 3 (max sustained winds of 111-129 mph): Devastating damage will occur. Well-built framed homes may incur major damage or removal of roof decking and gable ends. Many trees will be snapped or uprooted, blocking numerous roads. Electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes.
Category 4 (max sustained winds of 130-156 mph): Catastrophic damage will occur. Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Category 5 (max sustained winds of 157 mph or higher): Catastrophic damage will occur. A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
