Emergency crews raced on Thursday to reach stranded Florida residents as Hurricane Ian trained its sights on the Carolinas after cutting a coast-to-coast path of destruction across Florida, leaving behind deadly floodwaters, downed power lines and widespread damage.
Hurricane Ian downgraded to tropical storm as it batters Central Florida
Hurricane Ian is rapidly intensifying and maximum sustained winds are now close to Category 5 strength as the system nears Florida.
Florida evacuation zones and routes: How to find your evacuation zone ahead of Hurricane Ian
"On the forecast track, the center of Ian is forecast to move across the central Caribbean Sea today, pass southwest of Jamaica on Sunday, and pass near or over the Cayman Islands Sunday night and early Monday," the National Hurricane Center said. "Ian will then approach western Cuba late Monday and emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday."
