The western Caribbean Sea is a powder keg for hurricanes right now, with high ocean heat content and weak upper-level winds.The key questions facing forecasters, public officials and tens of millions of residents along the Gulf Coast is where the storm will head once it becomes a hurricane, and how strong will it be once it gets there.
Forecast trends since Friday have nudged the most likely track of the center of Ian to the west, closer to the Panhandle region of Florida. "It cannot be overstated that significant uncertainty remains in Ian's long-range prediction," the Hurricane Center stated in an online forecast discussion Sunday morning.
The Free State of Florida should be able to take care of itself just fine. No federal help.
LATEST: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the entire state. The National Hurricane Center said Ian could become a hurricane tonight or tomorrow and reach 'major hurricane strength' by tomorrow night or early Tuesday.