“I’ve covered maybe 91 hurricanes”, said the Weather Channel’s 20-year veteran Mike Seidel, “but this is the worst one I’ve seen”.

Seidel was reporting from Fort Myers mid-afternoon today, moments before Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida.

The powerful tropical system roared shore mid-afternoon as a Cat 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds, with what the Weather Channel called “a catastrophic surge, winds, and flooding in Southwest Florida”.

Here in northeast Florida, two miserable days of rain lie ahead waiting for Ian to lumber across the state.

The latest 5pm advisory from the National Hurricane Center has the storm downgrading to a tropical storm and steering a frustratingly slow northeasterly path, deluging central Florida with rain, triggering severe flash flooding.

The center of the storm is expected closest to St. Augustine Thursday evening into Friday morning.

As the system reaches Palm Coast, it is expected to push out into the Atlantic waters turning north. Over warm waters again, Ian could potentially re-energize into a hurricane. The National Hurricane Center issued a Hurricane Watch for the coast of Northeast Florida up into portions of South Carolina.

Ian is forecast to bring dangerous flood conditions to St. Johns County from both heavy rains and an expected storm surge as it churns toward a second landfall in Georgia. At risk are the coastal areas of St. Augustine Beach, as well as the City of St. Augustine and marsh-front homes in Marsh Creek and all along the length of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Today, St. Augustine experienced sporadic bursts of rainfall and wind gusts in anticipation of the main storm’s arrival. The county ordered evacuations at 6am this morning for the most vulnerable coastal areas in preparation for the most severe storm days, Thursday and Friday.

St. Johns Emergency Management Advisory 9-28

Tropical Storm Warning
A tropical storm warning is an announcement that sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph are expected somewhere within the specified area within 36 hours in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone. Tropical storm force winds are expected early Wednesday evening until Friday morning.

Storm Surge Warning
A storm surge warning indicates there is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 36 hours. St. Johns County has the potential for 3-5 feet above ground somewhere within surge prone areas through the morning of Saturday, Oct. 1.

Flood Watch
Inland flooding, tidal flooding, and extremely dangerous rip currents are expected to impact the County’s coastline and areas along the St. Johns River. Residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to avoid the beaches until Hurricane Ian passes the area.

CLICK HERE for the Spoonbill Courier Hurricane Season Preparations page.