Hurricane Ian facts for kids
Ian at its strongest as it neared Florida on September 28
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| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 23, 2022 |
| Extratropical | September 30, 2022 |
| Dissipated | October 1, 2022 |
| Category 5 tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 160 mph (260 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 937 mbar (hPa); 27.67 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 161 |
| Missing | 13 |
| Damage | $113 billion (2022 USD) (Third-costliest tropical cyclone on record; costliest in Florida history) |
| Areas affected | Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, ABC islands, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Southeast United States (especially Florida and The Carolinas) |
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Part of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Hurricane Ian was a very powerful and destructive storm. It was one of the most expensive weather disasters ever recorded. Ian was also the deadliest hurricane in Florida in a long time. It caused a lot of damage in western Cuba, Florida, and the Carolinas. Ian was the ninth named storm and the second major hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the first Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic since Lorenzo in 2019.
Ian started as a tropical wave that moved from West Africa across the Atlantic Ocean. It brought heavy rain and strong winds to islands like Trinidad and Tobago and the ABC islands. On September 23, it became a tropical depression. The next day, it grew into Tropical Storm Ian. It quickly became a Category 3 hurricane and hit western Cuba. This caused widespread flooding and a power outage across the entire country. Ian weakened a little over land but soon got stronger over the Gulf of Mexico. It became a Category 5 hurricane on September 28. It hit Cayo Costa Island in Southwest Florida almost at its strongest point. This made Ian one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the U.S. After moving inland, Ian quickly weakened to a tropical storm. It then moved back over the Atlantic. There, it became a hurricane again. It made its final landfall in South Carolina on September 30. Ian then changed into a different type of storm and disappeared the next day.
Hurricane Ian caused 161 deaths. Most of these were in Florida. The storm caused about $113 billion in damage. This made it the most expensive hurricane in Florida's history. It is also the third-costliest in U.S. history. Much of the damage came from a storm surge of 10–15 feet (3–4.5 meters). Cities like Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples were hit very hard. Millions of people lost power. Many had to go to their roofs to escape the water. Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach took the full force of the storm. Thousands of buildings were destroyed. Bridges like the Sanibel Causeway collapsed. This left people on the islands stranded for days.
Contents
How Hurricane Ian Formed and Moved
Hurricane Ian began as a tropical wave. This wave brought many showers and thunderstorms from the coast of Africa. It moved westward across the ocean. On September 22, the storm started to get more organized. It was officially named Tropical Depression Nine on September 23.
By September 24, the depression became Tropical Storm Ian. It started to get much stronger on September 25. Ian became a hurricane 12 hours later. It became a major hurricane a day after that. On September 27, Ian hit western Cuba. It was a strong Category 3 hurricane with winds of 125 mph (205 km/h). It was the strongest storm to hit that part of Cuba since 2008. Ian weakened a bit as it moved over Cuba. But it quickly got stronger again over the Gulf of Mexico.
Ian reached its strongest point on September 28. It was a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph (257 km/h). It was very close to Southwest Florida. A special weather drone even measured wind gusts up to 216 mph (348 km/h). Ian then weakened slightly to a Category 4 hurricane. It made landfall on Cayo Costa with winds of 150 mph (241 km/h). This was the first Category 4 hurricane to hit Southwest Florida since Hurricane Charley in 2004. Ian then made a second landfall near Punta Gorda.
Ian weakened to a Category 3 storm the next day. It quickly became a tropical storm as it moved over land. It then moved off the eastern Florida coast. Over the Atlantic, it got stronger again. Ian became a Category 1 hurricane. On September 30, it moved north towards the South Carolina coast. It made its final landfall near Georgetown, South Carolina. Ian then changed into a non-tropical storm and disappeared by October 1.
Getting Ready for the Storm
People in many areas prepared for Hurricane Ian. Governments and emergency services worked to keep people safe.
Caribbean Islands
Jamaica
Jamaica's weather service issued tropical storm warnings. They also warned about floods and dangers at sea.
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands government issued hurricane watches. This meant a hurricane was possible. Emergency centers were fully active. The military and coast guard were ready to help. The Governor asked the United Kingdom for more military help. Schools and universities closed on September 23. Airports closed on September 25, and planes were moved to safety.
Cuba
Cuban officials told about 50,000 people to leave their homes. They set up 55 shelters. Steps were taken to protect food and crops. People in Havana moved fishing boats. City workers cleaned storm drains to prevent flooding.
United States
Amtrak, the train service, stopped some of its routes. This was to keep passengers safe. The governors of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia declared emergencies. Over 3,500 flights were canceled. Amazon closed some of its warehouses.
Florida
On September 24, Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency. Schools and colleges in the Tampa Bay area closed. Many public schools across the state closed for the week. NASA delayed the launch of its Artemis 1 rocket. President Joe Biden also approved an emergency declaration for Florida. Many airports and ports closed. Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando closed their attractions. Stores and restaurants like Walmart also closed.
Mandatory evacuation orders were given for parts of many counties. About 300,000 people left Hillsborough County. Schools were used as shelters. Governor DeSantis called up 5,000 Florida National Guard troops. Another 2,000 were on standby in nearby states. Officials checked power lines and storm drains.
Some sports events were changed. A college football game was moved from Tampa to Boca Raton. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team moved their practices to Miami. All three national parks in Florida closed.
Georgia
Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp activated the State Operations Center. Farmers prepared by drying out their fields. They harvested crops that were ready. Atlanta Motor Speedway opened its campgrounds for people leaving Florida. A road construction project was paused until the storm passed.
South Carolina
Governor Henry McMaster declared an emergency. A college football game was moved to an earlier time. Congaree National Park and national forests were closed. Weather experts warned about heavy rainfall. Hurricane Ian made landfall near Georgetown, South Carolina. It caused some flooding in the streets.
Other States
Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama and Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina opened their campgrounds. Several Major League Baseball games were rescheduled in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and New York City.
The Bahamas
As Ian grew larger, a tropical storm warning was issued for Bimini and Grand Bahama in the Bahamas.
What Happened During and After the Storm
| Country | Region | Deaths | Damage (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuba | Pinar del Río | 5 | $200 million |
| United States | Florida | 150* | $113 billion |
| South Carolina | 0 | ||
| North Carolina | 5 | ||
| Virginia | 1 | ||
| Total: | 161 | $113 billion | |
| * Includes 7 Cuban migrant deaths offshore counted by Florida | |||
Caribbean
Southern Caribbean and South America
The storm brought strong winds and heavy rain. This caused flooding and minor damage in Trinidad and Tobago, the ABC islands, and parts of Venezuela and Colombia.
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands had minimal impacts. The storm passed to the west. There were a few inches of rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph (80 km/h). Some minor storm surge flooding happened. There was also minor damage and scattered power outages.
Cuba
Ian hit western Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane. It caused a lot of damage in Pinar del Río province. A wind gust of 129 mph (208 km/h) was recorded. Heavy rain caused significant flooding. Ian caused a power outage for the entire Pinar del Río province. Five people died in Cuba. On September 28, the storm knocked out power to all of Cuba. This left 11 million people without electricity.
United States
In the United States, over 9 million people lost power.
Florida
After the storm, officials in Lee County estimated that many people were trapped in floodwaters. President Biden said the storm could be one of the deadliest in Florida's history. As of February 2023, 149 people were confirmed to have died in Florida because of Ian. Most of these deaths were in Lee County.
More than 2.4 million people in Florida lost power. Some areas received over 31 inches (800 mm) of rain. Total damage in Florida was estimated at $109.5 billion.
South Florida and the Florida Keys
Tropical storm winds hit Key West. The city had its third-highest storm surge since 1913. Flooding affected many homes and cars. A fire destroyed businesses and homes. Almost 10,000 customers in the Lower Florida Keys lost power. The hurricane also broke about 150 boats from their moorings.
Several tornadoes touched down in South Florida. One tornado damaged over 20 aircraft and hangars at an airport. Another tornado overturned cars and damaged roofs in Kings Point. Two people were injured. Other tornadoes caused damage to trees and roofs.
Southwest Florida
Ian hit Southwest Florida as a strong Category 4 hurricane. The National Weather Service issued extreme wind warnings. Heavy rain caused flash flood emergencies in several counties. The storm's eye, the strongest part, moved onshore. Wind gusts reached 140 mph (225 km/h) near Cape Coral.
The hardest-hit areas were in Lee County. A storm surge of 10–15 feet (3–4.5 meters) caused huge damage. This affected Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, and Bonita Springs. Over 52,000 buildings and homes were damaged. More than 5,000 were completely destroyed.
A large part of the Sanibel Causeway collapsed. This cut off all vehicle access to Sanibel Island. A temporary bridge was opened later. The Pine Island Causeway was also damaged. A temporary bridge was opened for Pine Island too. In Hardee County, 500 miles (800 km) of roads were affected. Three bridges collapsed. Strong winds knocked down power poles, trees, and signs. This caused major problems with communication and electricity.
In Collier County, rising floodwaters trapped people in Naples. Water entered parking garages and flooded many cars. A fire station was completely flooded. Damages in Naples alone were estimated at $989 million. A hospital's ambulance bay was flooded. Many rescues happened in Goodland. Overall, the hurricane caused major damage to 3,515 buildings in the county.
Ian's eye made landfall near Punta Gorda in Charlotte County. There was catastrophic wind damage. More than 200 homes were destroyed. Over 2 feet (600 mm) of rain fell in some parts of the county. Two libraries had to close for repairs.
Further inland, winds damaged 112 structures in Hendry County. In Glades County, 3 structures were destroyed. An EF0 tornado in Moore Haven damaged trees and homes. Several inland counties had heavy rains. The Peace River reached a record height. In Highlands County, 89% of the county lost electricity. Ian also caused a brief tornado in Lake Placid.
Tampa Bay
Ian's center stayed south of Tampa and St. Petersburg. The storm pulled a lot of water out of Tampa Bay. Tides were 5–7 feet (1.5–2.1 meters) below normal. Parts of Hillsborough County received 5–8 inches (127–203 mm) of rain. Wind gusts were generally 65–75 mph (105–121 km/h). Damages in Hillsborough County totaled $54.8 million. Over 191,000 customers lost electricity in Pinellas County.
The most affected areas in the Tampa Bay region were Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Sarasota County had extensive tree and building damage. There was also significant flooding in inland areas like Venice and North Port. The southern part of the county was in Ian's northern eyewall for almost five hours. It had extreme winds and over 20 inches (508 mm) of rain. This caused catastrophic flooding.
In North Port, many parts of the city were impassable due to floodwaters. The Myakka River reached a record flood stage. This forced a 12-mile (19 km) part of I-75 to close. Governor DeSantis visited North Port and said the flooding was the worst he had seen. Ian caused similar conditions in Manatee County. The storm destroyed 10 structures there.
Central Florida
Strong winds in Okeechobee County caused minor damage to 113 structures. Damages there reached about $1.4 million. Martin County had mostly isolated wind impacts. This included damage to a mobile home. Along the coast, erosion caused about $6 million in damage. Hundreds of sea turtle eggs were destroyed on the beach.
In Osceola County, severe flooding affected or damaged about 900 businesses and 3,200 homes. This led to about $148 million in property damages. The worst floods were near Lake Center and in parts of Kissimmee.
Most neighborhoods in Orlando were flooded. Many of the city's lakes overflowed. Orlando received 14 inches (356 mm) of rain. About 250 people were rescued. Property damages in Orange County were estimated at $206 million. In Seminole County, extensive floods occurred near rivers. Ian destroyed 2 structures and caused major damage to over 1,000 others. Damages in Seminole County totaled about $241 million.
Heavy rain flooded many areas along the St. Johns River in Lake County. The storm caused minor damage to 61 structures. Damages in the county were estimated at $4.5 million. Severe flooding also happened in Volusia County. Along the coast, the storm surge caused extensive damage to seawalls. In New Smyrna Beach, about 180 residents had to be evacuated. The town received almost 21 inches (533 mm) of rain. About 247,000 customers lost power in Volusia County. Damages there were estimated at $128 million. A weak tornado damaged trees near June Park. Kennedy Space Center had wind gusts up to 108 mph (174 km/h), but only minor damage.
Other Areas
Parts of the First Coast had strong winds, heavy rains, and significant storm surge. In Flagler County, the storm surge damaged the Flagler Beach pier. It also flooded homes and coastal roads. Heavy rain and storm surge in St. Johns County flooded roads in St. Augustine. The Bridge of Lions closed temporarily. In Duval County, storm surge flooded several areas. Widespread power outages and isolated wind damage occurred. In Nassau County, the storm surge damaged a high school and a marina. It also flooded roads. High tides and tropical-storm-force winds in Putnam County caused flooding near lakes and rivers. Water entered dozens of homes.
South Carolina
By September 30, over 210,000 customers had lost power in South Carolina. A tidal gauge in Myrtle Beach reached a record height. As of October 1, about 63,000 customers were still without power.
North Carolina
By September 30, over 76,000 people had lost power in North Carolina. Most of these were in Wake County. An EF0 tornado touched down in Holden Beach, damaging homes. There were five storm-related deaths in the state.
Other States
Strong winds and rain moved through the Mid-Atlantic region. 95,000 people lost power in Virginia. Wind gusts reached 69 mph (111 km/h) in Cape Henry. In Delaware, gusts reached 48 mph (77 km/h). Flooding closed Delaware Route 1 on October 3.
A separate low-pressure system formed after Ian. It caused widespread coastal flooding along the Jersey Shore. Sea Isle City received over 8 inches (200 mm) of rain. Philadelphia set a daily rainfall record. This rain helped ease drought conditions in New Jersey. The system also brought unusually cold temperatures. Several ferries were canceled. In New York, some ferry services were suspended due to high winds. Minor coastal flooding occurred in New York City. Nearly 1,500 power outages happened in Connecticut.
What Happened After the Storm
| Rank | Hurricane | Season | Damage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katrina | 2005 | $108 billion | ||
| 2 | Sandy | 2012 | $71.4 billion | ||
| 3 | Ike | 2008 | $29.5 billion | ||
| 4 | Andrew | 1992 | $26.5 billion | ||
| 5 | Wilma | 2005 | $21 billion | ||
| 6 | Ivan | 2004 | $18.8 billion | ||
| 7 | Irene | 2011 | $15.6 billion | ||
| 8 | Charley | 2004 | $15.1 billion | ||
| 9 | Rita | 2005 | $12 billion | ||
| 10 | Frances | 2004 | $9.51 billion | ||
| Source: National Hurricane Center | |||||
Cuba
Massive power outages and a nationwide blackout led to protests in Cuba. People demanded that power and Internet be restored. The U.S. approved Cuba's request for emergency assistance. The European Union announced €1 million in aid. Other countries like Argentina and Japan also sent help.
United States
Soon after the storm, search and rescue teams, first responders, and utility workers came to Florida. The American Red Cross provided shelter and supplies. Other organizations also helped with donations. On October 3, it was reported that 10,000 people were still missing. However, this number was later updated.
There were some reports of people trying to take things from damaged stores in Lee County. Officials enforced a curfew. People were warned to be careful of fake charities. Florida worked with SpaceX to use their Starlink satellite Internet service. This helped restore communication.
At least eight school districts closed because of Ian. Many schools reopened in mid-October. Critics noted that federal flood insurance might encourage people to live in hurricane-prone areas. Some insurance companies had trouble paying for all the damage.
There were health concerns from contaminated water. This led to a rise in certain infections. The storm also affected about 15% of the bees in the United States. Over 150,000 bee hives were destroyed.
Weeks later, some buildings in Volusia County were deemed unsafe. This was due to damage from Ian. They were evacuated as Hurricane Nicole approached in November. Many structures fell into the ocean.
Damage Costs
Early estimates for Hurricane Ian's damages varied widely. Many agencies and insurance companies estimated losses in the tens of billions of dollars. Some estimates placed insured damages at nearly $63 billion. Total economic losses were thought to be over $100 billion.
On January 10, 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimated total losses at $112 billion. This made Ian the most expensive hurricane in Florida's history. It surpassed Hurricane Irma from 2017. Ian also became the third-costliest hurricane in U.S. history. It was behind only Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Hurricane Harvey (2017). Ian was the 15th disaster in the U.S. in 2022 that cost over a billion dollars.
In 2023, Florida Senator Rick Scott introduced a bill called the Hurricane Tax Relief Act. This bill would help victims of Ian and other hurricanes claim damage relief on their tax bills.
Ian's Name is Retired
Due to the extreme damage and many deaths caused by Hurricane Ian, its name was retired. The World Meteorological Organization decided in March 2023 that the name Ian will never be used again for an Atlantic tropical cyclone. The name Idris will replace it on the 2028 storm list.
See also
- Weather of 2022
- Tropical cyclones in 2022
- List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)
- Timeline of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season
- List of costliest Atlantic hurricanes
Historic comparisons to Ian
- 1846 Havana hurricane – a large and strong hurricane that followed a similar path to Ian
- 1928 Okeechobee hurricane – a very destructive Category 5 hurricane that caused many deaths in Florida
- September 1948 Florida hurricane – a Category 4 hurricane that moved across Cuba and hit Southwest Florida
- Hurricane Donna (1960) – a Category 4 hurricane that took a similar path through Florida
- Hurricane Gladys (1968) – a Category 2 hurricane with a similar path to Ian
- Hurricane Charley (2004) – a Category 4 hurricane that took a very similar path to Ian and got stronger quickly
- Hurricane Wilma (2005) – a Category 5 hurricane that also caused widespread damage in Florida
- Hurricane Irma (2017) – a Category 5 hurricane that also severely affected Southwest Florida
- Hurricane Nicole (2022) – a Category 1 hurricane that affected Florida areas already hit by Ian a month later
- Hurricane Idalia (2023)]] – a Category 4 hurricane that hit Florida after Cuba, eleven months after Ian
Images for kids
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Hurricane Ian shortly after its landfall over western Cuba early on September 27
