The storm has forced millions to evacuate. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., swamping city streets with water and smashing trees along the coast. The hurricane’s center struck Wednesday afternoon near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers. The massive storm was expected to trigger flooding across a wide area of…

With Hurricane Ian bearing down on Florida, many Carolinians are wondering what its impact will be up the coast once it makes landfall. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Ian’s most damaging winds are hitting Florida’s southwest coast as the storm approaches landfall. The hurricane’s center of circulation neared Florida on Wednesday after rapidly intensifying overnight, gaining top winds of 155 mph by 8 a.m. That puts Ian just shy of…

The storm has forced millions to evacuate ahead of its expected landfall on the heavily populated Gulf coast. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —  Hurricane Ian’s most damaging winds began hitting Florida’s southwest coast Wednesday, lashing the state with heavy rain and pushing a devastating storm surge after strengthening to just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Fueled by warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Ian grew to a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane overnight…