https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-strengthens-into-a-category-4-storm-on-its-way-to-florida-as-residents-warned-to-get-out-now/ > Hurricane Ian — now a stronger and “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm — has begun lashing Florida with major flooding and ruinous winds as it advances on a large swath of the state’s west coast with the potential within hours to inflict catastrophic floods and life-threatening storm surge. > “Conditions rapidly deteriorating along the southwest Florida coast,” the National Hurricane Center tweeted Wednesday morning, with Ian’s center just 55 miles from the coast.