(ACCUWEATHER) Hurricane watches remained in effect for a stretch of Florida's western coast at midday on Monday as Ian continued to gain strength as the fourth hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. Forecasters warn that the storm will rapidly gain intensity during the next couple of days, becoming a Category 4 behemoth in the Gulf of Mexico by midweek.
As of 5 p.m. EDT Monday, Ian had sustained winds of up to 100 mph and was moving north-northwest at 13 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. Ian was located about 155 miles southeast of the western tip of Cuba.
Hurricane-force winds extended up to 35 miles from the storm's center, while tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 115 miles.
After a historically quiet start to the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, a flurry of tropical activity has changed the course of the season recently, and Hurricane Ian is no exception.
With the looming threat of Ian to the U.S., Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a pre-landfall state of emergency for the entire state on Saturday afternoon and urged residents to be prepared for Ian's impacts.
DeSantis also stated Sunday that he has activated the National Guard to help with the landfall, as well as power crews to aid with power renewal post-storm.