KEY WEST, FLA. (WSVN) - As Hurricane Ian made landfall on the western tip of Cuba, the Florida Keys endured showers throughout the morning and afternoon, while Miami-Dade and Broward counties prepared for the peripheral effects.
On Tuesday morning, parts of the Middle and Lower Keys were put under a tropical storm warning while the Upper Keys were advised of a tornado warning.
By the afternoon, waves were surging over the sea wall at Duval Pocket Park.
“I was here yesterday, and it was calm,” said Tony Bohrer, who is visiting Key West from Cincinnati, “and now it’s like this.”
“We closed everything,” said Bill, who lives in Key West.
Monroe County officials are warning islanders to be ready and to stay off the roads with the threat of flooding.
At the Southernmost Point, people still congregated to gawk at the effects of the winds and rain.
Nearby, a sailboat was caught on video after it crashed against a pier due to the winds.
Business owners along popular Duval Street, closed up shop.
Jason Thompson, the owner of the Hog’s Breath Saloon, said, “Right now, we’re just anticipating that king tide coming in and the storm surge.”
Audra Fortino, who is visiting from Chicago, took a wet walk in the rain with a companion.
“We just went, ‘OK, there’s a little break. We’re going to go out, take a quick walk before we’re stuck inside for the next two days.”
Tourists and locals alike are waiting to see what impact Ian will have.
“I got my raft ready at my house. I just gotta paddle,” said Borinquin Frow, who lives in Key West. “We’re due for a hurricane for a long time.”
Both fire rescue and police in Key West will cease operations when winds reach sustained winds of 35 mph.
Storm surge is expected to be between one and three feet.
With localized flooding on the island, authorities are advising Islanders to stay indoors, for now.
In Miami, at Northeast 10th Avenue, near 79th Street, water that covered one of the soggiest streets of the morning had receded thanks to a quiet space between rainbands and a hardworking pump, but Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava warned that more messy days are ahead.
“Although Miami-Dade County is not in the cone of concern for Ian, this is a major storm, and impacts are expected well beyond the cone,” she said.
In a news conference Tuesday, Levine Cava said a Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for portions of Miami-Dade County as well as a Tornado Watch countywide.
She said county crews have been working overtime bracing for flooding with a focus on the areas that have seen high water in the past.
“This week, Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works led inspections of local drainage areas,” she said. “They worked to remove debris, especially in low-lying areas, and we have lowered the canal water levels across Miami-Dade.”
Some folks in the area are already dealing with flooding. For instance, in the Little River area of Northeast 10th Avenue, where the river overflowed its banks.
The mayor is asking residents to stay off the roads, if possible, but with many businesses still open, many were forced to make the morning rush through dirving rain.
Residents in Miami-Dade can expect more flooded roads in the area, over the next few days. If you want to report a flooded road, the mayor said you can call 311 with details of the area that is flooded.
From the misery in parts of Miami to the flood of frustration in Fort Lauderdale on Cordova Road, which often sees flooding.
A new seawall has helped, according to residents, but they are bracing for more water.
In between rainbands, people in Lauderhill prepared for more wet weather by gathering sandbags.
“I moved to Lauderhill maybe two years ago,” said Gabrielle, “and the first time I was here, there was flooding, so I don’t want to get flooded out of my own home.”
In Fort Lauderdale, city officials were seen measuring water levels in the middle of he street, hoping to keep flooding to a minimum.
“We do have king tides, but it only lasts in October for a week or so,” said Suzanne Migdall, a resident. “It just so happens that the hurricane and the water that has been … coming down is gonna blend in with the king tide.”
Over at the Henry Kinney Tunnel in Fort Lauderdale, it saw so much water that the northbound side of the tunnel had to be temporarily shut down.
While many Broward residents are concerned with the king tides, they are thrilled they didn’t get a direct hit from Ian, and they still remain cautiously optimistic with flood-prone areas.
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