Hurricane Ian: What the Treasure Coast needs to know Wednesday as rain bands reach Florida

Staff report
·3 min read
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The Treasure Coast can expect at least tropical storm-force winds through Thursday afternoon, according to a 7:25 a.m. forecast from the National Weather Service’s Melbourne office.

Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties remained under a tropical storm warning. Winds of 20-45 miles per hour were predicted along with gusts of up to 70 miles per hour.

The NWS advised residents of Indian River and inland St. Lucie counties to “plan for life-threatening wind of equivalent Category 1 or Category 2 hurricane force.” Those sheltering in Martin and coastal St. Lucie counties were warned of “significant wind damage.”

A flood watch also was in effect, and a peak storm surge of 2 feet was forecast in coastal areas.

Weather conditions were “favorable for tornadoes” Wednesday morning.

Shelters open in St. Lucie, Indian River

Can’t see the Google Map above? Click here to view Treasure Coast emergency shelters.

Select emergency shelters, including those for people who require medical support (often called “special needs shelters”), were scheduled to open in St. Lucie and Indian River counties.

These St. Lucie shelters were set to open at 10 a.m.:

These Indian River shelters were set to open at noon:

No Martin shelters had been scheduled to open as of 9:30 a.m.

Rain, wind expectations on Wednesday

Treasure Coast residents, while not in the fiercest path of Hurricane Ian, will experience tropical storm-force gusts and at least 4 inches of rain beginning Wednesday, meteorologists said.

Flooding report

Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties are under a flood watch through late Thursday night, the NWS reported Tuesday. Indian River County had a flood warning announced through 10:30 a.m. See real-time water level reports from the Treasure Coast and across Florida.

Live cameras

Watch conditions across Florida as the winds and rain of Hurricane Ian approach Florida. You can also watch Treasure Coast-specific webcams.

Treasure Coast hurricane closures

From schools to stores, many governmental agencies and private businesses in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties announced closures this week as the area braced for Hurricane Ian’s impacts.

Here’s a running list of closures as they come into the newsroom and are found by journalists.

► School closures: Which Treasure Coast schools closed and for how long

Law enforcement prepares

Treasure Coast law enforcement officials this week made preparations for whatever impacts result from Hurricane Ian once the storm makes landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast. This includes putting deputies and officers on standby to deploy to the west coast.

Hurricane shutter guidance

Should Treasure Coast residents put up hurricane shutters? It’s been a frequent question in the last few days. There’s no mandate, so most officials say it’s up to individual homeowners.

There’s a very low chance the area will see hurricane-force winds from Hurricane Ian.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Hurricane Ian: Tropical Storm Warning for Florida’s Treasure Coast