Western Pennsylvania natives in Florida prepare for Hurricane Ian to make landfall

Sep. 27—Claire Dice was planning to return to Penn Hills on Friday from her vacation in Florida.

But at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dice got word that Indian Shores, a town on the Gulf Coast barrier island where she is staying, was being evacuated as Hurricane Ian prepares to make landfall in the U.S.

"We just left, and we're driving a rental car back," Dice said about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. "Our flight was scheduled on Friday and will most likely be canceled. They're closing the bridges, and the storm surge coming in could be 10 feet."

About 75 miles northeast in Brooksville, Fla., Beth Socoski was planning to ride out the storm.

"We're lucky enough that, unlike most of Florida, which is very flat, we actually have some hills that offer a little bit of protection," said Socoski, who moved to Florida from Penn Hills in 2017. She made it permanent last year, selling her home in Pennsylvania.

"For us, our biggest concern is loss of electricity and downed trees," she said. "We live in a forested area with miniature water oak trees that are at the end of their life cycle."

National Weather Service meteorologist Lee Hendricks said the Pittsburgh area might not see much of the fallout from Hurricane Ian, at least not this week.

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, Hurricane Ian had intensified into an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm as it approached Florida. Forecasters predicted it will retain top winds of 140 mph until landfall Wednesday afternoon.

"Through Sunday, the heavier rain is barely into the southern half of Virginia," Hendricks said. "By the time you get to next Tuesday morning, the heaviest rain looks to be through Virginia, Maryland and southern portions of West Virginia."

Hendricks said the National Hurricane Center's current projections for Ian's path reach only to Sunday.

"Honestly, once you get beyond the 48-hour period, a lot of changes can occur," he said.

Dice said she and her husband were happy to be getting a good jump on the bad weather.

"We were driving up from Florida for a wedding during Hurricane Ivan and couldn't see 2 feet in front of us," she said.

Farther down the Gulf Coast, Marlea Bowser of Sarver was planning to wait out the storm at her Florida home in Naples. Her husband is at their home in Pennsylvania.

"The pond behind our place is already full," she said. "I'm worried it's going to flood into the house."

Bowser said local grocery stores have been packed, and many are out of water.

"I have a couple cases at the house, and I have a propane grill," she said. "Everything is electric here. Luckily, we live by a hospital, so our power is usually restored first when it goes out."

Headed toward the storm

While Dice was headed north, crews from Murrysville Medic One were gearing up to go in the opposite direction. Director Darrick Gerano said a group from Medic One is headed to support hurricane relief efforts this week in Florida.

Seven volunteers from the Western Pennsylvania Region of the American Red Cross also are in Florida, and more are expected to respond, according to the Red Cross. Among the seven volunteers, two are from Fayette County, and one is from Washington County.

Hendricks said tropical storms have a tendency to disrupt the normal flow of air systems moving through the eastern U.S.

"By the time the storm gets to the Carolinas, its remnants could catch up with a weather system that's making its way through the Great Lakes," he said. "That's a long way out right now, though."

Winds from Hurricane Ian are projected to begin affecting the southern Gulf Coast of Florida as early as 8 p.m. Tuesday, and it is forecast to become a major hurricane with winds in excess of 110 mph.

For the latest forecast, visit weather.gov.

Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .