SPARTANBURG, SC (WSPA) — Tropical Storm Ian will continue to intensify over the rest of the weekend, and the potential continues for a major hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico this week.
Forecast trends have pulled the potential track farther west in the past day or so. This increases the chance for local impacts starting late this week.
There’s still plenty of uncertainty in speed and location of Ian late this week; that will determine when we start seeing impacts (as early as Thursday PM, as late as Friday PM).
The potential for heavy rain, gusty wind, and isolated tornadoes exists. A track on the eastern side of the cone decreases those threats locally. A track up the middle or on the western side increases them.
There will likely be more changes to the track/forecast intensity in the coming days.
As of 5 p.m., Tropical Storm Ian has winds of 45 miles per hour and is located about 220 miles south-southeast of Grand Cayman.
The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center shows Ian becoming a major hurricane by Tuesday afternoon as it passes the western tip of Cuba.
Stay with 7Weather on-air and online for the latest forecasts.
