TAMPA, Fla. — With Hurricane Ian moving over southwest Florida on Wednesday, state officials and many experts warn the time to evacuate has passed.
In some places things may still appear relatively calm and orderly - take for example the "reverse storm surge" in the Tampa Bay area this morning. Temporary conditions may give some people a false sense of security about when and where they can still leave their homes.
It's important not to get tricked into thinking you're in the clear. Around Tampa, that "reverse storm surge" will soon head back as a normal storm surge, possibly as high as six feet and even higher the farther south you are.
"I urge Floridians who have made the decision to shelter in place, to stay indoors and stay off the roads," Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said.
Some people will try and leave too late anyway, though, raising the possibility that drivers will find themselves stuck in rising flash flood waters.
If that happens, experts at cars.com have some "Dos and Donts" for how to get yourself out of the situation. They warn it can take only six inches of water to reach the bottom of most cars and cause a loss of control.
"Even a foot of water is enough to sweep most vehicles away and just two feet can sweep away a pickup truck or SUV," cars.com notes.
If you do find yourself in this situation, remain calm and keep in mind there are some things you can do. Those include:
- Turn on hazards and headlights.
- Unbuckle your seatbelt and unlock the doors.
- Remove any outer clothing or jackets.
- If windows are still working, slowly lower a window. If they are completely submerged and windows aren’t working, wait for the car to fill up to about neck level, then open the door.
- Swim free, do not attempt to stay with the vehicle and do not attempt to rescue it if flooding seems to be going down, as water levels can rise without warning.
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