TAMPA, Fla. — As Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida's southwestern coast Wednesday afternoon, it did so as a major Category 4 storm.
That means it brought with it sustained winds of near 150 mph as the eye made landfall near Cayo Costa a little after 3 p.m., the National Hurricane Center reported.
The winds weren't that strong everywhere along the hurricane's path — the eyewall is simply where they're strongest. But it does give an indication of how the hurricane brought battering winds with it up and down the Florida Gulf Coast.
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The National Weather Service published the peak wind speeds that were recorded during and shortly after landfall for several locations (in some instances, the peak speed was recorded a little bit before landfall). Here's a selection of some of the readings published:
Hurricane Ian peak wind speeds around landfall
- Punta Gorda: 109 mph at 3:10 p.m.
- Tarpon Point (Cape Coral): 109 mph at 1:56 p.m.
- J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Sanibel Island): 98 mph at 1:17 p.m.
- Fort Myers: 92 mph at 3:15 p.m.
- Sarasota Bay maritime marker: 83 mph at 3:04 p.m.
- Venice: 82 mph at 2:35 p.m.
- Sarasota-Bradenton: 77 mph at 3:02 p.m.
- Tampa: 61 mph at 2:33 p.m.
- Clearwater Beach: 59 mph at 3:05 p.m.
- Lakeland: 51 mph at 3:30 p.m.
- Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (Pasco County): 41 mph at 3:15 p.m.
For those curious, Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg recorded 64 mph winds at 1:43 p.m. and Tampa International Airport recorded 54mph winds at 1:20 p.m., as well.