CONTEXT
On September 28th, 2022, the Category 5 Hurricane Ian made US landfall in Cayo Costa, Florida. It was the strongest to make landfall since Hurricane Michael in 2018, with sustained winds of 160mph and severe flooding causing major devastation as it became the costliest weather disaster in the Sunshine State’s history. Ian would also tragically claim the lives of 161 people, with 150 of those in Florida, marking the state’s deadliest hurricane since Labor Day 1935.
Before it made landfall in the US, Ian had hit Cuba, knocking out power across the whole island and decimating agriculture, notably the country’s famous tobacco farms. After sweeping through Florida, Ian hit the Carolinas 2 days later, by which time the system had been reduced to Category 1 intensity, leaving a minor footprint of damage before quickly dissipating. Overall, Hurricane Ian caused $113bn in damages in the US, of which $109.5bn happened in Florida, largely driven by flooding after a storm surge of 10-15ft took water up to 5 miles inland.
