Hurricane Ian’s storm surge is already record-setting

• More than five feet of storm surge has already caused water levels in Naples, Florida, to rise.
• The previous record for greatest water level in Naples was set during Hurricane Irma.
• Water levels are expected to continue to rise as Hurricane Ian makes landfall on Wednesday afternoon.

Some areas of Southwest Florida are experiencing record-high water levels on Wednesday morning as the storm surge continues to rapidly rise along those areas.

More than five feet of storm surge has already caused water levels in Naples, Florida, to rise to more than four and a half feet of inundation. The height of the inundation is measured as the height of the sea level above the highest tides that typically occur.

The previous record for greatest water level in Naples was set during Hurricane Irma in 2017, when it was 4.02 feet higher than the maximum normal tides. The present level in Naples is already higher than that record. Since 1965, water levels in Naples have been continuously monitored.

As Hurricane Ian makes landfall and the regular high tide time approaches today at approximately 2 p.m. Eastern Time, it is probable that the water levels will continue to rise.

Over the course of the past five hours, the water levels in Naples have increased by around 6 feet.

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