WGNO

Tropical Storm Ian to enter Gulf as major hurricane Tuesday

Tropical Storm Ian is expected to move into the Gulf as a major hurricane next week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of Saturday night, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (mph) with gusts up to 60 mph.

The latest forecast cone shows the system rapidly intensifying while move over the western tip of Cuba before entering the Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday as a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher). From there, the cone of uncertainty expands from the Tampa Bay area in Florida up to Mobile Bay in South Alabama.

The forecast track and intensity will likely continue to change over the next several days. Stay tuned for updates.