Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday, striking the popular tourist islands of Sanibel and Captiva — in fact, crumbling the lone causeway that allows vehicles access to these destination barrier islands — and then making landfall between the population centers of Tampa and Ft. Myers.
Ian knocked out power for some 2 million customers and racked up very early estimates for $16 billion in damage to the Tampa area. And even after it was downgraded to a tropical storm, it continued to drench the state on its way to the Atlantic coast. Pres. Joe Biden promised a visit and said the storm could be “the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history” based on early reports of “what may be substantial loss of life.” Hurricanes are typical this time of year, but Ian kicked up enough fear and exhibited enough behavioral changes to leave climate change and planning experts logging this storm’s unique features as future warnings in the Sunshine State, as well as other desirable coastal, …