Hurricane Ian to Make Landfall Earlier Than Expected as 2.5 Million Evacuate in Florida

Storm clouds are seen as Hurricane Ian approaches in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Sept. 26, 2022. Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images

Federal officials said in a recent update on Tuesday that Hurricane Ian is expected to make landfall earlier than previously expected.

The Category 3 storm is forecast to pick up in intensity on Tuesday and Wednesday before making landfall on Wednesday evening, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in a 2 p.m. update on Tuesday.