Lee County, which encompasses Fort Myers, accounts for most of the fatalities.
The remnants of Ian are charging up the East Coast on Saturday after making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in South Carolina on Friday afternoon.
The monster storm made its first U.S. landfall on Wednesday on Florida's west coast as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, shredding homes with ferocious winds topping 150 mph. Florida's death toll has climbed to at least 81, according to information from local officials.
The Orlando International Airport said operations will stop at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is closing at 1 p.m. Tuesday while Tampa International Airport is suspending flights at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is closing at 8 p.m. Tuesday while the Melbourne Orlando International Airport will stop flights at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Hurricane Ian’s track is moving south, with landfall forecast for late afternoon Wednesday between Tampa and Fort Myers as a Category 3 storm.
The storm surge forecast for Tampa Bay has dropped from 10 feet to 8 feet. But now the predicted storm surge for Fort Myers has increased and could be as high as 12 feet.
As Hurricane Ian heads toward Florida, officials’ main concern is the threat of storm surge and catastrophic flooding, Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.
DeSantis reiterated that there is still time to prepare or evacuate.
About 2.5 million Floridians are under mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders, he said.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Tornado watches have been issued in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples and Key West as Hurricane Ian approaches.
The watches are in effect until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
