Hurricane Ian updates: Florida death toll climbs
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.
Latest headlines:
Hurricane Ian now 60 miles southeast of Charleston
Hurricane Ian is now 60 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, with sustained winds of 85 mph and even higher gusts.
Conditions at landfall, which is expected after 2 p.m., are forecast to be worst in Myrtle Beach. The worst of the storm surge will be from there to the North Carolina border.
More than 4 inches of rain has fallen in South Carolina so far and it is expected to continue.
-ABC News' Max Golembo
Several Florida airports set to reopen Friday
Tampa International Airport, St. Pete-Clearwater International, Orlando International Airport and Jacksonville International Airport are all set to reopen Friday.
Tampa's first flight is scheduled to arrive at 10:35 a.m. and Orlando will resumer passenger flights after noon. The reopening will be gradual. Orlando already has 445 canceled flights today. Tampa has 152 canceled as of 9:45 a.m.
Jacksonville reopened its Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at 7 a.m. and the airport will be on a reduced operating schedule Friday.
The Federal Aviation Agency closed the Fort Myers airspace to provide a safe environment for search and rescue. It will remain closed Friday.
The Fort Myers Airport will be closed for days, with the FAA saying it won't reopen until at least Oct. 7. United Airlines has canceled all flights out of the airport at least through Monday.
The airports with the most cancelations Friday are Orlando, Tampa and Charlotte, North Carolina.
-ABC News' Sam Sweeney
1.9 million customers still without power in Florida, governor says
There are 1.9 million customers are still without power in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference Friday.
The hardest hit area is Hardee County, in central Florida, where 99% of customers are without power. Electricity has been restored to 15% of Lee and Charlotte counties, where Ian had knocked out power entirely. Eighty percent of DeSoto County is also without power.
DeSantis said over 42,000 linemen and associated personnel are on the ground, working to restore power.
Lee County is also entirely without water after the storm caused a water main break, DeSantis said.
Coast of the Carolinas seeing tropical storm force winds
Tropical storm force winds are lashing much of the coast of the Carolinas before Hurricane Ian is expected to make landfall. Life-threatening storm surge and hurricane conditions are expected by Friday afternoon.
Still over water, Hurricane Ian has reached maximum sustained winds of 85 mph.
Power outages have already begun, with 11,750 South Carolina customers and 8,095 North Carolina customers without electricity.
-ABC News' Max Golembo and Jianna Cousin
1st mandatory evacuation orders issued
Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for coastal parts of Hillsborough County, Florida. Over 300,000 people are expected to evacuate, officials announced Monday, with emergency shelters opening at 2 p.m. Monday.
Hillsborough County could face up to 15 feet of storm surge and 30 straight hours of tropical storm force winds, Florida Emergency Management Director Tim Dudley said.
County Administrator Bonnie Wise added, “We did not make this decision easily, but the storm poses a serious threat, and we must do everything we can protect our residents.”
Some residents of Sarasota County and Manatee County are also under mandatory evacuation orders.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul