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.
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Cuba without power in wake of Hurricane Ian: Reports
Cuba has lost power after Hurricane Ian made landfall on the island Tuesday, according to reports.
The country's Electric Union said it's working to restore service overnight to 11 million people, The Associated Press reported. The Cuban News Agency had initially reported there is no power.
There is "0 electricity generation" in the country, according to a National Electric System update. "This complicated condition is also associated with complex weather conditions that have affected the SEN infrastructure," the update said.
-ABC News' Mara Valdes, Darren Reynolds
Some Florida residents begin evacuating ahead of Ian's landfall
Some Florida residents have begun evacuating their homes as Hurricane Ian approaches.
People are seeking shelter ahead of the storm, which is currently forecast to make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane sometime Wednesday afternoon.
Ian remains a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph as of Tuesday might.
It’s moving north-northeast at 10 mph and the center is located about 180 miles south-southwest of Punta Gorda, Florida.
There have been multiple tornado warnings in the area over the past few hours. A large tornado was reported on the ground in southern Broward County, near Davie, at around 7:30 p.m. ET.
-ABC News’ Daniel Peck
Satellite images show lightning-packed eye of Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian is barreling toward Florida, and satellite images show the eye of the storm packed with lightning as it strengthens over the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm is currently forecast to make landfall on Florida's western coast on Wednesday between 1 and 6 p.m., somewhere between Port Charlotte and Sarasota.
See the latest maps and read more about Hurricane Ian's projections and possible paths here.
DeSantis on Hurricane Ian: 'This thing is the real deal, it is a major, major storm'
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has urged Floridians to take Hurricane Ian seriously as the powerful storm heads to the state.
"You don't get a mulligan when your personal safety is at risk,” he said during a press conference on Tuesday.
About 2.5 million people in the state are under evacuation orders.
"This thing is the real deal. It is a major, major storm,” DeSantis said.
-ABC News’ Darren Reynolds
Ian weakens slightly but will regain strength overnight
Tropical Storm Ian has weakened slightly, but it is expected to not only strengthen but rapidly intensify overnight as it travels over warm waters in the Caribbean.
As of 5 p.m. ET, the storm system had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was moving west-northwest at 12 mph, with the center located about 220 miles away from Grand Cayman.
Dry air ahead of the storm has delayed the strengthening trend so far. But the rapid intensification is expected to occur Monday into Tuesday as the system continues across the northwestern Caribbean and closes in on western Cuba.
Over the next 24 hours, the outer bands will impact Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, bringing rounds of heavy rain, possible flash flooding and storm surge. Later Monday and into Monday night, Ian will be closing in on western Cuba and will likely bring significant wind and storm surge impacts to the region.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Grand Cayman and portions of western Cuba. A tropical storm watch has been issued for portions of western Cuba, as well as the lower Florida Keys, including Key West.
As of 5 p.m., the forecast track was nudged slightly eastward. Overall, the forecast guidance variability and uncertainty will remain high, and the track for where the storm will be from the middle to the end of the week will continue to shift over the next 24 to 48 hours.
-ABC News' Dan Peck