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Hurricane Ian: Matthew Cappucci shares his experience tracking the storm in Florida
FOX 5’s Matthew Cappucci shares his experience tracking Hurricane Ian in Florida.
ORLANDO - FOX 5's Matthew Cappucci said he knew what he was expecting when he traveled to Florida to track Hurricane Ian - but it wasn't until he and his crew encountered the backside of the eyewall that he felt the true ferociousness of the storm.
With winds gusting 100 to 110 mph and water rising all around them – two flat tires forced him and his crew to limp across a river and seek shelter in the parking garage of an apartment building.
Fort Myers Beach, Florida on Sept. 29. 2022, a day after Hurricane Ian devastated the barrier island on which the town sits. PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 29: In this aerial view, damaged homes are seen after Hurricane Ian moved through the Gulf Coast of Florida on September 29, 2022 in Punta Gorda, Florida. The hurricane brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area causing severe damage. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Aerial view of Sanibel Causeway (Credit: Lee County Sheriff's Office) Coastal damage from Hurricane Ian (WZVN image via FOX) Residents inspect damage to a marina as boats are partially submerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, on September 29, 2022. (Photo by GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images) Brenda Brennan sits next to a boat that pushed against her apartment when Hurricane Ian passed through the area on September 29, 2022, in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Boats are pushed up on a causeway after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on September 29, 2022 in Fort Myers, Florida. The hurricane brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area causing severe damage. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Storm debris litters a street in the wake of Hurricane Ian September 28, 2022 in Sarasota, Florida. Ian made landfall this afternoon, packing 150-mile-per-hour winds and a 12-foot storm surge and knocking out power to nearly 1.5 million customers, according to published reports. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) "What struck me as very bizarre was the fact that it was the western eyewall that got all the worst conditions," Cappucci said adding that, ordinarily, the most intense conditions come along with the leading eyewall of the storm.
"Every time you think it's done, another gust comes and another guest comes. It was just a deafening roar for 12 hours," Cappucci said saying the sustained gusts went on for hours.
"And when the storm was over – the most surreal part was hearing that silence."
Editor's Note: Join FOX & FOX 5 DC in our support of American Red Cross relief efforts and help people affected by Hurricane Ian. Learn more & find out how you can help: https://wttg.fox/ianrelief