Hurricane Ian – Level 5 Alert – September 29, 2022

Ian, which has now been downgraded to a Tropical Storm, is heading back out into the Atlantic, where its path will shift northwestward towards the South Carolina coast. Originally projected to spend two days over central Florida, the storm quickly sped through to move towards its second landfall, currently forecast to occur on the southern coast of South Carolina on Friday afternoon. All hurricane warnings have been dropped, though tropical storm force winds remain in the area. 

In Central Florida, the storm’s damage will take time to amend. Ian made landfall as the fifth-strongest storm ever to hit the mainland US. Currently, power outages number 2.5 million, mostly concentrated in the Ft Myers region and surrounding areas.  Orlando experienced a daily-record 7.7 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. 

Tampa – All fuel terminals were closed as of yesterday afternoon. Some terminals may be able to open today and tomorrow. The Port of Tampa Bay remains on Condition Zulu, preventing barges of fuel from resupplying the area for now. 

Orlando – Supplies are critically low due to pipeline delays. Expect minimal supply in the area through early next week. 

Jacksonville – Several fuel terminals have shut down in the area. As Ian passes, operators will explore the possibility of re-opening any closed terminals. 

Savannah & Charleston – Currently, no closures have been reported in these areas, but winds speeds are being monitored and Mansfield is in close communication with local terminals and carriers to determine what changes could be needed as Ian approaches the East Coast. 

Miami / Port Everglades – There’s been some impact on supply and carrier capacity due to the storm, but no direct closures. The market is expected to improve heading into the weekend and next week. 

Mansfield remains on Level 5 Alert for the disaster response efforts to Hurricane Ian, and on Code Blue for central Florida, unable to provide delivery ETAs until damage assessment can be completed. The rest of Florida and the coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina are on Code Red requiring 72-hour notice. In non-red areas, Georgia and the Carolinas remain on Code Orange requiring 48-hour notice. Due to carrier loading issues and regional challenges, Virginia is also being added to the Code Red status, requiring 72-hour notice for new deliveries.