Hurricane Ian downgraded to tropical storm as it batters Central Florida: What's next

Hurricane Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm early Thursday morning. Central Florida was met with hours of torrential rain and powerful winds leading to downed trees, power outages, and flooded streets and homes.

VIDEO: 'Mystery' critter washes up in Florida resident's yard during Hurricane Ian

Video shared with FOX 35 News by Chris White has some viewers debating about what the creature is that ended up in his yard in Melbourne, Florida during Hurricane Ian. 

Hurricane Ian maintains intensity after landfall in Florida as Category 4 storm

Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwestern Florida Wednesday afternoon. At 5 p.m., Ian had sustained winds at 120 mph and was crawling inland, located just five miles east of Punta Gorda or 120 miles southwest of Orlando, moving at 8 mph.

Tree branch hits Jim Cantore during Hurricane Ian report: 'Just give me a minute'

Where’s Jim Cantore? It’s a popular question anytime bad weather is in the forecast. Turns out he’s dodging Hurricane Ian storm debris in Punta Gorda, Florida – with mixed results.

Hurricane Ian: Timeline for storm's impact in Central Florida counties

As Hurricane Ian nears Central Florida, the FOX 35 Storm Team continues to track when the local area could see potential impacts.

Hurricane Ian's projected path across Florida appears similar to 2004's Hurricane Charley

At the time, Charley was also one of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the United States, making landfall in Southwest Florida as a major Category 4 hurricane.

Ian: Why you should put a quarter in a cup of frozen water during a hurricane

With the threat of Hurricane Ian taking aim at Florida, a Facebook post has a good suggestion for those preparing for the storm and how to keep your food safe.

Taping windows before a hurricane: Why experts say you shouldn't do it

As Floridians prepare for Hurricane Ian's impact, there is one go-to "safety" measure many people do: taping their windows. However, experts say it's a bad, and potentially dangerous, idea. 

Hurricane Ian strengthens as tracks shifts east: Here is when the storm's expected to reach Florida

Hurricane Ian strengthened into a Category 3 storm on Tuesday. Much of Florida, including the Panhandle, Central Florida, and the greater Orlando metropolitan area, remains in the cone of uncertainty. As of late Monday, the forecast track had shifted to the east slightly. 

Tropical Storm Ian expected to become a hurricane on Sunday; warnings issued for Grand Cayman, Cuba

Floridians are keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Ian as it is expected to rapidly intensify into a hurricane on Sunday as the system heads for Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Waffle House Index: How it measures the severity of a hurricane

Have you heard of the “Waffle House Index?” When it comes to tropical storms and hurricanes, Waffle House can be an unofficial metric of how severe a storm is.