Path of Destruction Hurricane Ian made landfall just south of Tampa, Fla., hitting the southwest coast at the island of Cayo Costa near Fort Myers and Cape Coral on Wednesday, September 28 as a terrifying Category 4 hurricane with a deadly storm surge. Beginning an unimaginable assault on vulnerable coastal communities, Hurricane Ian made landfall just south of Tampa, Florida, hitting the southwest coast at the island of Cayo Costa near Fort Myers and Cape Coral on Wednesday, September 28 as a terrifying Category 4 Atlantic hurricane with a deadly storm surge. The storm was deemed the worst Atlantic hurricane on record since 1935, which left a devastating trail of destruction in its wake and almost completely demolished entire communities, including Fort Myers Beach. According to meteorologists, the storm’s sheer size far exceeded previous major storms to hit the area. Coastal storm surge was reported to be as high as 15 feet in the hardest hit areas where many of the homes were less than 1 foot above sea level. To date, it is one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the United States. Page updated 3.21.23 Photo: Boats and piers are destroyed following Hurricane Ian near downtown Fort Myers, September 30, 2022. (Photo/Mark Taylor) Watch the video from one of our partners in the region by clicking on the arrow.