Minnesota "snowbirds" brace for Hurricane Ian to hit Florida

MINNEAPOLIS -- Several Minnesotans "snowbird" in Florida this time of year, or they've retired there. 

Popular areas where Minnesotans travel to are Fort Myers, Sarasota and Tampa, which are the targets of Hurricane Ian, as it approaches the Gulf coastline.

Elk River native Becky Hlavachek and her husband bought their first family vacation home in Cape Coral, Florida earlier this year, and they had no idea they'd be taking shelter in it a few months later.

"We're definitely newbies here," said Hlavachek, "Our planning process maybe should be questioned a little bit right now."

Hlavachek spent the last few days filling the bathtub with water, and freezing water bottles so they have enough to get them through several days, in case they lose power.

She also stocked their shelves with non-perishable foods.

"Every time we eat a meal, we're like, 'This is probably going to be the last good meal!'" said Hlavachek.

Minneapolis natives, Emilie and Gary Peterson, converted a closet in the center of their Sarasota home into a shelter.

"We moved off the island because of flooding and the storms, so we moved inland about 15 miles," said Gary Peterson.

They've been retired to Florida for several years now and know how to brace for a storm like this one, in a practical and entertaining way.

"Weather radio, flashlights, extra batteries, and medical equipment," said Emilie Peterson, "And beer!" said Gary.

For first timers, the uncertainty of this storm is the worst part.

"It's the waiting. I don't want it to be here, but yet I just want it to be here and go," said Hlavachek.

One thing you can be certain of in a storm, it brings people together.

"It's just like living in Minnesota, when we have the bad storms up there, you help people," said Gary Peterson.

With so many Minnesotans living in Florida part-time, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety issued a warning on Tuesday, encouraging to people to reach out to their loved ones in Florida to make sure they have an emergency preparedness plan.