Hurricane Idalia developed into a Category 3 storm overnight and made landfall in Florida‘s Big Bend region on Wednesday at 7:45 a.m.
As of 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Idalia had recorded winds of up to 130 miles per hour, and flooding had already begun.
7:45 AM EDT update: Extremely dangerous Category 3 Hurricane #Idalia makes landfall in the Florida Big Bend. Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 125 mph. Catastrophic storm surge and damaging winds ongoing. pic.twitter.com/umMdj8dD5d
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 30, 2023
IDALIA PATH TRACKER WATCH LIVE: WHERE IS THE HURRICANE AND WHERE WILL IT MAKE LANDFALL
The “Big Bend” region refers to where the peninsula merges into the Panhandle, just southeast of the capital, Tallahassee, and well north of the Tampa metro area. Idalia is the first major storm to hit the region since Hurricane Easy in 1950.
The National Hurricane Center said the eye of Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach, with maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour. Water levels along the coast are rising “rapidly,” the NHC said. A NOAA National Ocean Service tide gauge at Cedar Key, Florida, reported a water level of 5.9 feet.
The NHC said several other states are under storm surge or hurricane warnings as well. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the area, while a storm surge warning is considered a “life-threatening situation,” with a danger of “life-threatening inundation” from rising water moving inland from the coastline.
In addition to areas of Florida, storm surge warnings are in effect for St. Catherine’s Sound in Georgia to South Santee River in South Carolina. Hurricane warnings are in effect for Altamaha Sound in Georgia to Edisto Beach in South Carolina.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) provided an update at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, warning the state has had 11 tornado warnings and more are possible. DeSantis said there are expected storm swells up to 16 feet and 54,000 households were without power.
Governor Ron DeSantis Gives Update on Hurricane Idalia From Tallahassee Florida https://t.co/eeN2etJSvd
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 30, 2023
DeSantis said search-and-rescue efforts would begin as soon as the initial storm passes over the coastal areas. The Florida governor reminded residents not to go outside during the storm and not to drive on flooded streets, in addition to taking cover in a safe place.
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To prepare for the aftermath, the state has set aside 3,000 generators and more than 1 million gallons of fuel to help bridge the gap between Idalia knocking out power and utilities being restored. DeSantis also reminded everyone not to run generators inside their homes or in their garage.
Power surged shortly during DeSantis’s Wednesday press conference as he was speaking about preparing for dealing with widespread power outages.
