Hurricane Idalia is forecast to strengthen into a major storm as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds and dangerous storm surge to the state.
Nearly the entire Gulf Coast — along with Key West and the Lower Florida Keys — are under hurricane, tropical storm and storm surge watches and warnings. Schools and airports have begun to announce closings ahead of Idalia’s expected arrival Wednesday. And some counties have already ordered mandatory evacuations.
What type of stormy weather will Idalia bring to the state? And when? Here’s what the track shows:
Where is Idalia now? And how strong is it?
Hurricane Idalia, a Category 1 storm, was about 135 miles west-southwest of the Dry Tortugas and about 320 miles south-southwest of Tampa early Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 8 a.m. advisory. It’s moving north at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.
Hurricane-force winds extend up to 15 miles from the center, with tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 160 miles.
Where is Idalia going? How strong will it be?
Idalia is expected to pick up speed and strength as it moves over the eastern Gulf of Mexico Tuesday, toward Florida’s western coastline. The hurricane center’s forecast shows Idalia strengthening into a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph early Wednesday ahead of its expected landfall along the state’s Big Bend region.
The forecast shows the storm weakening back into a Category 1 hurricane as it crosses the state Wednesday and into Georgia. It should weaken back into a tropical storm by the time it moves toward the Carolina coastline and back into the Atlantic Ocean Thursday.
READ MORE: Which part of Florida will see the ‘dirty side’ of Idalia and face the worst weather?
What type of weather will Idalia bring to Florida?
Forecasters expect the storm will bring hurricane and tropical storm-force winds, heavy rain, dangerous life-threatening storm surge, some possible tornadoes, and dangerous surf and rip current conditions along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Tropical storm conditions are forecast to begin Tuesday in the Dry Tortugas, off the Keys, and parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast that are under a tropical storm warning.
▪ Rain: Portions of Florida’s west coast, the Florida Panhandle, southeast Georgia and the eastern Carolinas are forecast to see 4 to 8 inches of rain through Thursday, with some areas possibly seeing up to 12 inches of rain, primarily near the storm’s expected landfall in northern Florida.
“Areas of flash and urban flooding, some of which may be locally significant, are expected across portions of the west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle, and southern Georgia beginning today into Wednesday, spreading into portions of the eastern Carolinas Wednesday into Thursday,” the hurricane center said.
▪ Storm Surge: Idalia is also forecast to bring life-threatening storm surge to Florida’s Gulf Coast, with some parts of the state expected to see up to 12 feet of surge, according to the hurricane center.
Idalia watches and warnings in Florida
Here’s what the National Hurricane Center says:
▪ Hurricane Warning: Middle of Longboat Key north to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay
▪ Hurricane Watch: Englewood to the middle of Longboat Key
▪ Tropical Storm Warning: Chokoloskee north to the middle of longboat key; west of Indian Pass to Mexico Beach in Bay County; Dry Tortugas; and the Sebastian Inlet in Florida to Altamaha Sound, Georgia.
▪ Tropical Storm Watch: Lower Florida Keys west of the Seven Mile Bridge
▪ Storm Surge Warning: Englewood north to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay
▪ Storm Surge Watch: Chokoloskee north to Englewood, including Charlotte Harbour; mouth of the St. Mary’s River to South Santee River in South Carolina
