The Associated Press reports:
Idalia became a hurricane on Tuesday as it intensified on a path toward Florida’s Gulf coast, with the National Hurricane Center warning of an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds in Florida in the next two days. It’s projected to have sustained winds of up to 120 mph (193 kph) as it approaches Florida.
The center of Idalia is forecast to move over the eastern Gulf of Mexico later Tuesday, reach the Gulf coast of Florida within the Hurricane Warning area on Wednesday, and move close to the Carolina coastline on Thursday. Idalia is expected to start affecting Florida with hurricane-force winds as soon as late Tuesday.
Read the full article.
JUST IN: Idalia strengthened from a tropical storm into a hurricane early Tuesday, and is “expected to rapidly intensify into an extremely dangerous major hurricane” before making landfall in Florida on Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service said. https://t.co/XBNGiFJ0Uq
— ABC News (@ABC) August 29, 2023
Idalia strengthened into a hurricane early Tuesday and is forecast to intensify quickly into an extremely dangerous major hurricane before making landfall over Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday. https://t.co/bv46648B37
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 29, 2023
Very little has changed overnight. #Idalia still looks to be a life-threatening storm.
Some models bring it ashore as a Category 4. Others a Category 3. Devastating impact possible regardless.
This is an extremely surge-vulnerable area. Up to 8-12 feet of inundation likely. pic.twitter.com/zY0b0sMSFF
— Matthew Cappucci (@MatthewCappucci) August 29, 2023
5 AM ADVISORY: Idalia is now a hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 75 mph. No changes to watches and warnings for the #FloridaKeys. Still expected to pass well west of the Lower Keys. pic.twitter.com/deIV0tqPsW
— NWS Key West (@NWSKeyWest) August 29, 2023
🧵8/29 5am ET: #Idalia is now a hurricane. It will rapidly intensify today and make landfall as an extremely dangerous major hurricane.
⚠️ Preparations and evacuations need to be rushed to completion before sunset today! Conditions rapidly deteriorate tonight. #ALwx #FLwx #GAwx pic.twitter.com/Bulw4hOhkx
— NWS Tallahassee (@NWSTallahassee) August 29, 2023
More than 20 counties in Western and Central Florida have issued evacuation orders as Hurricane Idalia approaches, including parts of Tampa, the state’s third-largest city.https://t.co/7KFmZgKBl3
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 29, 2023
Tampa Bay evacuation orders in effect as Tropical Storm Idalia approaches https://t.co/z5gKQM5vz1
— Axios (@axios) August 28, 2023
