Tropical Storm Idalia is rapidly gaining strength as it advances towards Florida, possibly escalating into a dangerous Category 3 hurricane upon coastal approach. The storm is predicted to intensify into a hurricane by Monday and make landfall on Wednesday near Florida’s Big Bend region as a significant and hazardous hurricane, as stated by the National Hurricane Center.
The storm’s intensification brings an escalating risk of “life-threatening storm surge and perilous winds” for parts of Florida, as reported early Monday by the hurricane center. Preparations have been initiated, with Florida mobilizing swift water rescue teams, local authorities calling for evacuations, school closures being announced, and residents being advised to secure their properties.
Presently positioned approximately 90 miles off Cuba’s western tip, Idalia boasts maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, according to the 8 a.m. ET update from the hurricane center. The storm’s erratic movement is expected to shift towards the north-northeast and north, bringing Idalia over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico’s extreme region by tonight.
Florida’s Gulf Coast is under a hurricane watch from Englewood to India Pass, including Tampa Bay, while the Dry Tortugas region is under a tropical storm warning. The Lower Florida Keys, west of the Seven Mile Bridge, are under a tropical storm watch.
The hurricane center underscores the potential for a significant change in Idalia’s landfall location due to minor deviations in its trajectory along Florida’s west coast. Tropical storm conditions may begin in the Dry Tortugas on Monday night and extend to the Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday.
Florida’s Division of Emergency Management urges individuals under the threat of storm surge to have evacuation plans in place. The agency underscores the rapid and perilous nature of storm surges, which can pose severe risks to life, property, and homes.
As Idalia follows its forecasted track, western Cuba is expected to experience hurricane conditions, with the possibility of tropical storm winds by Monday morning. The Cuban government has upgraded the tropical storm warning for Pinar del Rio to a hurricane warning.
The Tampa Bay area is expected to face a storm surge of 4 to 7 feet above normal tide levels as Idalia approaches. The most significant storm surge is anticipated in Florida’s Big Bend area, where ocean levels could surge more than 10 feet above normal tide.
Rising waters from the coastline could lead to flooding in otherwise dry coastal regions, warns the hurricane center. Tropical Storm Idalia is set to unleash heavy rainfall ranging from 3 to 6 inches, possibly reaching up to 10 inches in isolated areas across parts of the west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle, southern Georgia, and portions of the Carolinas.
Western Cuba could also encounter 3 to 6 inches of rain, with localized amounts potentially reaching up to 10 inches.