A strengthening Idalia is headed toward Florida as a formidable hurricane

Stunning satellite image of Hurricane #Idalia on the left in the Gulf of Mexico with the outer bands hitting SW Florida and Hurricane #Franklin crossing the Atlantic on the right.
Two hurricanes swirling off the east coast of the US.

Hurricane Idalia is expected to reach Category 4 strength before making landfall on Florida’s west coast, posing significant risks to life and property.

AccuWeather forecasters are calling for warnings to be taken seriously as the storm moves north toward Florida.

Idalia was rated a 4 on AccuWeather’s RealImpact scale for hurricanes in Florida due to expected life-threatening surge, damaging winds and flooding.

Idalia became a hurricane Tuesday morning and strengthening continued throughout the day.

Maximum sustained winds increased to 100 km/h. – Category 2 strength – by late Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The mid-evening update continued to show strengthening with 200 km/h winds.

Overnight, Idalia’s winds reached 130 mph, making it a Category 4 storm, which is considered a major hurricane. AccuWeather forecasters now expect Idalia to maintain Category 4 status, with winds greater than 130 mph (210 km/h) across the landfall, which is expected to make landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida’s west coast Wednesday morning.

Officials have issued mandatory evacuation orders ahead of the storm, and the National Guard is on call among other search and rescue groups ready to respond.

„The No. 1 killer in all of these storms is water, whether it’s a storm surge that will happen on the coast or excessive rainfall that can happen inland that causes flash flooding in cities,“ said the administrator of FEMA’s Dean Criswell to CNN on Tuesday.

Hurricane and storm surge warnings are in effect for the west coast of Florida, including Tampa Bay. Tropical storm watches and warnings are also in place for other regions of Florida’s Gulf Coast, including the Florida Keys, as well as central and northern Florida’s Atlantic coast as far south as South Carolina’s central coast.
Idalia’s dangers will not be limited to Florida, as impacts will be felt by millions across the southeastern United States from Georgia to the Carolinas and Virginia.

Hurricane Idalia began gathering steam and began moving north over the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday morning after a slow, chaotic path near western Cuba on Monday.

AccuWeather meteorologists are concerned that this system could rapidly strengthen to the point of landfall as it moves through an area of very warm ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. Rapid intensification of a tropical cyclone is defined as an increase in maximum sustained winds of at least 35 mph (55 km/h) in a period of 24 hours or less, according to the NHC.

„Damaging winds of 40 to 60 mph are possible across most of Florida and parts of the Southeast,“ Buckingham said.

Wind gusts north of 80 mph are expected from north of Tampa to the Georgia coastline. „Closest to where the tropical system makes landfall, wind gusts of 120 to 140 mph are possible.“ Widespread power outages are likely, with power outages possible for extended periods of time due to extensive tree damage .

Given the risk of continued rapid intensification, an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 165 mph is possible near landfall near Florida’s Panhandle and Big Bend. At this strength, strong Category 5 hurricane gusts are possible. AccuWeather hurricane experts predict Idalia will make landfall as a major hurricane, with Category 4 sustained winds ranging from 130-156 mph on the hurricane scale at Saphir-Simpson.

The storm is also a serious concern as the intensifying tropical system approaches the Florida coast. Winds around Idalia will push water toward east- and south-facing beaches for several days, allowing water to build up over time.

A storm surge of at least 3-6 feet is likely from Oclockonee Bay, Florida, in the eastern part of the bay to Port Charlotte. The most significant storm surge, perhaps as high as 15 feet, is expected near and just southeast of the Idalia coast. A storm surge of 10-15 feet is most likely to occur from Steinhatchee to Homosassa, Florida at that time. Parts of Tampa Bay could see a storm surge of 7 or 8 feet, according to AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert Dan Kotlowski.

Even a wave of several feet can create life-threatening conditions due to the force of the rapidly rising water.

The worst effects of the storm are likely as the center passes north of locations along the west coast of the peninsula and winds shift to the west, pushing the waters of the Gulf of Mexico inland.

The combination of onshore winds, the effects of the full moon and powerful Hurricane Franklin offshore will result in a storm surge on the opposite coast from where Idalia makes landfall.

Storm surge flooding of 3-6 feet is likely from near Jacksonville, Florida to Charleston, South Carolina.

At the same time, AccuWeather forecasters are warning that 4 to 8 inches of rain is possible from North Florida through the Southeast, and that this will lead to a widespread risk of flooding.

Where rainfall is heaviest, rainfall totals could approach the AccuWeather Local StormMax of 18 inches, which would lead to major, life-threatening flooding as most of the rain would fall within 12 hours or less – a little. Flooding in low-lying areas can occur quickly, followed by progressively higher flows and river flooding in the following hours and days.

„Tornadoes may also develop to the east of the center of circulation as it moves across Florida,“ added AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pidinowski.

A few tornadoes and/or waterspouts are possible along the west central and southwest Florida peninsula and the Keys through Wednesday. The greatest risk of multiple tornadoes will be through Wednesday night over northern and central Florida peninsula into southeast Georgia. Thursday’s tornado risk will shift into the area from northeast Florida to the coastal Carolinas.

Panama City, Mexico Beach, Apalachicola, Steinhachie and Cedar Key are among the locations along or near the Gulf Coast in or near the higher risk area.

AccuWeather meteorologists warn that significant impacts from the storm will occur outside the cone as well. Therefore, all residents and tourists, not just those near the forecast path of the storm, should monitor its development.
Despite the expected gradual loss of wind intensity after the storm comes ashore, threats will not be limited to the Gulf Coast and Sunny

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