Tropical Storm Idalia Moving Toward Florida Gulf Coast
Storm is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane by midweek
Tropical Storm Idalia gained strength and speed Sunday as it moved toward the Florida Gulf Coast, and might reach hurricane status by midweek, the National Hurricane Center said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday declared a state of emergency for roughly 30 counties along the Panhandle and other parts of the Sunshine State.
Idalia grew from a tropical depression into a tropical storm Sunday as it moved over parts of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and western Cuba, prompting flash flood and landslide warnings in those places.
The storm is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane and make landfall in Florida on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is expected to bring dangerous storm surges, pounding rain and strong winds to Florida’s Gulf Coast and Panhandle. The storm is expected to stay well west of the Florida Keys.
Heavy rainfall is also likely to hit parts of the Southeastern U.S. by midweek, the NHC said.
A Category 1 hurricane has wind speeds of 74 to 95 miles an hour. Tropical Storm Idalia had 45 mph winds as of Sunday, according to meteorologists.
Storm surge and wind watches for portions of the Florida west coast were expected by nightfall. Idalia is forecast to bring anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of rain to Cuba.
Parts of Florida and southern Georgia are also likely to experience heavy precipitation Tuesday into Wednesday, according to the forecast. The heavy rainfall will move into the Carolinas by Thursday.
Scattered flash and urban flooding is expected across portions of the west coast of Florida and the Panhandle and portions of the Southeast U.S. as the storm travels north, the NHC said.
Forecasts indicate Idalia won’t reach the destructive strength of Hurricane Ian, which slammed into Florida in late September as a powerful Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles an hour. Ian killed at least 130 people.