MIAMI (WABC) — Hurricane Idalia grew into a dangerous hurricane with monster 125 mph winds and a potentially catastrophic storm surge ahead of making landfall Wednesday morning on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
IDALIA LATEST
Idalia came ashore in the lightly populated Big Bend region, where the Florida Panhandle curves into the peninsula. It made landfall near Keaton Beach at 7:45 a.m. as a high-end Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 125 mph (205 kph).
More than an hour later, it remained a Category 2 hurricane with top winds of 110 mph (175 mph), and it was expected to remain a hurricane while crossing Florida and Georgia before punishing the Carolinas as a tropical storm.
The hurricane turned streets into rivers in Tampa and swamped the Florida Capital, where power went out well before the center of the storm arrived.
Storm surge could rise as high as 16 feet (4.9 meters) in some places.
DeSantis urges those in Hurricane Idalia’s path to hunker down until it passes
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned people in the path of Hurricane Idalia to “just hunker down until it gets past you.”
The National Hurricane Center expects storm surge to reach up to 16 feet (5 meters) in some areas of the Big Bend region, DeSantis said Wednesday at a news conference. Northeast Florida already had 11 tornado warnings and there were more possible, he said.
The U.S. Coast Guard is on standby and has pre-positioned 15 aircraft and more than 25 cutters and 20 flood response teams that are prepared to respond in the wake of the storm, Rear Admiral Douglas Schofield said. Crews flew over the western Florida area up to the Big Bend area and made call-outs to mariners to seek shelter. They’re ready to launch aircraft for urgent maritime search and rescue in the Tampa and Big Bend areas as the storm passes, he said.
TENS OF THOUSANDS LOSE POWER
More than 230,000 customers were without electricity as trees snapped by strong winds brought down power lines and rushing water covered streets. Along the coast, some homes were submerged to near their rooftops and structures crumpled. As the eye moved inland, destructive winds shredded signs and sent sheet metal flying.
“We have multiple trees down, debris in the roads, do not come,” posted the fire and rescue department in Cedar Key, where a tide gauge measured the storm surge at 6.8 feet (2 meters), submerging most of hte downtown.
“AN UNPRECEDENTED EVENT”
Authorities warned residents of vulnerable areas along the Gulf Coast to pack up and leave to escape the twin threats of high winds and devastating flooding. The hurricane could deal a big blow to a state still dealing with lingering damage from last year’s Hurricane Ian.
The National Weather Service in Tallahassee called Idalia “an unprecedented event” since no major hurricanes on record have ever passed through the bay abutting the Big Bend region.
On the island of Cedar Key, Commissioner Sue Colson joined other city officials in packing up documents and electronics at City Hall. She had a message for the almost 900 residents who were under mandatory orders to evacuate the island near the coast of the Big Bend region. More than a dozen state troopers went door to door warning residents that storm surge could rise as high as 15 feet (4.5 meters).
“One word: Leave,” Colson said. “It’s not something to discuss.”
Not everyone was heeding the warning. Andy Bair, owner of the Island Hotel, said he intended to “babysit” his bed-and-breakfast, which predates the Civil War. The building has not flooded in the almost 20 years he has owned it, not even when Hurricane Hermine flooded the city in 2016.
“Being a caretaker of the oldest building in Cedar Key, I just feel kind of like I need to be here,” Bair said. “We’ve proven time and again that we’re not going to wash away. We may be a little uncomfortable for a couple of days, but we’ll be OK eventually.”
Tolls were waived on highways out of the danger area, shelters were open and hotels prepared to take in evacuees. More than 30,000 utility workers were gathering to make repairs as quickly as possible in the hurricane’s wake. About 5,500 National Guard troops were activated.
HOW THE SUPERMOON COULD IMPACT
A rare blue supermoon could play a role in an unfolding disaster as Hurricane Idalia takes aim at Florida’s west coast. That’s because a supermoon that can increase normal tides is expected Wednesday night.
That’s just as Idalia is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane. A supermoon is the closest full moon to Earth. That makes it appear larger and provides a spectacular backdrop in photos around the world.
Experts say it’s expected to make tidal flooding worse not only in Florida, but in states such as Georgia and South Carolina.
DESANTIS URGES RESIDENTS TO GET TO HIGHER GROUND
With a large stretch of Florida’s western coast at risk for storm surges and floods, evacuation notices were issued in 21 counties with mandatory orders for some people in eight of those counties. Many of the notices were for low-lying and coastal areas and for people living in mobile and manufactured homes, recreational vehicles or boats, and for people who would be vulnerable in a power outage.
“You still have time this morning to make your final preparations … but you gotta do that now.” Gov. Ron DeSantis announced at the state’s emergency operations center.
Tolls have been waived on highways out of the danger area, shelters have opened, hotels are prepared to take evacuees and more than 30,000 utility workers are being staged to make repairs as quickly as possible in the hurricane’s wake, he said.
“You do not have to leave the state. You don’t have to drive hundreds of miles. You have to get to higher ground in a safe structure. You can ride the storm out there, then go back to your home,” DeSantis said.
DISNEY WORLD REMAINS OPEN
Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, said that as of Tuesday, its resorts and theme parks are open and “operating under normal conditions.”
“We are closely monitoring the path of the projected weather as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members,” the resort said.
The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of WABC-TV.
NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY DEPLOY TEAMS TO THE SOUTH
In an effort to provide additional support to emergency operations down south as Hurricane Idalia approaches, NY Task Force 1 sent 46 members and two canines and NJ Task Force 1 sent 45 members.
NY is expected to arrive in Columbia, South Carolina, at around 4 p.m. Tuesday, where they will stage and await further instruction from FEMA.
NJ is also en route to Columbia, South Carolina and will be staging there.
EVACUATION ORDERS ISSUED FOR MULTIPLE FLORIDA COUNTIES
Multiple counties in Florida are under mandatory and voluntary evacuations as Tropical Storm Idalia barrels toward the state.
People living in zones in Pinellas, Pasco, Citrus, Hillsborough, Levy, Manatee, Sarasota and Taylor counties must evacuate the area, according to multiple county officials.
County officials are also urging people living in mobile homes, low-lying areas and along the coast to leave the area as Idalia approaches.
Officials in Hernando, Jefferson, Manatee and Pasco counties have also issued voluntary evacuation orders for particular zones.
DESANTIS ISSUES STATE OF EMERGENCY
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 46 counties, a broad swath that stretches across the northern half of the state from the Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Coast. The state has mobilized 1,100 National Guard members, who have 2,400 high-water vehicles and 12 aircraft at their disposal for rescue and recovery efforts.
DeSantis warned of a “major impact” to the state, noting the potential for Idalia to become a Category 3 hurricane.
“The property – we can rebuild someone’s home,” DeSantis said during a news conference Monday. “You can’t unring the bell, though, if somebody stays in harm’s way and does battle with Mother Nature.”
DeSantis said the Florida Department of Transportation would waive tolls on highways in the Tampa area and the Big Bend starting at 4 a.m. Tuesday to help ease any burden on people in the path of the storm.
TRAVEL IMPACT
The FAA says it is closely monitoring the path of Tropical Storm. Officials are urging travelers to check with their airline and monitor updates at FAA.gov.
Tampa International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport said they would close on Tuesday, and the Sunrail commuter rail service in Orlando was being suspended.
Major airlines have issued travel alerts. Links to their websites are below:
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Some information from the Associated Press and ABC News
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