Hurricane Idalia Update: Here's what you need to know
MIAMI -- Hurricane Idalia is expected to come ashore as a dangerously powerful Category 3 storm when it makes landfall sometime Wednesday along Florida's Gulf Coast.
Much of the state's west coast is under a series of watches and warnings ahead of the storm's arrival.
Although South Florida is not expected to bear the brunt of the storm, many agencies in Miami-Dade and Broward are mobilizing to help.
Help for Florida's Gulf Coast residents
The City of Fort Lauderdale to distribute sandbags starting Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Mills Pond Park (2201 NW 9th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311). Proof of residency required.
Humane Society of Broward County is helping animals ahead of Hurricane Idalia. Broward County Humane Society officials are heading to Citrus County Animal Services in Inverness, Florida to pick up approximately 20 animals that have been at the shelter waiting to be adopted.
Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) Responds by preparing two 18-wheelers filled with family supplies in Doral and headed towards SW Florida starting Tuesday.
Urban Search and Rescue from Miami-Dade and the City of Miami have been prepositioned to the Orange County Convention Center in preparation for deployments ahead of Hurricane Idalia.
First Responders from South Florida were deployed Tuesday morning to north Central Florida -- where Idalia is expected to make landfall.
This includes Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Urban Search and Rescue team and members of Miami Fire Rescue.
The first responders will be gone for two weeks with the focus on assisting in search and rescue efforts immediately after the storm.
The Florida National Guard (FLNG) has been fully activated, with a mobilization of 3,700 guardsmen in position across the state for preparedness and response efforts.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has completed pre-storm beach surveys in all shoreline counties.
All Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) Correctional Institutions have back-up power generators in the event commercial power is lost.
Evacuations
Several counties are under evacuation orders, including Pasco and Levy counties, located north of Tampa, both ordered mandatory evacuations for some residents. In Levy County, officials said residents of Cedar Key must be off the island by Tuesday evening because storm surges would make bridges impassable.
Tolls and Travel
Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he has directed the suspension of tolls along Florida's west coast in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia. Tolls will be waived beginning at 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 29, 2023.
Facilities included within the suspension include:
Hillsborough County
- I-4 Connector
- Selmon Expressway (S.R. 618)
- Veterans Expressway (S.R. 589)
- Suncoast Parkway (S.R. 589)
Citrus, Hernando & Pasco Counties
- Suncoast Parkway (S.R. 589)
Lake and Sumter Counties & Portions of Orange County
- Turnpike Mainline (I-75 to I-4)
Pinellas County
- Pinellas Bayway (S.R. 679)
- Sunshine Skyway Bridge (U.S. 19)
Theme Parks
Walt Disney World and Universal studios have both announced on their official pages that they're resuming under normal operations while monitoring closely for any updates.
Flooding
The City of Miami Beach is expecting higher than normal tides from August 30 to September 3rd.
Avoid possible flooding associated with Hurricane Idalia and seasonal King Tides in these areas.
- Sign up for traffic updates from the City of Miami by texting MBAlert to 888777
- Downtown Miami and adjacent areas starting Tuesday through September 1.
- Biscayne Boulevard between NE 11 Street and NE 13 Street as well as the ramps to and from the MacArthur Causeway.
- I-395/ SR 836/I-95 design-build project will improve flow along 1-395, SR 836 and I-95.
Low-lying areas include:
- 1 Street and Alton Road.
- 44 Street and Post Avenue (Muss Park area).
- North Bay Road from 43 to 63 streets.
- Bonita Drive.
- Marseille Drive and Rue Notre Dame.
- Crespi Boulevard and 79 Terrace.
- South Pointe Drive and Washington Avenue.
- West Avenue and 8 Street.
Storm warnings & watches
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
* Cuban province of Pinar del Rio
* Middle of Longboat Key northward to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:
* Englewood to the Middle of Longboat Key
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
* Isle of Youth Cuba
* Dry Tortugas, Florida
* Chokoloskee northward to the Middle of Longboat Key
* West of Indian Pass to Mexico Beach
* Sebastian Inlet, Florida to Altamaha Sound, Georgia
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
* Lower Florida Keys west of the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge
* Altamaha Sound northward to South Santee River, South Carolina
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for:
* Englewood northward to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for:
* Chokoloskee northward to Englewood, including Charlotte Harbour
* Mouth of the St. Mary's River to South Santee River, South Carolina