Hurricane Idalia continues to intensify. Here's what you need to know
MIAMI - Hurricane Idalia on Tuesday intensified into a category 2 storm as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico with its sights set on the Florida Gulf Coast.
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Squalls from a strengthening Hurricane Idalia spreading over portions of the Florida Keys and Southwest Florida.
According to the 11 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, the storm was packing winds of up to 110 miles per hour and moving to the north at about 18 mph.
Idalia was expected to rapidly intensify into an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane before making landfall sometime Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday, Idalia will pass west of South Florida so expect gusty winds and heavy squalls. On Wednesday, it will still be windy but fewer rain squalls. On Thursday, our weather begins to improve with the potential for spotty storms.
Winds could gust 30 to 45 miles an hour and could be slightly higher in the Lower Keys where they have the Tropical Storm Watch in effect.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Idalia is forecast to speed up as it moves in a north and north-northeast direction through early Wednesday while it approaches Florida's Gulf coast. A turn toward the northeast and east-northeast is forecast late Wednesday and Thursday, bringing the center of Idalia near or along the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
* 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:
* 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
*Altamaha Sound, Georgia, northward to South Santee River, South Carolina
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
*South Santee River, South Carolina northward to Surf City, North 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
Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area in Florida by late Tuesday or Wednesday, with tropical storm conditions beginning Tuesday.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin on Wednesday in the warning area along the east coast of Florida and South Carolina Tropical storm conditions are possible along the southeast U.S. coast within the southern portions of the watch area by early Wednesday.
Portions of the west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle, southeast Georgia, and the eastern Carolinas could see 4 to 8 inches of rain from Tuesday into Thursday. Some areas could see up to 12 inches, primarily near landfall in northern Florida.
Along the state's Big Bend area, a peak storm surge could be from 10 to 15 feet. Tampa could see a storm surge of 4 - 7 feet while Keys could see 1 to 2 feet of surge.
Higher than normal King Tides due to the full "Blue Moon" could enhance storm surge around high tide times.
Mandatory and voluntary evacuations were issued for at least 22 counties along Florida's Gulf Coast.
"This is going to be a major impact," Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a news conference, warning Floridians should expect Idalia to be a major hurricane - Category 3 or higher - at landfall.
