Track Idalia’s path LIVE: Hurricane location and landfall predictions.
Hurricane Idalia Set to Hit U.S. Gulf Coast as Category 3 Storm
Hurricane Idalia, the latest severe storm expected to make landfall in the United States, is projected to strike Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 hurricane. This menacing hurricane has already triggered evacuations and states of emergency in the southeast, with millions of people under a severe weather watch in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. The potential for tornadoes in Florida adds to the urgency of the situation.
Where is the Hurricane Headed?
The Category 2 hurricane is currently located over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, approximately 200 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida. It is moving northward at a speed of 16 miles per hour, with maximum sustained winds reaching 100 miles per hour, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Category 2 hurricanes have sustained winds of at least 96 miles per hour.
Idalia is expected to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area, which encompasses the panhandle and the peninsula. The timing of landfall could be as early as 7 a.m. EDT on Wednesday or as late as 11 a.m. Tampa Bay, included in the Big Bend area, is currently under evacuation orders.
The storm is anticipated to impact 46 counties along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with evacuation orders recommended in 23 counties. Experts have issued warnings about potential storm surges as high as 11 feet in northwestern Florida and the Panhandle. Storm surges are responsible for a significant number of hurricane-related fatalities and are the primary reason behind evacuation efforts.
Cedar Key Mayor Heath Davis has strongly urged all residents on the island to evacuate ahead of the hurricane. However, despite the risks, close to 100 residents have chosen to stay. Mayor Davis emphasized the importance of taking the storm seriously and not endangering lives.
Once Idalia makes landfall in Florida, it is expected to continue its path northward, affecting the eastern coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas on Wednesday and Thursday. However, the storm is predicted to weaken as it travels north. In response to the approaching hurricane, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida have all declared a state of emergency, mobilizing state resources, including the National Guard.
Another hurricane, Hurricane Franklin, a Category 4 storm, is currently located off the east coast. However, Franklin is not expected to have a significant impact on the U.S., as it is projected to skirt the southeastern coast and weaken throughout Tuesday.
These storms coincide with the anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Katrina, which ravaged New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2004.
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