Hurricane Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach in the Florida Big Bend region early Wednesday morning as a strong Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds around 125 mph. It is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge and hurricane conditions to the Gulf Coast of Florida
. After landfall, Idalia is forecast to move northeast across northern Florida, then into southern Georgia and along the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina through Thursday. The storm is expected to weaken as it moves inland but could still be a hurricane near Savannah, Georgia, before moving out into the Atlantic
. Significant impacts include:
- Historic storm surge and flooding along Florida's northeast Gulf Coast, including areas like Cedar Key and Tampa Bay
- Heavy rainfall with potential for 6-10 inches near the storm center, causing flash, urban, and river flooding from Florida through the Carolinas
- Tornado threats and damaging wind gusts extending well east of the storm's center
Residents in the Big Bend region of Florida and along the projected path through Georgia and the Carolinas should follow official warnings and prepare for severe weather conditions
