CEDAR KEY, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Idalia has made landfall on Florida’s west coast as a dangerous Category 3 storm on Wednesday and threatens to unleash life-threatening storm surges and rainfall.
Idalia came ashore in the lightly populated Big Bend region, where the Florida Panhandle curves into the peninsula. The result could be a big blow to a state still dealing with lingering damage from last year’s Hurricane Ian.
“Don’t put your life at risk by doing anything dumb at this point,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Wednesday morning. “This thing’s powerful. If you’re inside, just hunker down until it gets past you.” Idalia had grown into a Category 2 system on Tuesday afternoon and became a Category 3 just hours earlier Wednesday before weakening slightly to a high-end Category 3. 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.
In Tarpon Springs, a coastal community northwest of Tampa, 60 patients were evacuated from a hospital out of concern that the system could bring a 7-foot storm surge.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hurricane Idalia chases Florida residents away from the coast, could come ashore as Category 3 stormMuch of Florida was in disaster mode on Tuesday with only hours to go before an onslaught from Idalia, forecast to strengthen rapidly into 'an extremely dangerous major hurricane' before hitting the Gulf Coast on Wednesday.
Read more »
Hurricane Idalia chases Florida residents away from the coast, could come ashore as Category 3 stormFlorida residents loaded up on sandbags and evacuated from homes in low-lying areas Tuesday, less than a day before Hurricane Idalia was expected to barrel into the state with the threat of flooding that could swamp the Gulf Coast.
Read more »
Hurricane Idalia makes landfall on Florida's west coast as a dangerous Category 3 stormHurricane Idalia makes landfall on Florida's west coast as a dangerous Category 3 storm with high winds and storm surge.
Read more »
Idalia projected to hit Florida as Category 4 hurricane with 'catastrophic' storm surgeCEDAR KEY, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Idalia strengthened to a dangerous Category 3 storm early Wednesday as it steamed toward Florida’s Big Bend region, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Read more »
Idalia projected to hit Florida as Category 4 hurricane with 'catastrophic' storm surgeCEDAR KEY, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Idalia strengthened to a dangerous Category 3 storm early Wednesday as it steamed toward Florida’s Big Bend region, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Read more »
Idalia projected to hit Florida as Category 4 hurricane with 'catastrophic' storm surgeCEDAR KEY, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Idalia strengthened to a dangerous Category 3 storm early Wednesday as it steamed toward Florida’s Big Bend region, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Read more »