Hurricane Idalia is threatening Florida as an "catastrophic" Category 4 storm with winds gusting over 130 mph, the National Hurricane Center said early Wednesday morning.
The National Weather Service in Tallahassee called Idalia an "unprecedented" storm as it upgraded over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before it entered Florida's Big Bend region, where the peninsula merges into the Panhandle, directly impacting Jefferson, Taylor, Dixie and Levy counties. It continues producing catastrophic storm surge, damaging winds, and historic freshwater flooding.
The Florida cities of Cedar Key, Chiefland, Newberry, Cross City, Apalachicola, Perry, Gainesville, which is home to the University of Florida, are directly in the storm's path. The school has canceled classes at this time. It is also projected to impact as far south as Crystal River and Tampa.
The storm is heading east-northeast and is expected to continue its northeastern trajectory toward Jacksonville and then to Georgia.
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No major hurricanes on record going back to 1851 have passed the Apalachee Bay and made landfall over the Big Bend region.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has warned residents in the storm’s path to leave immediately: "You really got to go now. Now is the time." He added, "If you stay hunkered down tonight, it's going to be too nasty tomorrow morning to be able to do it."
The major storm's arrival to Florida coincides with a Blue Moon, a celestial event that occur once every two to three years, on Wednesday, August 30. The full moon brings higher high tide than usual.
Late Tuesday evening, the National Hurricane Center warned of the storm's destructive and deadly potential.
"Catastrophic storm surge and destructive winds will begin soon in the Florida Big Bend near where the core of the hurricane makes landfall," the National Hurricane Center said. "There is the potential for destructive life-threatening winds where the core of Idalia moves onshore in the Big Bend region of Florida, with hurricane conditions expected elsewhere in portions of the Hurricane Warning area along the Florida Gulf Coast."
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It added: "Residents should heed advice & evacuation orders by local officials in these areas."
The governor also announced the ride-share service Uber would be providing residents with free transport to storm service centers.
Hurricane Ian in 2022, which made landfall over Florida's Gulf Coast as a Category 4, was the last major storm to hit Florida.
Hurricane Ian was the costliest hurricane in Florida’s history and the third-costliest in United States history. It contributed directly and indirectly to 150 deaths and caused over $112 billion in damage.
