Idalia is now a Category 4 hurricane, as Florida braces for ‘catastrophic storm surge’

Hurricane Idalia strengthened into an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm overnight.

According to the National Hurricane Center’s 5 a.m. advisory, Idalia is now moving northeast at 18 mph about 50 miles west of Cedar Key, and is on track to make landfall Wednesday morning in North Florida’s Big Bend region.

While forecasters say the storm still has a few more hours to intensify, Idalia currently has maximum sustained winds of 130 mph.

“Destructive life-threatening winds will occur 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,” the hurricane center said in the advisory. “Strong winds will also spread inland across portions of northern Florida and southern Georgia near the track of the center of Idalia where hurricane warnings are in effect. Residents in these areas should be prepared for long-duration power outages.”

The advisory also warned of “catastrophic storm surge” up to 12 to 16 feet between the border of Wakulla and Jefferson counties and Yankeetown in Levy County.

The advisory also stated that “life-threatening storm surge inundation” can occur in areas where a storm surge warnings are already in effect, which includes the Tampa Bay area.

As of now, forecasters say Tampa Bay could see between 4-6 feet of storm surge. Coastal areas in Hillsborough and Pinellas County are already seeing rising waters.

Besides being under a hurricane warning, the Tampa Bay area is also under a tornado  watch until 3 p.m, which means residents could see isolated gusts up to 75 mph, hail, and a “few tornados likely.”

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay will keep an updated list of local shelters, sandbag locations and closures here.

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This article appears in Aug 24-30, 2023.