Idalia strengthens over Gulf of Mexico and is now predicted to hit Florida as Category 4 hurricane

On Tuesday, residents living in vulnerable coastal areas of Florida were ordered to pack up and leave. Hurricane Idalia gained strength in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, posing a threat of life-threatening storm surges and heavy rainfall.

Idalia also pounded Cuba with heavy rains on Monday and Tuesday, leaving the residents of Rio del Pinar, a tobacco-growing province, without electricity and submerged underwater.

Hurricane Idalia had strengthened to a Category 2 system by Tuesday afternoon, with sustained winds of at least 110 mph (177 kph). The hurricane was projected to come ashore early Wednesday evening in the lightly populated Big Bend region of the Florida Panhandle, where it could be a big blow and result in lingering damage from Hurricane Ian’s last year.

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee has not recorded any major hurricanes passing through the bay adjacent to Big Bend since an unprecedented “event” known as Idalia.

More than 900 residents, who were under mandatory evacuation orders, received a message to evacuate as a storm surge could surge as high as 15 feet. Troopers went door to door warning residents, and Sue Colson, the Commissioner of Cedar Key, along with other city officials, packed up electronics and documents at City Hall.

“One term: Depart,” Colson stated. “It’s not a matter to debate.”

Governor Ron DeSantis reiterated the caution during a press briefing held in the afternoon.

The governor earlier emphasized that the residents don’t necessarily need to leave the state, but they should consider moving to a higher ground for safety. He said, “The time is now. You really gotta go.”

“You can weather the storm in that area, then return to your residence,” he stated.

Over the course of nearly two decades of ownership, the building has remained unaffected by flooding, even during the occurrence of Hurricane Hermine that inundated the city in 2016. Andy Bair, the proprietor of the Island Hotel, expressed his commitment to carefully oversee his historical bed-and-breakfast, which dates back to the era prior to the Civil War. However, not all individuals were adhering to the cautionary advice.

Bair said, “We may be a little uncomfortable for a couple of days, but eventually we’ll be okay. We’re not going away to wash again, and we’ve proven that over time.” “I just feel like I need to be here,” said Cedar Key, being the caretaker of the oldest building.

Approximately 5,500 National Guard troops were deployed. More than 30,000 utility workers assembled to swiftly carry out repairs in the aftermath of the hurricane. Prepared hotels and open shelters provided refuge for evacuees. Toll fees were waived for highways leading out of the affected region.

A storm surge measuring 7 feet (equivalent to 2.1 meters) could potentially raise worries about the possibility of relocating 60 patients from a hospital situated in Tarpon Springs, a coastal town located to the northwest of Tampa.

On Tuesday afternoon, the initial squalls of Idalia were being experienced along the southwestern coast of Florida, including the Florida Keys. Hundreds of people watched the increasingly choppy waters from the safety of the sandy beach in Clearwater, while children skimmed the surf and workers boarded up windows of beachside T-shirt shops and bars.

On Thursday, Idalia is predicted to traverse the Florida peninsula and subsequently saturate southern Georgia and the Carolinas after making landfall in the Big Bend region. Declarations of a state of emergency were made by both Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, thereby liberating state assets and personnel, including numerous National Guard troops.

“Expressed Russell Guess, who was filling up the fuel tank on his vehicle in Valdosta, Georgia, “We will be ready to the utmost of our capabilities.” His colleagues at Cunningham Tree Service were doing the identical. “There will be trees on individuals’ residences, trees obstructing power lines.”

At 11 p.M. EDT on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center reported that Idalia was heading north at a speed of 18 mph (29 kph) and was approximately 125 miles (201 kilometers) to the west of Tampa.

Meanwhile, in Cuba, Idalia left over 60% of the residents in Pinar del Rio without electricity, as reported by state media.

In a meeting with government officials on Tuesday, President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated, “Gather whatever can be gathered from the crops and get ready for additional precipitation. Monitor the agricultural sector closely, as restoring power and communication takes precedence.”

More than half of the province experienced a power outage. Over 10,000 people had to evacuate and seek shelter as heavy rainfall of 10 inches (or 4 centimeters) occurred, with many staying with relatives and friends.

The official media did not report any fatalities or significant destruction.

Idalia will be the first hurricane to hit Florida this season, but it’s only the latest natural disaster in a summer of wildfires, including those in Greece, Canada, and Hawaii.

Evacuation alerts were distributed in 22 counties, including compulsory directives for certain individuals in eight of those counties, as a significant portion of Florida’s western coastline faced the potential danger of storm surges and floods. The evacuation notices primarily targeted individuals residing in mobile homes, manufactured homes, recreational vehicles, or boats, as well as those who could be at risk during a power disruption.

The University State of Florida in Tallahassee said that its campus would be closed through Friday. Additionally, several universities and colleges, including the University of Florida in Gainesville, were closed. Many school districts along the Gulf Coast were also to be closed at least through Wednesday.

Alliance Launch United stated on Tuesday that the launch of the rocket carrying satellites for U.S. Defense and intelligence agencies was delayed. The launch was planned to take place close to Busch Gardens, a theme park in Tampa Bay, Florida. In order to ensure the safety of aircraft, several aircraft were sent to safer locations and operations at MacDill Air Force Base and the two largest commercial airports in the region were halted.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden sat down in the Oval Office for a meeting with Rodrigo Chaves, the President of Costa Rica. During the meeting, the topic of conversation turned to the hurricane, and President Biden mentioned that he had spoken to Governor DeSantis and “given him all the necessary resources.”

Last year, Ian was held accountable for nearly 150 fatalities, as he was responsible for damaging 52,000 structures, with around 20,000 of them being completely destroyed or extensively damaged.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently stated that the 2023 hurricane season is expected to be busier than initially forecasted due to the extremely warm ocean temperatures, with peak activity typically occurring in September and August and lasting through November.

Since 1955, the National Weather Service has retired the names of 13 Atlantic storms that began with the letter “I” due to concerns expressed by Floridians about the name Idalia. It would be insensitive to use that name again, especially when a storm causes significant destruction or loss of life.

Another worry was the existence of an uncommon azure supermoon, which can result in tides that are higher than usual.

Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami, stated that if a storm surge arrived during high tide, the water level would be even higher, providing some relief. It was expected that Cedar Key would experience low tide shortly after sunrise on Wednesday, a few hours before the forecasted landfall of Hurricane Idalia.