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Tropical Storm Idalia was near the coast of Cuba on Monday and on a potential path to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday as a "significant" hurricane, forecasters say.
The storm was about 150 miles off the western tip of Cuba, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory issued at 4 a.m. CDT on Monday. The storm was stationary at the time, the hurricane center said.
Forecasters said they expect Idalia to become a hurricane on Monday and begin moving north towards Florida's Gulf coast. It is expected to be near or at major hurricane strength when it reaches the coast on Wednesday, according to the NHC.
Idalia could bring winds of up to 100 mph, said Jamie Rhome, the hurricane center's deputy director, making it a Category 2 hurricane.
"This is now forecast to be a very significant and impactful hurricane approaching the Florida peninsula," Rhome said of Idalia in a video briefing on Sunday.
Forecasters say the risk of "life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds" along parts of the western coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle is increasing. Storm surge and hurricane watches are in effect for those areas, and residents are being urged to monitor forecasts and follow advice from local officials.
Idalia could cause up to 11 feet of ocean water to surge on shore, raising fears of devastating flooding along a large stretch of Florida's west coast, Rhome said.
"It will not take a strong system or a direct hit to produce significant storm surge," he said in another briefing earlier on Sunday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Sunday that there was still uncertainty in the forecast but warned that those in the path of the storm should expect power outages.
"So please prepare for that, particularly if this storm ends up coming in the Tallahassee region, there's a lot trees that are going to get knocked down, the power lines are going to get knocked down. That is just going to happen, so just be prepared for that and be able to do what you need to do," he said during a briefing.
"If you are power dependent, particularly people who are elderly or who have medical needs, please plan on going to a shelter," he added.
DeSantis said that Florida has mobilized 1,100 National Guard members who "have at their disposal 2,400 high-water vehicles, as well as 12 aircraft that can be used for rescue and recovery efforts."
The Florida Division of Emergency Management urged Floridians to keep their vehicle gas tanks at least half-full in case evacuation orders are issued.
"This will ensure you can evacuate tens of miles inland to a safe location should the need arise," the agency said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
DeSantis on Saturday declared a state of emergency for most of the Gulf Coast ahead of the storm's arrival. The declaration covers 33 of the state's 67 counties.
The Republican governor canceled a day of presidential campaign appearances on Sunday to deal with crises at home as his state mourns the victims of a racist deadly shooting in Jacksonville and prepares for Idalia.
Earlier this month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season could be much worse than initially forecast.
The NOAA said it now predicts between 14 and 21 named storms over the six-month hurricane season ending on November 30, up from the May forecast of 12 to 17.
The new prediction says between six and 11 could become hurricanes, with two to five possibly becoming major hurricanes. An average year has 14 named storms.
The NHC has been contacted for further comment via email.
About the writer
Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on education and national news. Khaleda ... Read more