Currently — August 30, 2023: Idalia brings "catastrophic", "unprecedented" storm surge to Florida

The weather, currently.

Hurricane Idalia will make landfall Wednesday morning in Florida’s Big Bend region — becoming the first major hurricane to hit that region since records begin in 1851.

Idalia will bring "catastrophic", "unprecedented" storm surge to Florida, according to the National Weather Service. Maximum storm surge will be 10-15 feet in the Big Bend region between Tallahassee and the Tampa Bay area — with powerful waves on top that will be strong enough to scour away houses and buildings from immediate coastal regions. This region is exceptionally flat, both offshore and onshore, and Idalia could push the level of the ocean as much as 10 miles inland.

On Tuesday, the Florida Highway Patrol went door-to-door in areas of the Big Bend that are under mandatory evacuation, offering free rides inland. President Biden has already pre-approved a federal disaster declaration in anticipation of a long recovery process.

This link will provide a full radar loop of Hurricane Idalia’s approach and landfall in Florida.

—Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

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