Idalia surges toward Florida as a major hurricane

TAMPA, Fla. (CN) — Millions of residents on Florida’s west coast faced evacuation orders on Tuesday as a major hurricane barreled toward them in the first storm to hit the state this year.

As of late Tuesday morning, Hurricane Idalia’s center was about 275 miles southwest of Tampa, moving north at 14 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane had sustained winds of 85 mph — making it a Category 1 storm — but is expected to rapidly intensify.

By the time Hurricane Idalia hits the Gulf Coast of Florida on Wednesday morning, it could be a Category 3 storm with winds of up to 120 mph.

The NHC anticipates the hurricane will hit the Big Bend region of Florida, a rural portion of the state that has not seen a major hurricane in over 100 years.

A huge swath of the state’s west coast is under a hurricane warning, from Sarasota County to Franklin County, which contains the state capital. Emergency officials stressed the threat of storm surge is significant — up to 12 feet in some areas — amplified by higher-than-normal tides influenced by a rare super blue moon. Twenty-two counties have evacuation orders for those living on the coast or in mobile home parks.

“You run from the water and you hide from the wind,” Governor Ron DeSantis said during a briefing on Tuesday. “Please heed those orders.”

“I think everyone on the Gulf Coast should be vigilant,” said the Republican governor, who took a break from campaigning for president this week in anticipation of the storm. “Even if your family is not in the forecast zone, you are not safe.”

County officials also latched on to that theme.

“The cone does not tell you the potential damage the storm can do,” said Cathie Perkins, director of Pinellas County Emergency Management. “We are concerned in Pinellas County about the life-threatening storm surge of up to 7 feet.”

Those concerns prompted St. Pete Beach resident Kathleen Broadmoor to board up her home and head to a nearby family member’s home.

“I just remember seeing last year those homes on Fort Myers Beach that had water up to their roofs,” Broadmoor said. “I live alone and I don’t want to worry about that while I go to sleep tonight.”

The memories of last year’s devastating Hurricane Ian loomed over public officials and residents this year. That storm, which made landfall near Fort Myers Beach with winds of 155 mph, was one of the worst to hit the state in modern times. Ian caused 149 deaths and hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. Many communities have yet to fully recover.

The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay told residents to “wrap up preparations” as tropical force winds and rain will begin pelting the west coast this afternoon.

Schools are closed in the affected areas through Wednesday. Tampa International Airport has already ceased operations, as have other smaller airports along the coast. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration announced the agency may pause flights in and out of airports in south Florida. Power companies throughout the state are mobilizing resources ahead of the potential for massive power outages.

On Monday, President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration that authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin coordinating disaster relief efforts.

“The president spoke to Governor DeSantis and told him he quickly approved the emergency declaration for Florida,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at a Monday briefing. “The president also expressed the administration’s full commitment and support to Florida.”

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