The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a series of warnings and alerts Sunday and Monday as hurricanes and tropical storms ramp up throughout the southeastern U.S.
“The moment to prepare is now!” NWS’ Tampa Bay Twitter account wrote in a post Sunday evening. Accompanying the warning was a weather map, showing a region from Chiefland to Sarasota, Florida, under a hurricane watch. A portion of the state further south and inland — from Lakeland to Fort Myers — was also placed under a Tropical Storm watch.
⚠️Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches in Effect🌀
Tropical Storm and Hurricane conditions are possible mainly Tuesday into Wednesday this week.
The moment to prepare is now! Stay tuned to the forecast! #FLwx #Idalia #HurricaneReady pic.twitter.com/BRYV1fTazv— NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) August 27, 2023
The warning is in effect from Tuesday through Wednesday at least, as Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to turn into “a major hurricane” as it makes landfall just north of Tampa on Wednesday, according to meteorologist Reed Timmer. A CBS Miami meteorologist shared radar imagery of the weather system, which appears to be rapidly moving northwards through the Gulf and could become a Category 3 storm when it hits the U.S.
The National Hurricane Center said Idalia poses potentially “life-threatening” conditions, and could move up through Florida, to Georgia and the eastern Carolinas by Thursday. Residents across these areas are being told to keep up-to-date with all ongoing forecasts for any sudden changes. (RELATED: Four Major ‘Disturbances’ Arise In The Atlantic, One Poised To Regain Energy Near US Coast)
Sarasota and Tallahassee are expected to get hit the hardest by a “dangerous storm surge, flooding, [and] destructive winds,” Florida Storms reported. Tornadoes are also possible throughout the event, according to MyRadar Weather.