The National Hurricane Center announced Wednesday morning that Hurricane Idalia reached Category 3 strength as it made landfall in Florida.
Winds from Hurricane Idalia reached an estimated 125 mph as the system made landfall in Big Bend, Florida, early Wednesday morning, bringing catastrophic storm surges and other threats to the local population and infrastructure, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced at 7:00 am (eastern time).
The storm surge is anticipated to reach 12 to 16 feet above ground level and will be accompanied by destructive waves, according to the NHC’s key messages. Life-threatening and highly destructive winds are also expected when Idalia moves onshore.
🚨#BREAKING: Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Florida’s Big Bend Northwest coast region as a 125 mph category high end 3 hurricane with Catastrophic storm surge and damaging winds ongoing. pic.twitter.com/o7EiusQMMB
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) August 30, 2023
An “extreme wind warning” was put in effect for Steinhatchee, Horseshoe Beach and Dekle Beach, Florida, with locals being told to treat the winds as if they were a tornado, the National Weather Service’s Tallahassee account noted. Locals were told to move to an interior room in their home immediately.
Major storm surge in Cedar Key, FL from Hurricane Idalia pic.twitter.com/IP9Bk0ourv
— Reed Timmer, PhD (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 30, 2023
Flash flooding, urban flooding, and moderate river flooding with the risk of “considerable impacts” are also forecast for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and eastern North Carolina through Thursday, NHC added. (RELATED: Massive Hazard Warnings Issued From Florida To The Carolinas Over Two Major Storm Systems)
Hurricane Franklin isn’t making things much easier, as it also appears to be pushing life-threatening surf and rip currents up the east coast of the U.S., NHC added. A new tropical depression was also noted in the Atlantic, currently named “Tropical Depression Eleven,” though it is not currently forecast to make a significant impact on the U.S.