Florida targeted: Idalia will hit gulf coast as major hurricane
Tropical storm Idalia took shape over the weekend and is on track to hit major hurricane status in time for a Florida landfall, the US National Hurricane Center has warned.
Idalia is now set to “strengthen rapidly” in the 12- to 36-hour time frame to become a major hurricane ahead of a landfall currently estimated to hit the middle of the Florida Gulf coast, chiefly a low population density region, albeit butted up to the Tampa Bay area. The current forecast track runs across Florida, then follows the Atlantic coast up through the states of Georgia, South Caroline and North Carolina.
Hurricane warnings are already in effect for the full coastline running from points just south of Tampa Bay on the peninsula northwards to the mid-way point of the panhandle, directly southwest of Tallahassee. Hurricane Watches cover points further south on the peninsula.
The anticipated landfall region is considered “highly susceptible to storm surge,” NHC analysts warned. Storm surge warnings and watches cover the vast bulk of the Florida Gulf coast.
The tropical depression grew to Tropical Storm status as of 10:15AM central time on Sunday (August 27) while still in the open Caribbean ESE of the Yucatan peninsula, well SSE of Cuba.
But researchers had already known that the system would hit hurricane status and target Florida. Eventual hurricane status had been forecast already the day prior.
At last measure, Idalia was traveling nearly due north at 8 mph (13 km/h) about 55 miles (90 km) north of the western tip of Cuba. Maximum sustained winds were estimated at 70 mph (110 km/h).
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