Deadly Hurricane Idalia makes historic landfall as strongest storm to strike Florida’s Big Bend in 125 years
KEATON BEACH, Fla. – Raging Hurricane Idalia officially made an unprecedented and historic landfall Wednesday along Florida's Gulf Coast, blasting destructive winds, and catastrophic storm surge and flash flooding as power outages climbed to nearly 350,000 utility customers.
The Category 3 storm made landfall on the coast of Florida's Big Bend near Keaton Beach at 7:45 a.m. local time. With its 125 mph winds and significant flooding, it posed an immediate threat to lives and properties. The storm has now weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 85 mph. At last check, the center of Idalia had moved to the northeast at 20 mph and crossed into southern Georgia, where a Flash Flood Emergency was issued around Valdosta.
FLORIDA HURRICANE IDALIA TRACKER: LIVE RADAR UPDATES, POWER OUTAGES, WATCHES AND WARNINGS AND STORM SURGE
Watch: Powerful winds from Hurricane Idalia send trees, debris flying through the air in Perry, Florida
Dramatic video recorded in the eyewall of Hurricane Idalia shows trees and other debris flying through the air as the Category 3 hurricane was making landfall with 125 mph winds early Wednesday morning.
Two men died in separate rain-related crashes in Gainesville and Pasco County in Florida due to Idalia, the Florida Highway Patrol said. One man’s pickup truck swerved and crashed into a tree, while the other man lost control and hit a tree with his truck.
The FOX Forecast Center said Idalia was the strongest hurricane to strike the Big Bend area – especially near Cedar Key – in 125 years, dating back to an unnamed 1896 storm.
DRONE VIDEO REVEALS DAMAGE, FLOODING FROM HURRICANE IDALIA LANDFALL NEAR KEATON BEACH
(FOX Weather)
Reporting from inside Idalia's eyewall
During Idalia's landfall, an impressive convective burst and abundant lightning were seen within its eye wall.
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) released satellite images of the storm approaching Florida.
(CSU/CIRA & NOAA / FOX Weather)
Brian Emfinger, a storm chaser with Live Storms Media, experienced Idalia's landfall in Keaton Beach. He reported that the front of the eye wall contained strong winds. Although a wind gauge recorded a gust of 83 mph before toppling, Emfinger estimated gusts over 100 mph.
WATCH: VIDEO SHOWS HURRICANE IDALIA'S DANGEROUS STORM SURGE OVERWHELMING CLEARWATER, FLORIDA
Watch: Ferocious Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Keaton Beach, Florida
Dramatic video shows a massive storm surge and major flooding as Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Keaton Beach, Florida, early Wednesday morning with winds of 125 mph.
"There was pretty severe wind damage," Emfinger told FOX Weather, which included one home that lost its entire roof.
After the eye passed, the winds returned with even more ferocity, blowing onshore and bringing a wall of water with it. Emfinger noted that the storm surge arrived quickly with the back eyewall, rising several feet in just a few minutes.
Despite the town being flooded, Emfinger observed that the storm surge was less than forecasted.
Florida's streets flood as storm surge rises
Before the monstrous storm's arrival, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) cautioned that Idalia's storm surge could reach heights of 16 feet in some locations near the storm center.
Just after sunrise, Cedar Key, Florida, reported 6.07 feet of storm surge during astronomical low tide, and forecasters expect a higher value as Idalia churns more inland. This is the second-highest level ever observed behind Hurricane Hermine of 6.10 feet.
FOX WEATHER'S ROBERT RAY BLASTED WITH STRONG WINDS, FLOODING WHILE REPORTING ON HURRICANE IDALIA
On Wednesday morning, floodwater submerged a mobile home park in St. Petersburg. The National Guard dispatched over 100 soldiers and high-water vehicles to assist in affected counties.
Treasure Island was also covered in floodwaters as Idalia's storm surge pushed inland, and officials were still worried about waters rising during high tide around midday, with significant flooding is forecast to continue throughout the day.
Storm surge batters Treasure Island on Wednesday morning with numerous reports of flooding.
(@TresIslandFL / X)
Wettest day in nearly 23 years in Valdosta, Georgia
It wasn’t just the wind and storm surge, but torrential tropical rains led to life-threatening flooding in the Valdosta, Georgia area. The FOX Forecast Center said Wednesday was the wettest day in nearly 23 years in the town.
A Flash Flood Emergency – the most dire of flood warnings from the NWS – was issued for two counties around Valdosta where some homes were being evacuated due to flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee.
Over 5.5 inches of rain fell in Valdosta through 10:30 a.m. ET with heavy rains still falling as the center of Idalia passed within miles of town. Wind gusts reached 67 mph. At least another 1-2 inches of rain is expected.
DRAMATIC PHOTOS, VIDEO CAPTURE HURRICANE IDALIA'S HISTORIC LANDFALL IN FLORIDA
Hurricane Idalia uproots trees, destroys buildings in Valdosta, Georgia
It wasn’t just the wind and storm surge from Hurricane Idalia, but torrential tropical rains led to life-threatening flooding in the Valdosta, Georgia area. The FOX Forecast Center said Wednesday was the wettest day in nearly 23 years in the town.
Idalia causes power outages for nearly 350,000
As of the latest update, over 270,000 customers in Florida were experiencing power outages, with the majority of reports coming from Wakulla, Taylor, Dixie and Levy counties near landfall – areas where some residents decided to remain in their homes despite evacuation orders in at least 30 counties placed in a state of emergency.
Another 73,000 outages have been reported in Georgia.
Watch: Boathouse collapses due to effects of Hurricane Idalia
Video shows a boathouse collapsing during Hurricane Idalia in Steinhatchee, Florida on Wednesday, August 30, 2023.
Days leading up to Idalia's arrival, resources were prepositioned as President Joe Biden approved Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' request for a pre-landfall emergency declaration. Tolls were also suspended along several roadways to facilitate evacuation, and many schools and universities have closed.
Watch: Drone video gives bird's-eye view of destruction left behind after Hurricane Idalia
Drone video recorded in Keaton Beach, Florida, shows homes that were severely damaged and destroyed after Hurricane Idalia made landfall early Wednesday morning with winds of 125 mph.
Where is Hurricane Idalia headed next?
After lashing Florida’s Gulf Coast with threatening storm surge and extreme winds, Idalia rushed inland, triggering rare Extreme Wind Warnings for four counties north of the Bend, including a swath of Interstate 10.
Idalia roared into southern Georgia still threatening hurricane-force gusts. Valdosta and Savannah remained under Hurricane Warnings into Wednesday afternoon. Valdosta hit a gust of 67 mph, the FOX Forecast Center reports.
Idalia will move near southern South Carolina by Wednesday night threatening widespread tropical storm force winds across the coastal Carolinas into Thursday before the storm finally moves off into the Atlantic.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for the latest on Hurricane Idalia.
No comments: