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Hurricane Idalia has prompted a massive response in Florida and along the Southeast coast, with parts of more than 20 counties in the Sunshine State under evacuation orders or recommendations and resources rushing into place to prepare for the storm and its aftermath.
(MORE: The Latest Forecast For Hurricane Idalia | Maps Tracker)
Here's the very latest on the storm and how areas in its path are getting prepared. For Monday's live updates page, click here.
(2:09 p.m. ET) Busch Gardens Tampa And Adventure Island Close Doors For Idalia
The two theme parks have enacted their Named Storm Policy, suspending operations to ensure the safety of guests, animals and staff.
Busch Gardens Tampa will close at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, remain closed all of Wednesday and plans to reopen on Thursday. Adventure Island is closed from Tuesday to Thursday and plans to reopen on Friday.
Visitors with trips that have been impacted by closures can request a Weather-or-Not Assurance ticket within one week of their visit to either park.
Busch Gardens Tampa and Adventure Island are both located in Hillsborough County, where a state of emergency and mandatory evacuations are currently in effect.
(1:50 p.m. ET) Georgia Declares State Of Emergency
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has issued a state of emergency for all of Georgia, his office said in a press release.
"We are taking every precaution ahead of Hurricane Idalia's landfall tomorrow, and I am taking this additional executive action to ensure state assets are ready to respond,” Kemp said in the press release.
Hurricane Idalia is expected to bring heavy rainfall and damaging winds throughout southeast Georgia late on Wednesday. Seven counties in the state are currently under a hurricane warning and two counties are under a hurricane watch.
(1:35 p.m. ET) What To Know About Flood And Homeowners Insurance
Here are some insurance tips to keep in mind while preparing for a hurricane:
1. Storm surge damage is not covered by homeowners insurance. You will need a separate flood policy for flood waters over the ground.
2. Flood insurance policies usually take at least 30 days to go into effect, so last minute changes may not be covered.
3. Most homeowners insurance will cover structural damage from things like fallen trees and rain.
4. If you live in a high-risk area, your insurance policy might have a separate “hurricane deductible” for named storms.
5. Some coastal areas may require a wind damage policy on top of homeowners and flood insurance.
(1:04 p.m. ET) ‘You Just Kind Of Cross Your Fingers’
One restaurant in Clearwater Beach is making final preparations as Hurricane Idalia heads towards the Florida Coast.
Chris Tiemeier, general manager of Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, describes moving foods out of freezers, pulling furniture indoors and putting up boards to protect the restaurant.
The restaurant is only a couple of feet above sea level in an area that is expected to see four to seven feet of storm surge on Wednesday if the peak surge coincides with high tide.
“You just kind of cross your fingers,” Tiemeier said during a live interview with The Weather Channel. “We picked everything off the floor and put it on tables inside the restaurant. If it comes it comes.”
Click here to watch the full interview.
(12:45 p.m. ET) FAA Closing Gulf Routes As Idalia Strengthens
The Federal Aviation Administration has started rerouting flights and closing routes in the Gulf of Mexico as Idalia approaches and continues to strengthen. They are likely to pause flights at Palm Beach, Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports as weather conditions deteriorate.
Flight cancellations continue out of airports in Idalia’s projected path, including airports along Florida’s southern and west coasts as well as Atlanta and Charlotte.
(12:03 p.m. ET) 49 Florida Counties Under Emergency Declarations
A state of emergency has been declared in 49 Florida counties ahead of Hurricane Idalia’s expected landfall on Wednesday, according to a press release.
That’s just under 75 percent of Florida’s 67 total counties that are now under emergency declarations.
For how to find out whether you live in one of Florida’s evacuation zones, click here.
(11:48 a.m. ET) Florida Gas Stations Starting To Run Low on Fuel
Gas stations are starting to run low on fuel in towns near Hurricane Idalia’s predicted path as well as along evacuation routes. GasBuddy.com’s outage tracker shows several stations in the Tampa, Clearwater, and Gainesville areas with “limited fuel” options or no fuel at all as people gas up their vehicles and fill gas cans for their generators.
(11:02 a.m. ET) North Carolina Declares State Of Emergency
North Carolina has declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Idalia, according to a press release.
“We are continuing to monitor Idalia’s course and its potential impacts on our state and it’s critical to make sure we are fully prepared,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in the release.
Residents are advised to gather emergency kits and prepare for the storm before it is too late. Other tips to stay prepared include having multiple ways to receive emergency information, making an emergency plan and checking whether you live in a coastal evacuation zone.
Areas along the North Carolina coast should start to feel tropical storm force winds late Wednesday, with peak impacts likely occurring between late Wednesday to Thursday.
(10:35 a.m. ET) Cedar Key Bridges Not Expected To Withstand Idalia
Residents and business owners are boarding up and heading out of Cedar Key, Florida, a tiny island town currently in the direct path of Hurricane Idalia. Officials have warned the bridges are not expected to withstand the storm surge and emergency help may not be able to reach the island.
The closest general and pet-friendly shelter is at Bronson Middle/High School and the closest special needs shelter is at Bronson Elementary School. Cedar Key is home to about 700 people and has one K-12 public school.
(10:00 a.m. ET) How Will Idalia Affect Georgia, South Carolina?
Tropical storm warnings are in place in parts of southeast Georgia and tropical storm watches currently extend from the state’s central coast up through coastal parts of South Carolina.
Tropical storm force winds are expected in areas around Charleston by late Wednesday. Areas along the coast may see some storm surge flooding as well as chances for regular flooding and tornadoes.
“This is going to be a very impactful storm as it moves its way inland, even though it’s going to overall lose a lot of its wind strength,” said weather.com meteorologist Ari Sarsalari.
Click here to watch the latest forecast.
(9:38 a.m. ET) Photos: Idalia Brings Flooding To Cuba
Streets are flooded after Idalia approached Cuba as a tropical storm on Monday. The National Hurricane Center forecasted four to seven inches of rain, with localized totals up to 10 inches. The storm hit the westernmost part of Cuba hardest, including the province of Pinar del Rio, which is still recovering from Hurricane Ian's blow last year.
Here are new images out of Cuba:
An old American car drives through a flooded street in Havana, Cuba, on Aug. 29, 2023, during the passage of Tropical Storm Idalia, before the storm became a hurricane. (Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images)
(9:19 a.m. ET) Air Travel Update: Airports Closed, Hundreds Of Flights Canceled
Hundreds of flights have been canceled into and out of Florida for today and tomorrow. Tampa Bay International Airport has already closed and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport will close at 3 p.m.
United Airlines has added additional flights out of Orlando and Sarasota to help Idalia evacuees leave the area. United and other airlines, including American, are also offering free rebooking of flights affected by the incoming storm.
The FAA cautioned that high winds and thunderstorms will likely impact airports in Naples, Fort Myers, Orlando and Gainesville as Idalia makes its way through the state.
(8:50 a.m. ET) One Part Of Idalia Preparation You Didn’t Think About
One thing that might not be top of mind when getting ready for a tropical cyclone is giving blood. But this is the key time to donate, as collections can be disrupted at blood banks for days after a storm.
You can learn more about it here.
(8:25 a.m. ET) Idalia Could Be Unprecedented For Apalachee Bay
If Hurricane Idalia were to make landfall in Apalachee Bay as a major hurricane, it would be the first time since record-keeping began in 1851. As a result, the National Weather Service’s Tallahassee office explicitly stated the importance of getting ready for the storm and evacuating when told.
"You need to complete your preparations today if you live in the Florida big bend," a forecast discussion read. "Don’t mess around with this. Follow the advice of your local emergency management."
(8 a.m. ET) Flooding, Outages Reported In Cuba
People walk in a flooded area of Batabano, Mayabeque Province, Cuba, on Aug. 28, 2023, as Tropical Storm Idalia approaches the western tip of the island nation.
(Photo by YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)Idalia brushed western Cuba Monday night as it strengthened and moved northward. The storm's rain and winds were strong enough to trigger flooding and power outages in several towns, including in the province of Pinar del Rio, which is still recovering from Hurricane Ian's damaging blow last September.
It wasn't immediately clear how many people were hurt by the storm's brush with western Cuba, or if there were any deaths.
(7:15 a.m. ET) Florida EMA Director: 'I Hope People Aren't Dropping Their Guard'
Speaking with The Weather Channel storm tracker Jim Cantore this morning, Kevin Guthrie, the director of the Florida Emergency Management Agency, said he fears the slow development of Idalia into a hurricane might have some Florida residents falsely thinking the storm won't rapidly intensify after all.
"I am concerned and I hope people aren’t dropping their guard," he said.
Guthrie added that he's concerned about the inland impacts from the hurricane as well, especially in areas with dense tree cover in northern parts of the state.
(6:30 a.m. ET) Where Is Jim Cantore Today?
It's a top search trend – where is The Weather Channel storm tracker Jim Cantore headed for Hurricane Idalia coverage? This morning, he'll be reporting live from Cedar Key, Florida, southwest of Gainesville along the Big Bend.
"Where I'm standing is going to be under quite a lot of water, actually," he said during a live report this morning.
See more of Cantore's live reporting from this morning.
(5:30 a.m. ET) Preparations Should Be Completed This Morning, NWS Says
The National Weather Service's Tampa Bay office urged Florida residents in the path of the storm to finish preparations for Idalia this morning, because the storm's wind and rain were expected to begin hitting the coastline tonight.
"You should be wrapping up your preparation for #TropicalStormIdalia tonight and Tues morning at the latest," the office said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Gov. Ron DeSantis warned that the state was expecting a "major impact" to the state from the hurricane.
"The property – we can rebuild someone’s home," he told reporters yesterday. "You can’t unring the bell, though, if somebody stays in harm’s way and does battle with Mother Nature."
(5 a.m. ET) Idalia Is Now A Hurricane
As expected, Idalia officially strengthened into a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph this morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is now about 85 miles north of the western tip of Cuba with nothing but open water that's ripe for strengthening today.
Here's the forecast cone as of the 5 a.m. ET advisory:
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