IDALIA UPDATES: Idalia is gone, but her impact remains

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — As Hurricane Idalia impacts Florida, this post will be updated with new information. You can find weather videos here and you can track Idalia here in the WTXL Hurricane Center and find weather alerts for where you live.

1 p.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Idalia does damage in Perry, Florida

12:15 p.m. , Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Idalia impacts Bradenton, Florida

12:10 p.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Idalia topples Florida gas station awning

9:03 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023

9:01 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023

8:45 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023

8:41 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023

8:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023

8:20 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida as a dangerous Category 3 storm, unleashing life-threatening storm surges and rainfall. Idalia came ashore in the lightly populated Big Bend region, where the Florida Panhandle curves into the peninsula. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee called Idalia “an unprecedented event” since no major hurricanes on record have ever passed through the bay abutting the Big Bend.

7:45 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a powerful Category 3 storm, packing top winds of 125 mph. It made landfall around Keaton Beach, Florida, at 7:45 a.m. ET.

7 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023

6:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023

12 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023

11 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

10:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Evacuees hunker down at Florida hotel as Idalia approaches

10 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Florida braces for Hurricane Idalia

10 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Steinhatchee, Florida the night before Idalia arrives

9 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Hour-by-hour forecast for Hurricane Idalia

8:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023
A 9 p.m. curfew will go into effect Wednesday in Thomasville and Thomas County, Georgia.

8 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023
At 8 p.m., the storm was located about 245 miles south of Tallahassee, Florida. Idalia had maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour and was moving to the north at 16 miles per hour.

7:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023
As the state of Florida braces for Hurricane Idalia, crews are working to restore power to areas as the storm approaches the coast. Click here to find the latest updates from power companies across the area, along with how to contact them to report an outage.

5:20 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Lafayette County’s hurricane shelter will not be open due to higher than expected winds.

5 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Hurricane Idalia strengthened to a Category 2 storm with 100 mph (155 kph) winds on Tuesday as it barreled toward Florida’s Gulf Coast. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Idalia is expected to become a major hurricane Tuesday night before it reaches the Big Bend, and is still likely to be a hurricane while moving across southern Georgia on Wednesday.

4:45 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

A Tallahassee hospital is limiting the number of visitors to one visitor per patient due to the approaching Hurricane Idalia.

4:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Due to Hurricane Idalia, all courts in the Second Judicial Circuit (Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties) will be closed Wednesday, August 30, 2023. At this time, only courts in Franklin County, Jefferson County, Leon County, and Wakulla County will be closed Thursday, August 31, 2023. The Court has established remote procedures for certain essential court functions, such as First Appearance for Wednesday, August 30th and Thursday, August 31st . Notifications related to any additional closures will be posted on the Second Judicial Circuit website. See the link below. https:\\2ndcircuit.leoncountyfl.gov

3:50 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

3:40 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

2:35 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Leon County School leaders have made the decision to keep schools closed on Thursday. Learn more in the video below:

2:25 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

• Gadsden County shelter locations will be opening today August 29, 2023 at the following locations:
• West Gadsden Middle School@ 200 Providence Rd in Greensboro
• East Gadsden High School @ 27001 Blue Star Hwy Havana Fl. 32333
• (Special Needs Shelter) East Gadsden High School @ 27001 Blue Star Hwy Havana Fl. 32333

Please only bring essentials items:
Oxygen tanks
Nebulizers
Medications
Sleeping Bags or small air mattress
Blankets
Pillows
Any special Snacks or food
Personal Hygeine
Pets(In cage with their food)

No microwaves
No air fryers
No toaster ovens

1:50 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Leon County Schools will be opening shelters beginning at 5:00 pm at Sail, Godby and Fairview in addition to those already announced.

1:35 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Leon County is issuinga mandatory evacuation for residents of mobile and manufactured homes due to the increasing likelihood of hurricane-force winds. Residents of mobile and manufactured homes within Leon County are required to evacuate from such housing by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. The mandatory evacuation is effective immediately for all Leon County residents until the storm passes, at which time residents should shelter in place until winds subside. Shelter information can be found at www.LeonCountyFL.gov/ei or by calling (850) 606-3700.

1:15 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

The Tallahassee International Airport announced it will close at 11 p.m., Tuesday, August 29, ahead of Hurricane Idaila. Normal operations were scheduled to resume Thursday morning.

1:05 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

The shelter at the Taylor County Elementary School will be closed due to recent weather updates.

1:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Governor Brian P. Kemp today issued a State of Emergency order for all of Georgia in preparation for Hurricane Idalia's anticipated impact later this week. Currently, the storm system is expected to move through the state Wednesday, bringing heavy rainfall and damaging winds throughout Southeast Georgia. The State of Emergency went into effect upon the governor's signature today, August 29, and will expire at 11:59pm on Friday, September 8, 2023.

This latest executive action related to Hurricane Idalia follows the activation of the State Operations Center on Monday morning, ensuring all relevant state, local, and federal agencies are closely coordinating on storm preparations and response.

12:15 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Hurricane Idalia continued to make its way toward Florida Tuesday afternoon as a Category 1 storm, however, the storm is expected to intensify to a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

"Thebiggest communication I can possibly send to you today is that the impacts are going to be much more widespread than just this cone. The cone is important for landfall and where that hurricane eventually lands. On the eastern side, that will be the biggest impact, but we'll still have widespread impacts across our area."

11:15 a.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Hurricane Idalia is currentlya Category 1 hurricane over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Sustained winds are now 85 mph with higher gusts. It has picked up forward speed and is moving north at 14 mph. As the storm moves over warmer water in the Gulf, strengthening is expected to continue. What is now a Category 1 Hurricane Idalia is forecast to become a major Category 3 hurricane before landfall Wednesday morning.

9:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging people along a wide stretch of Florida's Gulf Coast to make their final preparations before Hurricane Idalia makes landfall. The hurricane is now forecast to become an extremely dangerous Category 3 storm, pushing a storm surge of up to 12 feet. Residents from Tampa Bay north through the Big Bend area have been loading up on sandbags and evacuated from low-lying areas. The National Hurricane Center projects Idalia could power up to 120 mph and strike hard in a state still dealing with lingering damage from last year’s Hurricane Ian.

“You still have time this morning to make your final preparations ... but you gotta do that now.” Gov. Ron DeSantis announced at the state’s emergency operations center. Tolls have been waived on highways out of the danger area, shelters have opened, hotels are prepared to take evacuees and more than 30,000 utility workers are being staged to make repairs as quickly as possible in the hurricane's wake, he said.

“You do not have to leave the state. You don’t have to drive hundreds of miles. You have to get to higher ground in a safe structure. You can ride the storm out there, then go back to your home,” DeSantis said.

9:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Idalia thrashed Cuba with heavy rain, especially in the westernmost part of the island, where the tobacco-producing province of Pinar del Rio is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian.

Residents were evacuated to friends’ and relatives’ homes as up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain fell, meteorological stations reported.

Ramon Espinosa/AP

8 a.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Hurricane Idalia is currently a Category 1 hurricane over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Sustained winds are now 80 mph with higher gusts. It has picked up forward speed and is moving north at 14 mph.