Hurricane Idalia timeline tracker: When and where to expect impacts in Florida as dangerous storm moves inland
Parts of Florida are under Hurricane Warnings, Storm Surge Warnings and Tropical Storm Warnings with catastrophic impacts already being felt. Life-threatening storm surge up to 15 feet is forecast.
Hurricane Idalia makes historic landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida
Hurricane Idalia smashed into Florida's Big Bend as a major category 3 hurricane Wednesday, bringing 125 mph wind and life-threatening storm surge several feet deep.
As of Wednesday at 7:45 AM, Hurricane Idalia has made a historic landfall in Florida near Keaton Beach as a Category 3 storm. Continuous coverage of Hurricane Idalia has moved here.
Hurricane Idalia has made a historic landfall in Florida's Big Bend Wednesday morning as a powerful Category 3 hurricane after it spent Tuesday night rapidly intensifying into a Category 4 hurricane.
The storm reached Keaton Beach, Florida at 7:45 a.m. ET with gusts of 125 mph and sending feet of storm surge into coastal communities.
Damaging winds, flooding rains and life-threatening storm surges are likely to continue along Florida's Big Bend area into the midday hours. After slamming Florida, the storm will race northeast and bring rain, wind, and some storm surge to Georgia and the Carolinas late Wednesday into Thursday.
To provide historical context, there have been no major hurricanes tracked into Apalachee Bay since records have been kept in 1851, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.
Several Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings remain in the Southeast as Idalia continues its trek toward the Atlantic.
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Where is Hurricane Idalia heading next?
Idalia is expected to continue to move at a faster north motion later on Wednesday as it races into southeastern Georgia, then curves back along the South Carolina and North Carolina beaches into Thursday before reaching the Atlantic.
Life-threatening winds and heavy rains will come in ahead of the storm.
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Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin on Wednesday in the warning area along the east coast of Florida and South Carolina. Tropical storm conditions are also possible along the southeast U.S. coast within the southern portions of the watch area by early Wednesday.
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When will the tornado risk increase for Florida and the Southeast?
The tornado threat holds through Wednesday across much of northern Florida and into southeastern Georgia, and coastal South and North Carolina.
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When will heavy rains arrive?
Portions of the west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle, southeast Georgia and the eastern Carolinas are expected to see 4-8 inches into Thursday. Isolated higher totals of 12 inches are possible, primarily near landfall in northern Florida.
Areas of flash and urban flooding, some of which may be locally significant, are expected across portions of the west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle, and southern Georgia into Wednesday, spreading into portions of the eastern Carolinas Wednesday into Thursday.