Hurricane Idalia is expected to become a major hurricane as it approaches and moves through the Florida coast Wednesday. ►Tracking Idalia: The latest maps, models and pathsTRACKING IDALIA Once over land, Idalia will begin to weaken. The center of the remaining tropical system will track near the Atlantic coast from Georgia to North Carolina Wednesday into Thursday.►Download the Very Local app for updates on the coming storm KEY THINGS TO KNOW ►Hurricane Warnings, Watches and Storm Surge Warnings have been issued in Florida ►North Carolina, South Carolina are under a ‘State of Emergency’►Look for live updates from WXII 12 News crews along the North Carolina coast ►Get the latest Severe Weather Alerts for your area LIVE BEACH CAMERAS ►Check out live beach cameras in Florida ►Check out live beach cameras in North Carolina, South Carolina Keep reading below for the latest updates as we track Idalia. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3012:15 p.m. – Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and emergency officials held a briefing this morning warning of the possible dangers of the hurricane. “The threat is real, the threat is real, so we can expect the conditions to deteriorate throughout the day. We can expect around 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock this starts getting really, really bad for the area, and it will continue into the night time hours,” said Dennis Jones with Chatham Emergency Management. Savannah is under a state of emergency.12:00 p.m. – Video shows people using kayaks and paddleboards to travel through flooded streets in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis is warning people not to drive in the floodwater. A flood watch is in place until Thursday morning because a higher-than-normal tide is expected.10:30 a.m. – Hurricane Idalia is now headed toward the southern part of Georgia after passing through Tallahassee, Florida. The National Weather Service says that storm-force winds of 39 mph with a gust of 63 mph have been reported at the airport in Valdosta, Georgia.9:25 a.m.: Businesses along the North Carolina coast prepare for the impact of Hurricane Idalia as it heads further north after making landfall in Florida. In New Hanover County, residents and visitors saw torrential downpours, and Emergency Management partially activated their emergency operations.7:45 a.m. – Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Keaton Beach, FL, as a Category 3 Hurricane. Officials report winds at 125 mph.7:10 a.m. – Hurricane Idalia has not yet made landfall, but has gone back down to a Category 3 storm. 5:30 a.m. – Hurricane Idalia has strengthened to a dangerous Category 4 storm. Authorities said the storm is set to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday morning. North Carolina coast residents are also preparing for the storm. TUESDAY, AUG. 2910:30 p.m. – People along the Carolinas are gearing up for Idalia. WXII 12’s Kara Peters has an update from Wilmington. 9 p.m. – Gusty winds will start to ramp up Wednesday night, with the strongest gusts of 40-55 mph possible along the North Carolina coast Thursday as Idalia makes its closest approach.8:49 p.m. – Hurricane Idalia is nearing major hurricane strength as it moves through the eastern Gulf towards Florida.8:30 p.m. – Heavy rain and tropical storm force winds may impact parts of North Carolina from Raleigh toward the coast by late Wednesday.8:15 p.m. – The forecast models have consistently weakened Hurricane Idalia to a Tropical Storm along the beaches of Georgia and South Carolina before Idalia is steered offshore near Oak Island and Wrightsville Beach. 8 p.m. – Charlotte Motor Speedway is opening up its site to Idalia evacuees.7:55 p.m. – Coastal inundation of 1-3’ is possible for areas of Cape Fear, especially during high tide on Wed. and Thurs. 7 p.m. – Heavy rain and tropical storm force winds may impact parts of the North Carolina coast by late Wednesday.5:47 p.m. – The threat of a few tornadoes has increased, and the SPC has placed southeast NC under a Slight Risk for severe storms Wednesday evening through Thursday.5:45 p.m. – NOAA takes flight to get a closer look at Idalia’s eye on the aircraft that’s named Miss Piggy. 5:40 p.m. – More than 400 Red Cross disaster responders are ready to help, and truckloads of supplies have been pre-positioned to provide relief to people impacted by Hurricane Idalia. 5:38 p.m. – Check out the views from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida.5:33 p.m. – A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the majority of the North Carolina coast, with some Tropical Storm Warnings for areas along the coast, including Wilmington. 5:15 p.m. – A Flood Alert has been issued for the locations shown on the map. 5:10 p.m. – Catastrophic impacts from storm surge inundation of 10 to 15 feet above ground level and destructive waves are expected somewhere between Aucilla River and Yankeetown, Florida.5:05 p.m. – Areas of flash, urban, and moderate river flooding, with locally considerable impacts, are expected across the Florida Big Bend, central Georgia and South Carolina, through eastern North Carolina later tonight into Thursday.5:00 p.m. – The 111th Aviation Regiment is deploying from Cecil Field Airport in Jacksonville, Florida.4:55 p.m. – Hurricane Idalia is now a Category 2 Hurricane with 100 mph winds. 4:45 p.m. – Waterspout over Lake Pontchartrain near Lakefront Airport moving southwestward.3:15 p.m. – People in South Carolina should expect high winds, heavy rain, flash flooding, flooding due to storm surge, and isolated tornadoes potentially beginning Wednesday afternoon and lasting into Thursday morning or afternoon.3 p.m. – South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a State of Emergency Tuesday as Hurricane Idalia approaches Florida’s west coast and is expected to impact the Georgia-Carolina coast.2:30 p.m. – Winds are starting to pick up in Florida. Check out this beach camera video from Key West, Florida. 11:30 a.m. – Florida Gov. DeSantis also said that 420,000 gallons of gasoline have been staged and prepared in case there are fuel interruptions. Eight urban search and rescue teams have been activated; that’s close to 600 search and rescue personnel.11 a.m. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said there are more than 25,000 linemen already in Florida as of Tuesday morning, and they anticipate a total of 30,000 to 40,000 linemen will be in Florida by the end of Tuesday.10:55 a.m. – More than 20 counties in Florida are under an evacuation order ahead of Hurricane Idalia. 10:45 a.m. – North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has declared a State of Emergency ahead of Idalia.More weather coverage: Weather Alerts | Closing and delays | Latest weather forecast | Post pictures to the uLocal North Carolina Facebook Group | Traffic information | Report closings and delays | SkyCams
Hurricane Idalia is expected to become a major hurricane as it approaches and moves through the Florida coast Wednesday.
►Tracking Idalia: The latest maps, models and paths
TRACKING IDALIA
Once over land, Idalia will begin to weaken. The center of the remaining tropical system will track near the Atlantic coast from Georgia to North Carolina Wednesday into Thursday.
►Download the Very Local app for updates on the coming storm
KEY THINGS TO KNOW
►Hurricane Warnings, Watches and Storm Surge Warnings have been issued in Florida
►North Carolina, South Carolina are under a ‘State of Emergency’
►Look for live updates from WXII 12 News crews along the North Carolina coast
►Get the latest Severe Weather Alerts for your area
LIVE BEACH CAMERAS
►Check out live beach cameras in Florida
►Check out live beach cameras in North Carolina, South Carolina
Keep reading below for the latest updates as we track Idalia.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30
12:15 p.m. – Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and emergency officials held a briefing this morning warning of the possible dangers of the hurricane. “The threat is real, the threat is real, so we can expect the conditions to deteriorate throughout the day. We can expect around 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock this starts getting really, really bad for the area, and it will continue into the night time hours,” said Dennis Jones with Chatham Emergency Management. Savannah is under a state of emergency.
12:00 p.m. – Video shows people using kayaks and paddleboards to travel through flooded streets in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis is warning people not to drive in the floodwater. A flood watch is in place until Thursday morning because a higher-than-normal tide is expected.
10:30 a.m. – Hurricane Idalia is now headed toward the southern part of Georgia after passing through Tallahassee, Florida. The National Weather Service says that storm-force winds of 39 mph with a gust of 63 mph have been reported at the airport in Valdosta, Georgia.
9:25 a.m.: Businesses along the North Carolina coast prepare for the impact of Hurricane Idalia as it heads further north after making landfall in Florida. In New Hanover County, residents and visitors saw torrential downpours, and Emergency Management partially activated their emergency operations.
7:45 a.m. – Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Keaton Beach, FL, as a Category 3 Hurricane. Officials report winds at 125 mph.
7:10 a.m. – Hurricane Idalia has not yet made landfall, but has gone back down to a Category 3 storm.
5:30 a.m. – Hurricane Idalia has strengthened to a dangerous Category 4 storm. Authorities said the storm is set to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday morning. North Carolina coast residents are also preparing for the storm.
TUESDAY, AUG. 29
10:30 p.m. – People along the Carolinas are gearing up for Idalia. WXII 12’s Kara Peters has an update from Wilmington.
9 p.m. – Gusty winds will start to ramp up Wednesday night, with the strongest gusts of 40-55 mph possible along the North Carolina coast Thursday as Idalia makes its closest approach.
8:49 p.m. – Hurricane Idalia is nearing major hurricane strength as it moves through the eastern Gulf towards Florida.
8:30 p.m. – Heavy rain and tropical storm force winds may impact parts of North Carolina from Raleigh toward the coast by late Wednesday.
8:15 p.m. – The forecast models have consistently weakened Hurricane Idalia to a Tropical Storm along the beaches of Georgia and South Carolina before Idalia is steered offshore near Oak Island and Wrightsville Beach.
8 p.m. – Charlotte Motor Speedway is opening up its site to Idalia evacuees.
7:55 p.m. – Coastal inundation of 1-3’ is possible for areas of Cape Fear, especially during high tide on Wed. and Thurs.
7 p.m. – Heavy rain and tropical storm force winds may impact parts of the North Carolina coast by late Wednesday.
5:47 p.m. – The threat of a few tornadoes has increased, and the SPC has placed southeast NC under a Slight Risk for severe storms Wednesday evening through Thursday.
5:45 p.m. – NOAA takes flight to get a closer look at Idalia’s eye on the aircraft that’s named Miss Piggy.
5:40 p.m. – More than 400 Red Cross disaster responders are ready to help, and truckloads of supplies have been pre-positioned to provide relief to people impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
5:38 p.m. – Check out the views from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida.
5:33 p.m. – A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the majority of the North Carolina coast, with some Tropical Storm Warnings for areas along the coast, including Wilmington.
5:15 p.m. – A Flood Alert has been issued for the locations shown on the map.
5:10 p.m. – Catastrophic impacts from storm surge inundation of 10 to 15 feet above ground level and destructive waves are expected somewhere between Aucilla River and Yankeetown, Florida.
5:05 p.m. – Areas of flash, urban, and moderate river flooding, with locally considerable impacts, are expected across the Florida Big Bend, central Georgia and South Carolina, through eastern North Carolina later tonight into Thursday.
5:00 p.m. – The 111th Aviation Regiment is deploying from Cecil Field Airport in Jacksonville, Florida.
4:55 p.m. – Hurricane Idalia is now a Category 2 Hurricane with 100 mph winds.
4:45 p.m. – Waterspout over Lake Pontchartrain near Lakefront Airport moving southwestward.
3:15 p.m. – People in South Carolina should expect high winds, heavy rain, flash flooding, flooding due to storm surge, and isolated tornadoes potentially beginning Wednesday afternoon and lasting into Thursday morning or afternoon.
3 p.m. – South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a State of Emergency Tuesday as Hurricane Idalia approaches Florida’s west coast and is expected to impact the Georgia-Carolina coast.
2:30 p.m. – Winds are starting to pick up in Florida. Check out this beach camera video from Key West, Florida.
11:30 a.m. – Florida Gov. DeSantis also said that 420,000 gallons of gasoline have been staged and prepared in case there are fuel interruptions. Eight urban search and rescue teams have been activated; that’s close to 600 search and rescue personnel.
11 a.m. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said there are more than 25,000 linemen already in Florida as of Tuesday morning, and they anticipate a total of 30,000 to 40,000 linemen will be in Florida by the end of Tuesday.
10:55 a.m. – More than 20 counties in Florida are under an evacuation order ahead of Hurricane Idalia.
10:45 a.m. – North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has declared a State of Emergency ahead of Idalia.
More weather coverage: Weather Alerts | Closing and delays | Latest weather forecast | Post pictures to the uLocal North Carolina Facebook Group | Traffic information | Report closings and delays | SkyCams