Before it hits Florida, Idalia is expected to become a major hurricane

The Imminent Idalia Event in Florida and the DeSantis Effort to Obtain Its Determinant, Gov. Biden, and the National Guard

Forecasters say Idalia will then move north through the Gulf of Mexico, where it will strengthen into a powerful hurricane, before coming ashore in Florida midweek.

Forecasters said parts of Cuba could see as many as 4 to 6 feet of storm surge and between 4 and 10 inches of rain, which could produce flash flooding and landslides.

Many Florida school districts announced that they were closing on Tuesday, and the state’s Department of Health was trying to get residents to fill their prescriptions early.

In the event of an power failure, the state was in the process of building enough resources to restore power and conduct rescue operations if necessary. DeSantis has also deployed 5,500 members of the National Guard.

“If you live in a low lying place along the coast, you are going to be told to evacuate, and you can move as little as tens of miles inland,” he said.

The White House said Tuesday that President Biden spoke Monday about the upcoming Idalia event. The Federal Emergency Management Agency had been deployed ahead of the storm and had approved an emergency decree for Florida, according to Biden.

“This is gonna be a major hurricane. “This is going to be a very big and powerful storm, which is going to impact the state of Florida in many different ways,” said DeSantis during a Monday morning press conference.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has put 46 counties under a state of emergency and announced a raft of other storm preparedness measures, including the mobilization of 1,100 Florida National Guard personnel.

The Governor of Florida says it’s time to evacuate before a major hurricane hits Apalachee Bay, Florida’s Panhandle

A chief concern with Idalia is storm surge, which occurs when a storm’s strong winds push seawater above normal levels and onto coastal land. The storm surge could reach 7 to 7 feet from Idalia.

The NWS expects storm surge — which occurs when strong winds heave seawater onto land in coastal areas — to cause “widespread deep inundation” that could wash out escape routes and render certain areas unfit to live for a time.

Florida wants people along the Gulf Coast to finish making their storm preparations on Tuesday before Idalia strikes the state.

As much as a foot of rainfall is also expected near where the storm comes ashore in Florida, with lower rainfall totals predicted for other parts of the state, as well as Georgia and the Carolinas. There is a chance of tornadoes in those states.

The National Weather Service said that the area could see life-threatening winds which could cause damage to buildings and even the complete destruction of mobile homes.

Forecasters expect the eye of Idalia to chart a course toward Florida’s Big Bend, the region where the peninsula meets the panhandle. According to forecasters, no major hurricanes have tracked into the region’s Apalachee Bay since 1851.

“If you are in one of those areas where you’re told to evacuate, you still have time this morning to make your final preparations, even if you haven’t already done so,” the governor said Tuesday at a press conference.

Kevin Guthrie urged people who are forced to evacuate, to bring comfort items for their children, such as their favorite toys or snacks, and not to leave pets behind.