Hurricane Idalia strengthens to Category 3 as it nears Florida

Hurricane Idalia strengthens to Category 3 as it nears Florida

Hurricane Idalia has strengthened to Category 3 making it the greatest threat of all the storms so far this season. 

One of the big worries is that water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are above normal, especially near the US coasts where the waters are 2-3C warmer than average.

This will lead to rapid intensification of Hurricane Idalia on its final approach to Florida with the current forecast predicting sustained winds of 125mph, with gusts up to 155mph. 

Landfall is expected within hours in northwest Florida with torrential rain and a potentially life-threatening storm surge, which is going to lead to some severe flooding. 

The storm is expected to strengthen into a “catastrophic” Category 4 hurricane. 

Heavy rain and strong winds are also expected in the Carolinas and Georgia. Twenty-eight of Florida’s 67 counties are under some form of evacuation order, mostly along the state’s upper Gulf Coast.

Florida’s Governor – who’s also running for president – Ron DeSantis has warned residents that the time to evacuate is running out. “You really gotta go now. Now is the time,” he said.