6:44 PM Monday, August 28, 2023
Update from the National Hurricane Center as of 4 PM Monday, August 28, 2023.
*Idalia nearing hurricane strength late Monday afternoon as it approaches western Cuba.
*Life-threatening storm surge and dangerous winds becoming increasingly likely for portions of Florida.
Location: About 35 miles south-southwest of the western tip of Cuba. About 265 miles south-southwest of the Dry Tortugas.
Maximum Sustained Winds: 70 mph
Present Movement: North at 8 mph.
Minimum Central Pressure: 987mb or 29.15 inches
Idalia will continue to move to the north tonight with a faster motion to the north-northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rapid strengthening is predicted during the next day or so. Idalia is forecast to become a hurricane tonight and become a major hurricane by late Tuesday or Tuesday night.
There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge inundation along portions of the Florida Gulf Coast where a Storm Surge Warning is in effect, including Tampa Bay and the Big Bend region of Florida. Inundation between 8 to 12 feet above ground level is expected somewhere between Chassahowitzka and Aucilla River.
Idalia is forecast to make landfall as a major hurricane northwest of Cedar Key, FL sometime Wednesday morning.
Red area on the map below represents the cone of uncertainty, but regardless of where the center of Idalia tracks, impacts will occur well away from the center of Idalia.
Here’s a close-up view of the expected track of Idalia with the white line representing where the center of Idalia is forecast to track, and the center of this storm looks to pass northwest of Horseshoe Beach, FL Wednesday morning.
Tropical Storm Force Winds
Rainfall Forecast
Peak Storm Surge Forecast
Idalia looks much more impressive on satellite imagery today compared to how it looked on Sunday with deep convection continuing and now that deep convection is pretty much around the entire storm so that is a sure sign that this storm continues to intensify.
Goes-16 satellite loop from Monday, August 28, 2023 (loop time ends 6:22 PM CT)
Watch/Warning information — Last Updated 6:42 PM CT, Monday, August 28, 2023.
Thanks for reading!
Tim
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