Idalia to bring significant impacts to the Florida Panhandle and Peninsula

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) – Idalia is expected to be a major hurricane by Wednesday morning, with a landfall likely in the Florida Big Bend region.

As of Monday afternoon, Idalia is a strong tropical storm in the western Caribbean. Further strengthening is expected, and it’s forecast to become the season’s 2nd major hurricane sometime late Tuesday in the eastern Gulf.

Most computer models take it inland in the Apalachee Bay area early Wednesday as a category 3 storm. Significant storm surge, rain, and wind impacts are likely along the center’s track…but tropical storm force winds, some storm surge, and tornadoes will be possible across most of the Florida Peninsula into southern GA/coastal SC, well away from the center.

No impacts are expected in northern Mississippi, though Idalia will help to bring in some drier air from the north. More pleasant mornings are expected Wednesday and Thursday with the drier air, though humidity will make a quick return as Idalia turns east into the western Atlantic.