Idalia Makes Landfall As Category 3 Hurricane: Latest Projected Path, Timing

The massive storm's center came ashore at Keaton Beach in Florida’s Big Bend region (where the panhandle transitions to the peninsula) at about 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30 with wind gusts of around 120 miles per hour.

Idalia formed late Saturday afternoon, Aug. 26 as a tropical depression before being upgraded on Sunday, Aug. 27 to a tropical storm and to a Category 1 hurricane in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Aug. 29.

"Catastrophic storm surge and damaging winds are ongoing," the National Hurricane Center said in a statement just before 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Widespread power outages that could last for weeks are being reported in the heavily wooded Big Bend area.

More than a dozen tornado warnings have also been reported in northern Florida as of early Wednesday morning.

After barreling through Florida, Idalia is predicted to remain a hurricane as it moves into Georgia later Wednesday before moving close to the Carolina coastline on Thursday, Aug. 31 when it is finally expected to be downgraded to tropical-storm status.

For Idalia's current projected path and timing, see the second image above or click here for the National Hurricane Center's latest update on Idalia.

• Original report - Tropical System Expected To Become Hurricane Heads Toward East Coast: Here's Projected Path

Idalia is the ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. View the 2023 list of Atlantic storm names here.

This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Amherst and receive free news updates.