Tropical storm Idalia US meteorologists said that the hurricane turned into a hurricane on Tuesday, and is expected to intensify to become “very dangerous” before making landfall in Florida on Wednesday.
• Also read: Tropical Storm Idalia could become a major hurricane
“Idalia It is now a hurricane. “It is expected to rapidly intensify into a very dangerous large hurricane before making landfall on Wednesday,” the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest bulletin issued at 09:00 GMT.
“Major hurricanes” is a rating assigned to those that exceed category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which includes 5 in total. It is likely to cause “devastating” and “catastrophic” damage, according to the National Center for Health.
The Met Office warned that “life-threatening coastal flooding and dangerous winds are increasingly likely in parts of Florida.”
Flash flooding and urban flooding could affect parts of Florida and southern Georgia on Wednesday. He warned that flooding could reach parts of South Carolina from Wednesday through Thursday.
As of the publication of the most recent NHC Bulletin, Idalia The hurricane was 600 kilometers south-southwest of Tampa, Florida, with winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour.
The National Hurricane Center warned that rain, high waves and strong winds are expected on Tuesday in Cuba, and this bad weather is expected to lead to floods and mudslides.
According to local media, about 8,000 residents of Pinar del Rio province, west of the island, evacuated their homes in anticipation of his arrival. In September 2022, this area was hit by Category 3 Hurricane Ian, killing at least two people in Cuba.
In Havana, the population is staying in their homes.
Idalia It should then pass through the Gulf of Mexico, where there is currently a “marine heat wave,” a hurricane-enhancing factor, according to the researchers.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm “will move over waters reaching a temperature of approximately 31 degrees Celsius.”
Floods are expected
Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that evacuation orders would be issued on the Gulf Coast.
“It will be a big and powerful hurricane,” he said, calling on residents to prepare. “From Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, it will become really more difficult.”
On Monday, President Joe Biden approved a state of emergency and issued federal aid. The US Federal Disaster Management Agency (Fema) is already preparing for the storm’s effects, including pre-deploying some of its staff, according to the White House.
The executive said the Democratic leader also spoke with Ron DeSantis to assure him of his support. The two men, who have opposing political positions, are candidates for the 2024 presidential elections.
And at the end of September 2022, Florida was hit by a powerful hurricane IanWhich claimed nearly 150 lives and caused massive damage on its way through the southwest of this state.
Entire neighborhoods were flattened, alone causing more than $100 billion in damages – the world’s costliest climate disaster ever this year.
Scientists say that with global warming, hurricanes are becoming more powerful, fueled by warmer ocean surfaces.
