FL/GA/SC/NC - Hurricane Idalia, Aug 2023

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Tomorrow will be a telling day. Prayers for everyone to say safe.

For storm tracking, I'd suggest WFLA in Tampa. At some point they will probably go to live coverage.


@PayrollNerd , what do you consider the best station in your area?

Take care all!
loveJB's reporting on Wfla.
 

A hurricane warning is in place from Sarasota to the Florida Panhandle south of Tallahassee. The warning includes all of Greater Tampa Bay, which sits at the edge of the National Hurricane Center's forecast track cone.

The "bad side" of the hurricane will be the one impacting almost the entirety of Florida’s west coast, therefore a tropical storm warning stretches from south of Sarasota, past Fort Myers and Naples to the area near Everglades City. Even the Lower Florida Keys are under a tropical storm watch for the possibility of some impacts on the outskirts of Idalia.

To illustrate how dangerous and potentially deadly impacts from a major hurricane can extend beyond the hurricane-warned area, the storm surge warning extends south of Sarasota to Englewood, abeam Port Charlotte. A storm surge watch is in effect south of there to the Everglades City area too.

The arrival time of the hurricane is also a very important factor. If NHC’s 11 AM Monday forecast were to be 100% accurate — which would be a rarity given we’re still two days out — Idalia's eye would be abeam Tampa Bay in the predawn hours of Wednesday, then head towards Florida's sparsely populated Nature Coast for a mid-morning Wednesday landfall.

___

My daughters live in Tampa, one lives downtown near the bay and the other more inland in North Tampa Bay.
 

Disney's update was posted at 3pm, August 28 and states, "Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions. We are closely monitoring the path of the projected weather as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members."

The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Orange and Osceola counties - home to Walt Disney World.

Notable closures announced so far:
  • Busch Gardens Tampa will close at 3pm Tuesday with an anticipated reopening on Thursday.
  • Tampa International Airport will cease commercial operations beginning at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, with the airport remaining closed until it can assess any damages later in the week.
 
Agreed, tomorrow is going to give us a better idea. It probably will be the big bend area, but the right quadrant does the most damage.

The flooding is going to be scary. That wind will literally shove that water right up into the Peace River, Myakka River, into Tampa Bay and any other tributaries. You can be 10 miles inland and be flooded.

I actually do not own a TV nor do I have cable. I just have basic internet.
The way I normally watch tv stations out of my area is through their internet sites. I watched hurricane Ian through Wink News internet site (Ft. Myers). Well, I did until their station started flooding and they had to go off the air.

I just watched the 4PM EST Weather Channel update. They are moving the eye slightly further north.

JMO
 
:D :D:D:D

Jim Cantore is headed to the Sunshine State to cover Tropical Storm Idalia, which is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28, Cantore had not tweeted an update on his location. (Check back for an update on where.)

 
:D :D:D:D

Jim Cantore is headed to the Sunshine State to cover Tropical Storm Idalia, which is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28, Cantore had not tweeted an update on his location. (Check back for an update on where.)

It's never good when Jim Cantore shows up. I can remember when people in the air port saw him arrive, people started panicking.
 

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. —Tybee Island officials say they are “ahead of the game” in preparing for Tropical Storm Idalia.

“We have an 8:30 p.m. high tide Wednesday, coupled with a full moon,” Owens said. “We are concerned about the tide being 10 feet or higher. Right now, we are in voluntary evacuation mode.”


In Florida, Mandatory evacuations have already been ordered in 15 counties, including Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas and Taylor counties.
 

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. —Tybee Island officials say they are “ahead of the game” in preparing for Tropical Storm Idalia.

“We have an 8:30 p.m. high tide Wednesday, coupled with a full moon,” Owens said. “We are concerned about the tide being 10 feet or higher. Right now, we are in voluntary evacuation mode.”


In Florida, Mandatory evacuations have already been ordered in 15 counties, including Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas and Taylor counties.
I hadn't even thought about a full moon and King Tides. Boy, could that change the storm surge. Tampa Bay may be technically out of the cone, but could still suffer significant effects from the surge.

Good article explaining the implications

What does a king tide in Tampa Bay mean for Idalia’s storm surge?

JMO
 
Well Happy Hurricane Tuesday! Hold on to your tacos ‘cause it’s fixin’ to get real. Feeder bands expected here in Sarasota by noon.

Headed outside for one more check of the yard, tie the gates closed, pull in my lawn ornaments.

Time feed Banjo, my grandkitty. His momma (my youngest) is camping in NC and he misses her.

Oldest in Panama City is watching the weather praying her, and her Covid germs, can shelter in place.

I’ll be sitting in the dentist chair all morning. Ya’ll hold down the thread. Later gator!
 
093743_5day_cone_no_line_and_wind.png

Moving much faster.


ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 976 MB

Snipped for emphasis:

Confidence is increasing that Idalia will reach the coast of Florida adjacent to Apalachee Bay

1. Catastrophic impacts from storm surge inundation of 10 to 15 feet
above ground level and destructive waves are expected somewhere
between Aucilla River and Yankeetown, Florida


INIT 29/1500Z 24.6N 84.8W 75 KT 85 MPH
12H 30/0000Z 26.5N 84.6W 90 KT 105 MPH
24H 30/1200Z 29.3N 83.7W 110 KT 125 MPH



Sat image 11 EDT


Her core, eye area is still extremely cold, indicating that clouds are extremely high in the atmosphere.

0c40d125-b5cc-4c81-92ef-67fdadc9d4d3.jpg
 
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JB is awesome! I've watched him through several storms.

If you want a no-nonsense meteorologist Denis Phillips is about as honest and straight up as it gets.
They straight up save so many lives!
David Finfrock steadfastly stayed on air back in 2000 while a 113 mph Tornado ripped through Fort Worth.

MOO
 
My youngest is actually remote camping in western NC. The weather forecast is nearly all rain. She has my SUV with a twin mattress plus a tent.

She’s supposed to drive home Wed. Right into the storm. Not much cell service so not sure if I can even reach her. I think she needs to head west to her Dads place in Knoxville, TN. Maybe find a campground over there somewhere.

But, you know, they think they’re invincible at 26 so there’s that…..

I’m just down the hill from there in SC and while our map seems to be shifting she may be out of range for the main storm. Of course that’s risk and she probably would be better in TN.
 
I’m just down the hill from there in SC and while our map seems to be shifting she may be out of range for the main storm. Of course that’s risk and she probably would be better in TN.
Except that her Dad & his wife aren't home, so she can't stay there..... His own daughter and he couldn't have someone let her in? Good grief.

She is in the Grandfather Mountain State Park area now. She was rained out today. So her planned hike of Linville Gorge was cancelled.

I feel bad for her. This is her first vacation is so long and Mother Nature has not been kind.
 

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