Idalia updates: Damaging tornadoes, severe flooding from Florida to Carolinas

Idalia, now a tropical storm, touched down in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane.

ByEmily Shapiro, Morgan Winsor, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: August 31, 2023, 4:37 PM EDT

Idalia touched down in Florida's Big Bend region on Wednesday morning as a powerful Category 3 hurricane -- the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the Apalachee Bay.

Idalia has since weakened into a tropical storm and moved inland over Georgia and the Carolinas.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:21 PM EDT

Idalia forecast to make landfall in Florida as Category 4 hurricane

Idalia is still strengthening and is forecast to be at "extremely dangerous Category 4 intensity" when it makes landfall, the National Weather Service said late Tuesday.

As of 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Idalia remains a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds at 110 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm's landfall track is for an area near Perry and St. Marks at around 8 a.m. ET. The northern part of the eye wall may move very close to Tallahassee.

-ABC News' Kenton Gewecke

Aug 29, 2023, 10:26 PM EDT

Tornado watch issued for parts of Florida

A tornado watch has been issued until 6 a.m. ET for 3.7 million people in the western peninsula of Florida.

This means tornadoes are possible to form in the outer bands of Hurricane Idalia through the night.

-ABC News' Kenton Gewecke

Aug 29, 2023, 8:47 PM EDT

Hurricane Idalia remains Category 2, winds reach 105 mph

Hurricane Idalia remains a Category 2 storm with sustained winds up to 105 mph.

Idalia is moving at 16 mph to the north and is now 155 miles away from Tampa, Florida.

Idalia is moving at 16mph to the north and is now 155 miles WSW of Tampa, Fla.
ABC News

Hurricane and storm surge warnings in Florida are in effect for Englewood, Longboat Key and Tampa Bay, according to the National Hurricane Center.

-ABC News' Kenton Gewecke

Aug 29, 2023, 2:19 PM EDT

Idalia's flight impacts

More than 2,200 flights Tuesday are delayed and over 500 flights are canceled across the U.S. as Idalia nears.

So far, more than 500 U.S. flights are canceled for Wednesday.

Currently the Tampa International Airport and St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport are closed. Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is set to close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The arrivals board at the Tampa International Airport shows nothing but cancelled flights, Aug. 29, 2023, in Tampa, Fla.
Chris O'meara/AP

-ABC News' Amanda Maile

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