Idalia updates: Damaging tornadoes, severe flooding from Florida to Carolinas
Idalia, now a tropical storm, touched down in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane.
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:
Idalia could be strongest hurricane for Big Bend since 1950
Idalia is currently forecast to make landfall along Florida's Big Bend region between Apalachicola and Tampa as a Category 3 hurricane. If this happens, it will mark the strongest landfall for the Big Bend region since 1950, when Category 3 Hurricane Easy made landfall in Cedar Key.
No hurricanes have ever made landfall in the Big Bend region stronger than Category 3.
If Idalia makes landfall as a Category 2, it will be the first in the region since Gladys in 1968.
-ABC News' Kenton Gewecke
Pasco County, Hillsborough County schools to close
As Idalia approaches, the Pasco County School District, north of Tampa, said its schools will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Schools in Hillsborough County, which encompasses Tampa, will also be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Biden approves emergency declaration for Florida
President Joe Biden spoke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Monday morning and told the governor he's approving an emergency declaration for the state, according to the White House.
"President Biden said Florida will have his full support as they prepare for Idalia and its aftermath," the White House said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency "has pre-deployed personnel and assets, including multiple Incident Management Assistance Teams," according to the White House. "FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center has also been fully activated to support any requests for federal assistance."
-ABC News' Justin Gomez
Floridians should prepare for at least Category 3 hurricane: DeSantis
Floridians should be prepared for at least a Category 3 hurricane, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Monday.
"This is going to be a major impact," DeSantis said at a press briefing.
DeSantis said evacuation orders will be issued for low areas along the coast.
If "you're told to evacuate, you do not need to drive hundreds of miles. You do not need to leave the state of Florida," the governor noted. "You basically need to go to higher ground in almost every instance. You can go tens of miles to a shelter, to a hotel, to a friend's house, whatever works for you, and you'll be able to ride out the storm."
-ABC News' Hannah Demissie and Will McDuffie
Oak tree falls on Florida governor's mansion
A 100-year-old oak tree split open and toppled onto the governor's mansion in Tallahassee, Florida, on Wednesday, according to a tweet from Casey DeSantis, wife of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Casey DeSantis said she and their children were home at the time but were not hurt.
