With Idalia expected to make landfall in Florida, many locations in Central Florida have closed down in preparation for the massive storm.
Idalia briefly strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane as of 5 a.m. Wednesday, located at the time about 60 miles west of Cedar Key, moving north-northeast at 18 mph while packing 130 mph winds.
Idalia became a Category 3 once again, with wind speeds up to 125 mph, at 7 a.m. while still just off the Gulf Coast.
The storm will likely make landfall in the Big Bend of Florida.
In the meantime, the Central Florida counties below are expected to have the following closures. This list will continue to be updated as additional closures are announced.
BREVARD COUNTY
On Monday, county officials announced that Mathers Bridge could be closed to boating traffic as soon as Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. A final decision is expected to be made by Tuesday morning.
If a decision is made to secure the bridge, then it will not be reopened until the storm conditions abate and the bridge can be assessed for damage. However, the bridge will remain open to motor vehicle traffic.
Cape Canaveral
While the Kennedy Space Center is set to remain open on Wednesday, KSC officials said that the bus tour and the Apollo/Saturn V Center will not be open. All other exhibits at the main visitor complex will operate during normal hours from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Port Canaveral
Due to gale-force wind speeds being predicted for the area, Port Canaveral closed on Tuesday evening and will cease all waterside and vessel shoreside port operations until further notice.
FLAGLER COUNTY
Flagler County is closing all government offices, including the Flagler County Public Library and Parks and Recreational facilities starting Wednesday, Aug. 30, and will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31 – circumstances permitting.
City offices schedule is as follows:
- Flagler Beach will be OPEN at this point in time.
- Bunnell will close on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31. Trash pickup will also be suspended on Wednesday.
- Palm Coast will close municipal offices – as well as trails and other facilities – as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, and reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31, and conduct safety assessments on all parks and trails before reopening. Trash pickup will also be suspended on Wednesday.
Courthouse operations with the 7th Judicial Circuit will close at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31. The Supervisor of Elections and Property Appraiser are closed starting Wednesday, Aug. 30 and will reopen Thursday, Aug. 31. All Tax Collector offices close Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 4:30 p.m. and the Bunnell late window at 5 p.m. and will reopen Thursday, Aug. 31, at 8:30 a.m.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Tampa International Airport is set to close at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday due to Idalia. Airport officials said that they expect to reopen Thursday morning, with damage assessments set to take place after the storm passes. Passengers are urged to check directly with their airline for flight updates.
LAKE COUNTY
In response to Hurricane Idalia, county government offices in Lake will be closed. As a result, the Florida Department of Health in Lake County Offices will be closed on Wednesday, August 30, 2023.
The following Lake County offices will be closed on Wednesday, August 30:
- All offices of the Lake County Board of County Commissioners
- The Tax Collector’s office
- The Supervisor of Elections
- Lake County Courts
- The Lake County Clerk of Courts Office
- Lake County Animal Services
- Lake County Public Schools
LIBRARIES:
- The following six branch libraries will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29 and remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The libraries will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Astor County Library
- Cagan Crossings Community Library (Four Corners)
- East Lake Mini Library (Sorrento)
- Marion Baysinger Memorial County Library (Groveland)
- Paisley County Library
- Cooper Memorial Library (Clermont)
- Tavares Public Library will close at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The library will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Leesburg Public Library will close at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The library will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Marianne Beck Memorial Library will close at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The library will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Eustis Memorial Library will close at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The library will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Fruitland Park Library will close at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The library will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Lady Lake Public Library will be closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The library will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Umatilla Public Library will be closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The library will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- W.T. Bland Public Library will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The library will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Lady Lake Public Library will be closed from Wednesday, Sep. 28, through Friday, Sep. 30.
Eustis
All City Administrative Offices and the Eustis Memorial Library will close on Tuesday, August 29 at 3:00 p.m. and will remain closed through Wednesday, August 30.
Eustis Parks and Recreation: All Parks and Rec programs, activities, and rentals will be cancelled beginning Tuesday, August 29 at 3:00 p.m. and will remain so through Wednesday, August 30. All public parks will close on Tuesday, August 29 at 3:00 p.m. and will remain closed through Wednesday, August 30.
City Administrative Offices, the Eustis Memorial Library, and the Parks and Recreation programming are scheduled to resume normal operations beginning at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, August 31.
Garbage and Recycling (Waste Management) collection will be impacted starting on Wednesday, August 30. Waste Management plans to complete all scheduled Tuesday collections and resume operations Thursday, Aug. 31 as long as safe conditions exist. All collection schedules will be delayed by one day, i.e. Wednesday collections will now be picked up Thursday, and Thursday will be picked up Friday, etc. Resuming “post-storm” operations will depend on storm damage safety assessments and open disposal facilities. Bulk Item and Yard Waste collection has been temporarily suspended. After the storm residents should call City of Eustis Water Customer Service to schedule a pick-up. Also, please refrain from placing any items at the curb for bulk or yard waste pick-up and report any items that are currently at your curb immediately.
Mount Dora
City of Mount Dora offices, library, parks and facilities will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and remain closed through Wednesday.
Waste management will suspend collection operations on Wednesday, though they will return to normal operations on Thursday if conditions permit. If operational on Thursday, all waste management services this week will be delayed by one day.
The county remains under a tropical storm warning.
For a list of school closures, click here.
MARION COUNTY
The sheriff’s office and local government agencies have announced the following closures related to Idalia:
- Marion County Sheriff’s Office Central Operations building and district offices Closes at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 29, will remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30
- Marion County Animal Services Closed Monday, Aug. 28, will remain closed until further notice
- Florida Department of Health in Marion County Closed Tuesday, Aug. 29 and Wednesday, Aug. 30
- Fifth Circuit Courts in Marion County Closed Tuesday, Aug. 29 and Wednesday, Aug. 30
- City of Dunnellon business offices Closes at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 29, will remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30
- Federal Courthouse Closes at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, will remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30
- Marion County Property Appraiser Closes at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, will remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30
- Marion County Clerk of Court Closed Wednesday, Aug. 30
- All Marion County offices and facilities Closed Wednesday, Aug. 30
- Ocala Police Department headquarters lobby Closed Wednesday, Aug. 30
- City of Ocala business offices and public facilities Closed Wednesday, Aug. 30
- Marion Senior Services, including Marion Transit and dining sites Closed Wednesday, Aug. 30
- SunTran bus routes Suspended starting at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, will remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30
- City of Ocala residential and commercial sanitation routes Suspended on Wednesday, Aug. 30, will experience a one-day delay
- City of Ocala Downtown Parking Garage Parking restrictions will be lifted until Tuesday, Sept. 5, which includes allowing visitors to park in the garage overnight.
Additionally, county officials announced that all Marion County recycling centers and the Baseline Transfer Station will be open on Tuesday, Aug. 29. However, they are scheduled to close on Wednesday and eventually reopen on Thursday.
A hurricane watch remains in effect for western Marion County.
For a list of school closures, click here.
ORANGE COUNTY
The SWAN Shuttle will not operate until Friday due to the storm. As part of the pilot plan, LYMMO buses will operate the Orange Line. There are no other changes to service levels at this time. LYNX will continue to monitor the impacts to the area in coordination with local, state and federal partners.
If sustained winds reach 35 mph from Tropical Storm Idalia the LYNX transit system will shut down temporarily for safety reasons.
Additionally, the courts will continue operations on Monday and Tuesday, though weather activity could cause operations to be suspended on Wednesday.
Orange County Library System will close on Wednesday, Aug. 30, due to the approach of Hurricane Idalia.
Despite the storm, the Orlando International Airport announced that it will remain open, though operations may be temporarily suspended if weather conditions become too severe.
All care sites within the Orlando VA Health Care system will be closed Wednesday.
Orlando
The City of Orlando’s non-essential offices and services, including City Hall, will be closed Wednesday, Aug. 30. All City of Orlando Community Centers, Recreation Centers, swan boats and pools will close Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.
Ocoee
The city of Ocoee’s city hall and administrative offices will be closed on Wednesday and will reopen Thursday. There will also be no trash or recycling collection on Wednesday.
Winter Park
The city of Winter Park is at Level 2 — Partial Evacuation. The city hall and administrative offices will close Wednesday and reopen Thursday for normal business hours.
All city parks, indoor recreation facilities and outdoor venues will be closed Wednesday and reopen Thursday. Also, there will be no yard waste pickup on Wednesday, though a makeup day is scheduled for Saturday.
All advisory board meetings and scheduled building inspections for Wednesday are canceled.
The county remains under a tropical storm warning.
For a list of school closures, click here.
OSCEOLA COUNTY
County officials said that SunRail is suspending service through Thursday, though it is expected to resume by Friday morning.
Osceola County offices will be closed on Wednesday and reopen on Thursday, though public safety services will continue.
According to the county, all Ninth Judicial Circuit Court operations will also close on Wednesday. Those operations are expected to return to normal on Thursday.
Kenansville
Wild Florida announced that all airboat tours would be suspended on Wednesday, though the drive-thru Safari Park will remain open, with the last car entering the trail at 5 p.m. Gator Park will also remain open and closes at 6 p.m.
Kissimmee
The City has canceled recreation and after-school activities for Tuesday.
All residential and commercial garbage collection will continue as scheduled. Residents are encouraged to ensure all bins have been removed from the curb and secured on their property by this afternoon, Tuesday, Aug. 29, and before the winds increase.
The city of Kissimmee is suspending all non-essential services from 5 p.m. Tuesday through Wednesday, Aug. 30. The city hall and non-essential service buildings will also be closed during that timeframe.
For a list of school closures, click here.
POLK COUNTY
As of Monday evening, no information has been provided on closures by the county.
The county remains under a tropical storm warning.
For a list of school closures, click here.
SEMINOLE COUNTY
According to the county, SunRail service will be suspended on Tuesday, Aug. 29 through Friday, Sept. 1.
At this time, the Central Transfer Station and Landfill are still experiencing normal operating hours.
Residents may sign up for text alerts to stay up-to-date on sandbag operations, closures and other storm preparations by texting “Storm2023″ to 888-777.
Due to the most recent path projections of Hurricane Idalia, Chief Judge Charlie Crawford has cancelled court proceedings in Seminole County on Wednesday, Aug. 30. This precautionary measure is for Seminole County only. At this time, Brevard County court proceedings remain on schedule.
At this time, first-appearance, juvenile detention and shelter hearings will continue to occur. Jurors should not report for jury duty. Chief Judge Crawford encourages everyone to take the appropriate precautions and stay safe.
Altamonte Springs
All city offices will close on Wednesday, as will city parks and scheduled activities. There will also be no recycling or yard waste collection Wednesday.
Sanford
City hall and all city facilities will be closed on Wednesday, though city hall is expected to reopen on Thursday at 7 a.m.
Additionally, there will be no collection of garbage, yard waste or recycling on Wednesday due to transfer station and landfill closures, according to county leaders.
City of Sanford youth, sports and seniors programs are also canceled on Wednesday.
All rental facilities, parks and public restrooms will remain closed on Wednesday. The Riverwalk and all public park amenities will be unavailable during this time, including playgrounds, pavilions, common areas, exercise trails, baseball and softball fields, and basketball, tennis, pickleball and volleyball courts.
All outdoor practices at the Tim Raines Sports Park have been canceled on Tuesday, including baseball, flag football and soccer.
County leaders announced that all facilities and parks are expected to reopen on Thursday following assessments of any storm damage.
Winter Springs
The city of Winter Springs says all parks, facilities and the senior center closed Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 4 p.m. The City Hall will stay closed Wednesday and reopen Thursday.
The county remains under a tropical storm warning.
SUMTER COUNTY
As of Monday evening, no information has been provided on closures by the county.
The county remains under a hurricane warning.
For more information, visit the county’s website here.
VOLUSIA COUNTY
Volusia beaches will close to vehicle traffic on Tuesday afternoon. County officials said that these will be rolling closures, so as toll booths are removed, entry to the beaches will be prohibited at those locations.
The beach access ramps will remain closed throughout Wednesday and are expected to reopen after county staff assess any damage from the storm.
Meanwhile, all coastal parks will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
According to county officials, SunRail will suspend service on Monday night until further notice.
In addition, the following closures were announced:
- All 14 branches of the Volusia County Public Library will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Wednesday’s hours will be announced later.
- Votran will cease service at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
- The 7th Judicial Circuit will suspend court operations at 3 p.m. Tuesday. Courts will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
- Smyrna Dunes Park and Lighthouse Point Park will be closed from sunrise to 1 p.m. on Wednesday. All coastal park restrooms and showers will remain closed until they have been inspected for damage.
For more information, visit the county’s website here.
City of Edgewater offices will close Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. and remain closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30. Officials said they anticipate offices will reopen at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31.
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