ORLANDO, Fla. – Watches and warnings have been issued for parts of Florida as the state prepares for Idalia, which is expected to hit Florida’s Gulf Coast as a major hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts Idalia becoming a Category 3 hurricane over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Wednesday.
The worst of the weather as a whole looks to move through Central Florida from late Tuesday into early Wednesday afternoon. Click here for a complete timeline and breakdown of county-by-county impacts.
Here are the types of warnings issued:
- Storm surge watch: This means there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours.
- Tropical storm warning: This means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.
- Tropical storm watch: This means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
- Hurricane watch: This means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area.
- Hurricane warning: This means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the next 12-24 hours. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
Here are the Central Florida counties under current watches and warnings:
Hurricane warning
- Marion County
- Sumter County
Tropical storm warning
- Brevard County
- Flagler County
- Lake County
- Orange County
- Osceola County
- Seminole County
- Volusia County
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