Flood waters from Hurricane Idalia inundate Steinhatchee, Florida
Hurricane Idalia has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it nears South Carolina having crossed both Florida and Georgia, the National Hurricane Center reports.
The system made landfall at 7.45am on Wednesday hitting the Big Bend region of Florida as an “extremely dangerous Category 3” storm. It brought maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and a catastrophic 15ft storm surge.
As of Wednesday evening, a tropical storm warning was still in effect for Georgia, and the National Weather Service warned that Idalia could bring “life-threatening” storm surge to coastal areas in the Carolinas.
Idalia forced mass evacuations in low-lying areas.
The storm killed at least three people, two who died in auto accidents in Florida and a third man who perished attempting to dismantle a downed tree in Georgia.
Idalia could possibly hit the state of Florida twice in the coming week via a dramatic turn over the North Atlantic.
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Watch: Sailboats slam into bridge after breaking free from moorings
Documentarian Jonathan Petramala recorded dramatic footage of sailboats slamming into a bridge over the Steinhatchee River after the storm surtge reversed its course and broke the vessels free from their moorings. They lost their masts when they hit the bridge.
Oliver O’Connell31 August 2023 01:30
Floodwater rushes down Tampa street after Hurricane Idalia makes Florida landfall
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Rachel Sharp31 August 2023 00:00
Dramatic footage shows storm surge reverse river and destroy moored boats
The storm surge from Hurricane Idalia is having surreal effects in Florida.
The sudden influx of water caused the Steinhatchee River in Florida’s Big Bend region to reverse course, flowing inland and slamming unmoored boats until a highway overpass bridge.
Watch below via Jonathan Petramala.
Josh Marcus30 August 2023 23:45
Watch: Palm tree snaps in half as eye of Idalia hits Perry, Florida
Oliver O’Connell30 August 2023 23:30
WATCH: Home burned down in Hernando Beach as firefighters were blocked by storm surge
Flood waters prevented Florida firefighters from reaching a home that was on fire before it was too late in Hernando Beach, north of Tampa.
Crews were bale to reach the blaze later on Wednseday and put out remaining hot spots, according to Fox 13.
Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Wednesday, killing at least two people.
Josh Marcus30 August 2023 23:15
Fresh backlash to Airbnb sparked by Hurricane Idalia
Airbnb’s cancellation rules have angered users who learned they wouldn’t be getting their money back after having to cancel their Florida stays because of Hurricane Idalia.
Olivia Hebert30 August 2023 23:00
Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why
As the global average temperature increases, largely due to the carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, the ocean is taking a major hit.
The ocean has absorbed 90 per cent of warming in recent decades and all that extra heat is driving historically high water temperatures.
Warmer waters supercharge tropical cyclones with more heavy rainfall and storm surge as they come ashore.
While the frequency of hurricanes of tropical storms is not increasing, the chance that they become stronger, more destructive systems has increased by about 8 per cent per decade in the past 40 years, according to climate scientists.
The proportion of Category 4 and 5 tropical cyclones is projected to increase around the world in the coming decades due to human-caused warming, according to the latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from 1 June to 30 November, is forecast to be above average this year.
Louise Boyle30 August 2023 22:30
Where is Hurricane Idalia now?
Hurricane Idalia has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it makes its way across the southeastern US.
Currently positioned to the northwest of Savannah, Georgia, the system is expected to move out to sea sometime overnight along the South Carolina coastline tracking past Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
Hurricane Idalia was downgraded to a tropical storm at 5pm on Wednesday as it neared South Carolina
(National Hurricane Center, NOAA)
Oliver O’Connell30 August 2023 22:14