Florida Hit With Catastrophic Storm Surge, Damaging Wind After Idalia Makes Landfall

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US state of Florida is being hit with a catastrophic storm surge and damaging winds after the Hurricane Idalia made landfall earlier in the day, the National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday.

“Catastrophic storm surge occurring along the coast of the Florida Big Bend and damaging winds spreading inland over northern Florida,” the NHC reported.

The hurricane’s maximum sustained winds are about 110 miles per hour (177 kilometers per hour) with higher gusts of wind.

“A NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] National Ocean Service tide gauge at Cedar Key, Florida, recently reported a water level of 6.8 feet above mean higher high water, which is an approximation of inundation in that area,” the report added.

More than 243,000 households in Florida have lost electricity, according to the poweroutages.us website tracker. About 17,000 people are without power in Georgia and North Carolina, where Idalia is expected to hit harder later on Wednesday or Thursday.

Moreover, the strong winds produced by the Hurricane Idalia are spreading into the US state of Georgia, the NHC warned.

"Damaging winds spreading into southern Georgia," the center mentioned in an updated advisory.

The maximum sustained winds near 105 miles per hour (169 kilometers per hour) with even stronger gusts, the NHC added.

More than 20,000 households in Georgia have lost electricity, according to the poweroutages.us website tracker.

The US has seen 1,609 flight delays and 930 flight cancellations as of 10:45 a.m. EST on Wednesday, as the Hurricane Idalia moves inland after hitting Florida’s Gulf Coast, the FlightAware data shows.

Tampa International Airport recorded the highest number of cancellations, with 193 departing flights and 146 arriving flights canceled. Orlando and Jacksonville’s international airports each also recorded a total of more than 100 departing or arriving flights canceled. Among Florida airports, Orlando’s recorded the highest number of delayed flights – 111 departing flights delayed and 100 arriving flights delayed.

Georgia’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, and North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport have also recorded high numbers of flight cancellations and delays.

The NHC is warning of a “catastrophic” storm surge, even though the Hurricane Idalia has weakened to Category 2 strength.