“Hunker down. Don’t mess with this storm,\
As Hurricane Idalia makes a historic and catastrophic landfall in Taylor County, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Floridians that the hours ahead will be dangerous.
“Do not go outside in the midst of this storm,” said DeSantis. “Wherever you are, hunker down. Don’t mess with this storm. This is a very, very powerful storm.”
Idalia strengthened to a Category 4 storm overnight before being downgraded to Category 3 and is expected to produce a life-threatening storm surge of up to 16 feet in the Big Bend this morning.
It is the most intense storm to strike the Big Bend in more than 100 years, bringing punishing winds and flooding across the Panhandle, into the peninsula, and along the Atlantic Coast.
And while coastal communities will face a terrible toll, officials warned that Florida’s capital city isn’t out of the woods yet either.
“This storm will have a lasting impact on surrounding communities,” said Leon County Commissioner Christian Caban, about the quick moving powerful storm.
