Residents of Florida’s Gulf Coast are bracing themselves for the arrival of a dangerous major hurricane, Tropical Storm Idalia. The storm, currently east of Cancún, is expected to intensify and become a Category 3 hurricane as it nears western Cuba and heads north towards Florida. With winds of 115 miles per hour, Idalia is predicted to hit Florida late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Evacuation orders have already been issued in at least one county, and additional evacuations are expected as the storm approaches. Pasco County, north of Tampa, has ordered residents in low-lying areas and mobile homes to evacuate, and urged others to leave as well. Governor Ron DeSantis has warned that this will be a major hurricane and has urged all residents in the storm’s path to make preparations.
The storm is expected to strengthen slowly on Monday as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico, but
