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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 28 august 2023
From Front have winds of 74 mph (119 DeSantis noted that much
kph) and above. uncertainty remains in the
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Forecasters said they ex- forecast.
Storm Idalia formed Sunday pected Idalia to become a "This thing hasn't even got-
in the Gulf of Mexico on hurricane on Tuesday in the ten to Cuba yet, and the
a potential track to come Gulf of Mexico and then water in the Gulf is very,
ashore as a hurricane in the curve northeast toward the very warm and so that will
southern U.S., the National west coast of Florida. Ida- provide some fuel for this
Hurricane Center said. lia could approach Florida thing to pick up some more
At 5 p.m. Sunday, the storm with winds of up to 100 speed," DeSantis said.
was about 95 miles (155 ki- mph (160 kph), accord- Large parts of the western
lometers) east-southeast ing to the latest forecasts coast of Florida are at risk
of Cozumel, Mexico, mov- Sunday from the Hurricane of seawater surging onto
ing northeast at 3 mph (5 Center. That would make it land and flooding commu-
kph) with highest sustained a Category 2 hurricane. nities when a tropical storm
winds of 40 mph (64 kph), At a Sunday afternoon or hurricane approaches.
forecasters said. Hurricanes briefing, Florida Gov. Ron That part of Florida is very
FILE - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news
conference, May 9, 2023, in Miami. On Saturday, Aug. 26,
DeSantis declared a state of emergency for most of Florida’s
Gulf coast as forecasters say a weather system off the coast of
Mexico could soon become a tropical storm and start moving
toward the area.
(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
vulnerable to storm surges, to be taken down in prep-
Jamie Rhome, deputy di- aration for Idalia, assistant
rector of the National Hurri- manager Shannon Dunnan
cane Center, said Sunday. said Sunday.
"So it will not take a strong "If we get a big storm that
system or a direct hit to hits, it would probably rip
produce significant storm that tent in half," she said.
surge," he said. "So if you're But at this point, plans are
anywhere along the Florida for the establishment to
Peninsula, western Florida stay open, Dunnan said.
Peninsula, so let's say from The storm was not expect-
about Fort Myers north- ed to menace southwest
ward to the Panhandle, Florida, where deadly Hur-
you've really got to be pay- ricane Ian struck last year.
ing attention." Mexico's National Meteoro-
In Cedar Key, a fishing vil- logical Service on Sunday
lage that juts out into the warned of intense to tor-
Gulf of Mexico, a storm rential rains showering the
surge is among the great- Yucatan Peninsula, with
est concerns, said Capt. winds as fast as 55 mph (89
A.J. Brown, a fishing guide kph).
who operates A.J. Brown It said the storm could
Charters. The concern is cause anything from pow-
that if the storm strikes Flor- erful waves to flooding in
ida just to the north, Cedar southern Mexico, mainly
Key would get the power- around coastal cities in the
ful surge that comes from Yucatán and Quintana
being on the southeastern Roo states. It asked citizens
side of the storm. to stay alert.
There are worries in Cedar Florida emergency officials
Key about a storm surge of on Sunday urged residents
two to five feet of ocean to keep their vehicle gas
water, Brown said, and if tanks at least half-full in
the storm surge reaches case they need to evacu-
five feet "it would cover ate.
most everything down- "This will ensure you can
town." evacuate tens of miles in-
At the popular Bridge land to a safe location
Tender Inn in Bradenton should the need arise," the
Beach, a large tent cover- Florida Division of Emergen-
ing the tiki bar area where cy Management said on
musicians play might have social media.q