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Tag: Idalia

  • Stay informed with Bay News 9 hurricane radio partners

    Stay informed with Bay News 9 hurricane radio partners

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As Milton approaches the Bay area, staying aware with the latest information will be vital.

    In addition to watching Spectrum Bay News 9, you can stay informed in a variety of ways. 

    As the storm gets closer to the Bay area, we’ll keep you up to date with the latest weather information and watches and warnings for your neighborhood. You can also find storm shelters, county-by-county evacuation maps and an interactive hurricane tracker.

    You can also take the Bay News 9 Weather Experts with you on the Spectrum News app or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

    You can also listen to Bay News 9 on our hurricane radio partners across the Bay area:

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Out-of-state volunteers help Citrus County homeowners recovering from Idalia

    Out-of-state volunteers help Citrus County homeowners recovering from Idalia

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    OZELLO, Fla. — A few out-of-state volunteers are lending a helping hand to Citrus County homeowners who are still picking up the pieces after Hurricane Idalia brushed the Nature Coast last August.

    It’s some much needed help that otherwise no one could do alone.

    In the marshes of Ozello, you’ll hear the occasional sound of power tools drilling away inside Linda Florea’s home.

    What You Need To Know

    • Volunteers from North and South Dakota have traveled thousands of miles to help homeowners make repairs in Ozello after Hurricane Idalia

    • Those volunteers are with St. Andrew’s Mission Society, who make these type of trips year after year

    • The group has seven projects total they are working on in the Tampa Bay Area

    “This is work after the hurricane,” she said.

    Idalia rocked Florea’s home last August — and months later, reminders of the storm are still visible from her possessions sitting outside to the water marks left on walls.

    “From what I understand, this was higher than Hermine,” Florea recalled. “In the early ‘90s, they had the no-name storm which was higher. But this last hurricane was higher than Hermine.”

    Repairing her property alone seemed impossible until one day she received a phone call.

    “This kind of wears on you when you have this much damage and you know it’s going to take a year or two to fix it and they have sped that up so much for me. It was just fantastic that they would do this for me. It’s good neighbors across the country,” she said.

    Those ‘good neighbors’ are volunteers with St. Andrew’s Mission Society. They traveled more than a thousand miles from North and South Dakota. All on a mission to help homeowners like Florea.

    “You just can’t even believe their stories and how appreciative they are,” volunteer Kim Rieger said. “I mean, none of us are trained in construction. None of us. We’re all just novices and we’re making mistakes and not doing things right, but Linda is so happy to have us here, and that makes you feel good.”

    The group has seven projects they’re working on in the Tampa Bay area. But Florea’s home has required a little extra attention.

    “All of my appliances I’ve had to replace,” said Florea. “They’re out right now but, hopefully, it will come back better. We’ve moved all of the outlets up a little bit, so that next time I won’t have to replace those.”

    Having her home back will mean more than just having a roof over her head — she’ll have her life back, too.

    “Not being hanging on the edge of this around the house is not working, or this has to be fixed,” she said. “The walls aren’t in. I can’t do this or can’t do that because I can’t. Normal never looked so good, so it’ll be nice.”

    A sense of normal that has been months in the making.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Citrus couple return to ice cream business roots months after Idalia

    Citrus couple return to ice cream business roots months after Idalia

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    HOMOSASSA, Fla. — Imagine your business becoming flooded overnight, all thanks to a hurricane. For Rebekah and James Barr, that was their reality after Hurricane Idalia.

    What You Need To Know

    • Rebekah and James Barr, co-owners of the Ice Cream Barr, had their business slammed by Hurricane Idalia in August

    • Now that the dust has settled, the husband-and-wife business duo are back on their feet embarking on a new business venture

    • But the damage led to an evolution of their business and a chance to return to a business model that gave them their start

    Spectrum News first introduced you to the couple, who own the Ice Cream Barr in Homosassa, in September when they were still recovering from the storm. Now that the dust has settled, the husband-and-wife business duo is back on their feet and are embarking on a new business venture.

    But they say getting to where they are now required overcoming a few obstacles.

    “It was that time where our mettle was tested,” said James Barr. “It was like, ‘OK, you’re here. You’re in the building, you’re selling, you’re going and here’s your first big, big challenge.’”

    In September, the Barrs were picking up the pieces after Hurricane Idalia impacted the Gulf Coast. The damage led to an evolution of their business and a chance to return to a business model that gave them their start.

    “We first started under a tent doing a couple events and festivals,” said Rebekah Barr. “We had just a little pop-up tent. Some local people here offered to let us use their trailer and so they became our business partners. They let us use the trailer and it gave us a little legitimacy and it also a bit of branding, which is fun.”

    They say the trailer is a welcome return to their humble beginnings. And they say no matter where they do business, their product is the same.

    The Barrs still have their store in Homosassa, and after experiencing Idalia, they say it’s helped expand their vision for their work and has given them time to reflect and seek more opportunities.

    “We want to bring something to the table and be the best at what we do and bring the most quality,” Rebekah said. “That’s always been our goal and continues to be our goal: to be the best we know how to be and just keep getting better and better.”

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Firefighters return home after helping with Hurricane Idalia relief

    Firefighters return home after helping with Hurricane Idalia relief

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    CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — Firefighters are returning home after helping with recovery efforts from Hurricane Idalia.

    What You Need To Know

    • Firefighters from Citrus County Fire Rescue return home after helping Hurricane Idalia recovery efforts in Dixie County

    • Both firefighters — driver engineer and paramedic Nathan VanBuren and Lieutenant Jesse Mullis — came from differing stations in the county

    • Responding to the call in a different county was a first for both firefighters, an experience they say they won’t soon forget

    Citrus County Fire Rescue firefighters heeded the call when their neighbors to the north needed it most. It’s an experience that will leave a lasting impact on their posts.

    At Citrus County Fire Rescue Station 24, driver engineer and paramedic Nathan VanBuren goes about his normal shift.

    “I just always enjoyed helping other people and serve in the community,” he said.

    But just weeks ago, that normal was flipped after getting a call — a call for help during Hurricane Idalia.

    “Me and another firefighter for the county went up there to Dixie County,” VanBuren said. “We were stationed on horseshoe beach on a tanker. During the hurricane, I guess their hydrants weren’t operating at full capacity so their water wasn’t great. We were up there in a tanker just to provide extra water in case there was a fire to happen.”

    VanBuren was joined alongside Lieutenant Jesse Mullis with Station 3 in Homosassa.

    “The first town we went into was the city of Horseshoe Beach,” Lt. Mullis said. “That’s where it started hitting with the destruction. They got hit pretty hard.”

    Swiping through photos, you can see some of the damage firefighters witnessed, but they don’t show the full extent of what was left by the storm.

    “Some of the pictures don’t really do it justice,” VanBuren said. “You can see a truck washed into the canal there.”

    “It was definitely kind of shocking to see something so damaging, so close to our community,” he said. “But it was refreshing to see the people up there. We were up there shortly after the hurricane went through and people were already cleaning up and everybody that we spoke to was in really good spirits. It was cool to see the community come together.”

    But out of the storm comes some positivity.

    “The comradery that we were with other guys that we had never met before,” Lt. Mullis said. “Truly, friendships were made with the networking and it was cool seeing everyone come together.”

    It’s experience he says that you can only get firsthand. 

    “Going up there and seeing the damage and devastation, knowing that we could have to deal with something like that at a moment’s notice really kind of opens your eyes,” VanBuren said. “To being operationally ready and really getting behind that and standing behind it.”

    It’s something they will take with them on each call.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Northern counties are open for business weeks after Hurricane Idalia

    Northern counties are open for business weeks after Hurricane Idalia

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    HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — Weeks after Hurricane Idalia, coastal communities in the nature coast are just now returning to normal.

    Waterfront areas of Hernando and Citrus counties dealt with what our weather experts estimate was more than three feet of storm surge.

    What You Need To Know

    • Areas along the water in Hernando and Citrus counties dealt with more than 3-feet of storm surge from Hurricane Idalia

    • Weeks after cleanup and recovery, both counties are back open for business

    • One business couple is taking the damage from the storm in stride and coming back stronger than before

    Businesses like Hunter Springs Kayak Tours have since reopened. The storm pushed nearly a foot of water into the kayak rental store. Cleaning up required plenty of time and patience.

    But now, local leaders say it’s time to get the message out — that Citrus County is back open for business.

    “You had businesses that were impacted that were also giving back to the community,” said Josh Wooten, President & CEO of the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce. “Just people working together. The government did a great job and I think the citizens, at large, really, it’s a testament to them that we got back up and running quickly.”

    Wooten added that with businesses back up and running, he expects a boost for the local economy.

    And just a 10-mile drive south from Crystal River to Homosassa, another local business had to pick up the pieces after Idalia. A job these owners are taking one scoop at a time. Rebekah and James Barr never expected such a significant impact from Idalia.

    “You see these things on tv but then to actually experience it a little bit, it’s like, ‘Wow- this is surreal,’” said Rebekah.

    They’ve owned their ice cream shop for four years — the ‘Ice Cream Barr’ a blessing — until the storm brought uncertainty.

    “My first reaction was to cry, but I just knew it was all for a purpose and that there was a reason behind it all,” said Rebekah. “I didn’t know how we were going to be okay, but I knew we were going to be okay.”

    The shop you see now looked pretty different after Hurricane Idalia impacted Florida’s Gulf Coast in late August.

    “One of the first things I noticed when we were able to get into the building was this right here,” said James. “We’d scrubbed quite a bit, but you can still see a clear water line. This is about 18 to 20 inches from the ground.”

    After many hours of scrubbing and cleaning, their shop is now back open. Serving hungry customers one cone at a time.

    But owning an ice cream shop wasn’t something they’d even thought of until moving to the area.

    “I grew up in upstate New York where there’s ice cream shops on every corner and we come down here and we’re like, ‘Okay let’s go get some ice cream,’” says Rebekah. “And there’s no mom-and-pop ice cream shops. We were like, ‘We need to do that.’ We like to cook, so it’s kind of a hobby, but I never thought we’d get into ice cream.”

    A hobby now turned into a profession. Made special by the experiences they’ve gone through.

    “All of the old machines that were given to us by friends and other people who wanted to help us out, gave us old appliances throughout all of this,” said James. “I cleaned them all and now they’re working better, they’re even colder. So there’s always good. Every time you look at a situation, there’s always good to be found.”

    It’s that ‘finding the good during the bad’ that keeps the couple going. Maybe that’s why now — more than ever — it’s an appropriate time to celebrate.

    “We are going to have our big grand opening party on Oct. 1,” said Rebekah. “It’s going to be a luau Hawaiian theme, so we hope you can join us.”

    With a promise of more frosted treats on the way, you can find your local ‘Ice Cream Barr’ at 10844 W Yulee Drive, Homosassa. 

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Cedar Key churches band together to lift up residents after Idalia

    Cedar Key churches band together to lift up residents after Idalia

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    CEDAR KEY, Fla. — Cedar Key is a small, tight-knit community of just 700 full-time residents.

    People on the island say when a storm comes through and their neighbors are in need, everyone is quick to band together to support each other. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  Cedar Key churches have been working together to collect donations, serve hot meals and lift up residents after Idalia.

    •  Pastor Billy Dalton with First Baptist Church said they were able to also send supplies to other hard-hit areas like Horseshoe Beach and Steinhatchee. 

    •  Dalton will be leading a special service at 11 a.m. on Sunday for residents to gather and reflect.

    As soon as Idalia settled on Wednesday afternoon, Pastor Billy Dalton with First Baptist Church Cedar Key sprung into action. The church has been collecting donations and serving three hot meals a day. People have been donating water bottles, pet food, gloves for cleanup and other necessities. 

    “You’ll have somebody come up, they’ll drop off two and somebody right behind them will be grabbing three,” Dalton said. “People are driving in from all over the state, even out of state, and delivering stuff so that’s fantastic.”

    Dalton said churches on the island are all working together to help get residents back on their feet. As residents begin to rebuild their lives, Dalton said he wants to be a light for the community and give them hope. 

    “I think a lot of people go into despair, discouragement,” he said. “Especially if you’ve poured your life into a business or you have your home and all these things –  and then those things are gone. Ultimately we need to say OK, we’re still here, we have our relationship with God, we have our relationship with one another. We’re going to come together, we’re going to be together. Don’t give up. Let’s keep going step by step.”

    Dalton said so many donations have come in from people locally and in other areas of the state, that they’ve been able to send them to other hard-hit areas like Horseshoe Beach and Steinhachee. 

    “For all these communities, it’s going to be a long process of rebuilding,” he said. “I think sometimes we have a tendency to jump in and then something else happens and then people get forgotten. So, I just encourage people – thank you so much on the front end, and bear with us for the long term as well.”

    Pastor Dalton held a special service at 11 a.m. on Sunday at First Baptist Church for the community to come together and reflect. 

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    Brian Rea

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  • Business wiped out by Hermine rebuilds once again after Idalia

    Business wiped out by Hermine rebuilds once again after Idalia

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    CEDAR KEY, Fla. — Peter Stefani and his wife, Gina, have been running Cedar Cove Hotel for more than 30 years.

    It’s become known as a staple in the community.

    What You Need To Know

    • Communities in the Big Bend were also hit badly with damage from Hurricane Hermine in August 2016

    • Cedar Cove Hotel in Cedar Key was a complete loss

    • It took a year and a half to reopen the hotel and restaurant

    • Seven years later, the owners are rebuilding their business once again

    Stefani now has months of work ahead of him, after Hurricane Idalia washed out the Island Room Restaurant on the first floor. Everything has to be replaced, Stefani said, except for the bar that is still standing.

    “You can’t prepare for something like this,” he said. “I mean, we did all we could. We boarded up and taped up and did all the stuff we’re supposed to do. But, Mother Nature is going to do what it wants to do.”

    Our Spectrum News team first met Stefani the day before Idalia made landfall in the Big Bend region. Two days later, Stefani returned to a much different scene – windows shattered, bottles of wine floating in the Gulf and the feeling that he had been in this position before.

    In August 2016, Cedar Cove was completely taken out by Hurricane Hermine. It took Stefani a year and a half to reopen.

    “It’s ironic that they’re almost on the same date,” Stefani said. “There’s a certain amount of resiliency and there’s a lot of people that are ready to leave and get the heck out of here and I don’t blame them. I’m not making that choice. We have to get back and running, we can’t just leave.”

    When Stefani rebuilt after Hermine, he added features – like cement flooring and stronger walls – to help withstand storms. He believes those improvements helped protect the hotel from even more damage during Idalia.

    This time around, Stefani expects it could take up to six months to rebuild. But his biggest concern right now is his employees and how he’s going to keep paying them.

    “It’s just sad,” Stefani said. “I’m going to be OK because I’ve got to keep working and doing this. But it affects more than just me, it affects a lot of people.”

    Even in a difficult time, Stefani describes himself as a positive person. That mindset, in addition to the community’s support, is what pulled him through rebuilding the first time – and he said it will get him through this, too.

    “It just has to be done, we just have to get back,” Stefani said. “There’s a lot of people that are supporting us. There’s a couple that just left – they’re flooded but they wanted to come see how we did because they eat here on a weekly basis and they like my staff. It’s just a whole community thing.”

    Stefani’s family has started a GoFundMe to help support staff and build their business back.

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    Brian Rea

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  • Cedar Key business owners, residents trying to get back to normal

    Cedar Key business owners, residents trying to get back to normal

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    TAMPA, Fla. — As Benjamin Iversen cleaned up the mud caked on the floor of his Cedar Key coffee shop, he said he’s trying to stay optimistic.

    Even though he mounted his refrigerators on milk cartons before the storm, that wasn’t enough to protect them from the three feet of water that flooded inside 1842 Daily Grind.

    What You Need To Know

    • Cedar Key residents are starting to return to the island to see the damage from Hurricane Idalia. 

    • Community members are helping each other clean up their businesses and homes.

    • Starting Friday, FEMA crews will be going door-to-door to help enroll people in assistance programs. 

    “With each piece of equipment I keep testing, it turns out I’m going to be needing to replace it,” Iversen said. “But in some way, shape or form, this weekend we’ll be back open for coffee and for some breakfast and lunch.”

    Iversen’s coffee shop is on 2nd Street, about two blocks from the water.

    There are many homes and businesses on the street, which saw a lot of flooding during the storm. Iversen stayed put in Cedar Key to ride out the storm. He didn’t want to risk not being able to get back on the island to fix his shop, but also to help his neighbors get back on their feet.

    “It’s just unbelievable,” Iversen said. “You see storms on the news and hear about these big hurricanes and stuff happening but living through it and experiencing one is just, it’s very humbling and also overwhelming.”

    Even though Iversen has to replace a few refrigerators, he’s confident his business – and the whole island – will make it through the storm.

    As residents return home to the damage Hurricane Idalia left behind, Iversen and his staff are welcoming them with free coffee, water and pastries – because that’s the Cedar Key way, Iversen said.

    “Friends, the community, family – you just have to lean on that and trust that everything will be OK,” he said.

    On Friday, FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews will begin going door-to-door in Cedar Key and Yankeetown to help register people for assistance programs.

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    Brian Rea

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  • From Big Bend to Tampa Bay, residents cleaning up after Idalia

    From Big Bend to Tampa Bay, residents cleaning up after Idalia

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Assessment and cleanup continues in north Florida and across the Bay area after Hurricane Idalia.

    Meanwhile, state officials confirm

    At a Thursday morning news conference, Gov. DeSantis and Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie confirmed no storm-related deaths have been reported. There were two deaths related to driving in bad weather, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

    A Pasco County man crashed into a tree when he lost control of his vehicle Wednesday morning, and another person died in Alachua County when he crashed his pickup truck into a ditch.

    The hurricane made landfall Wednesday morning at 7:45 a.m. at Keaton Beach in Taylor County with 125-mph winds. 

    It left as many as a half-million customers without power in Florida and other states at one point as it ripped down power poles and lines.

    Still, it was far less destructive than feared, providing only glancing blows to Tampa Bay and other more populated areas as it came ashore in rural Florida.

    Here’s a look at recovery efforts across the region:

    PINELLAS COUNTY

    Flights at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport resume today after the airport closed ahead of the storm.

    During a news conference Thursday morning, Pinellas County officials said 60 water rescue missions were performed during and after the storm.

    Crews will be out assessing damage today. 

    St. Pete police continue to limit access to Shore Acres due to continuing flooding there. Officials said hundreds of homes were flooded in St. Petersburg. Anyone with damage can report it to Disaster.pinellas.gov.

    During the height of the storm, 28,000 homes in Pinellas lost power. That was down to just 2,600 by midday Thursday.

    Meanwhile, crews were working until early Thursday to clear debris, water and sand on Gulf Boulevard in Madeira Beach. A total of about 85 dump trucks of sand was cleaned up, officials said. Indian Rocks Beach in particular had a big drop off from erosion.

    Officials also said there were three house fires related to the storm.

    HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

    Tampa International Airport is also now fully open. The airport was open to just to arriving flights yesterday afternoon.

    Port Tampa Bay is still closed Thursday.

    Coast Guard officials will determine when the port can reopen.

    A spokesperson for the port said the Coast Guard needs to complete a harbor assessment today before they open again.

    So this will impact incoming shipments and cruise travelers.

    PASCO COUNTY

    The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said it did 85 rescue mission in the hours after Idalia roared by the Bay area, saving 150 people from flood waters. Deputies helped people ranging from 9 months old to age 90, officials said.

    Also, crews are still monitoring some areas of Hudson and New Port Richey where flood waters had swamped streets.

    CITRUS COUNTY

    A part of U.S. 19 remains closed in Crystal River due to flooding.

    U.S. 19 has been shut down from Dunnellon Road to State Road 44 because of remaining water on the roadway.

    HERNANDO COUNTY

    Some Hernando County residents who evacuated ahead of Idalia were allowed back into their neighborhoods on Wednesday.

    A debris field greeted Sandra Day when she returned to her Hernando Beach home.

    But she said there was no damage to the house itself.

    That came as a relief since these screen shots from home cameras show what she and her husband saw while taking shelter: Their yard and neighborhood were flooded.

    “Our backyard, the dock was up about two feet, and we could just see the water rushing in, and it sounded like a waterfall,” said Day, a Hernando Beach resident. “So, now you look how calm it is, and it’s all going over the berm now.”

    No injuries or deaths related to Idalia have been reported in Hernando County.

    Day said she feels like that’s an answer to prayers.

    CEDAR KEY

    Power has been mostly been restored in Cedar Key.

    Still, some residents are being kept off the beach.

    Officials are only letting residents who have re-entry passes cross the bridge.

    Before the storm, city officials said their biggest concern was flooding. That held true and storm surge damaged businesses and homes.

    Officials say it’s going to take some time to get the city back up and running and are asking for people to be patient as they continue cleanup and recovery efforts.

    Spectrum Bay News 9 reporters Brian Rea, Nick Popham, Sarah Blazonis, Cait McVey and Fallon Silcox contributed to this report.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Braving the roads, helping others in Palm Harbor

    Braving the roads, helping others in Palm Harbor

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    PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A number of Pinellas County residents spent their day driving around flooded neighborhoods and checking on people who stuck around for Idalia.

    Frank Furman was one of those on a mission Wednesday, and he allowed Spectrum Bay News 9 to join him for a ride-along.

    Use the video above to watch Jeff Van Sant’s report.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Citrus sheriff: ‘Never seen a dumpster floating down Highway 19’

    Citrus sheriff: ‘Never seen a dumpster floating down Highway 19’

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    CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Air boats were used Wednesday to rescue dozens of people from high waters, as Citrus County continues to clean up after Hurricane Idalia.

    Sheriff Mike Prendergast said he saw things during the storm that he had never seen happen in Crystal River.

    “I’ve never seen a dumpster floating down Highway 19, but I saw two of those today,” he said.

    Angel Lockley and her family watched as the boats came in, one after another, rescuing stranded residents.

    “I’m glad that they’re safe now and hopefully their homes are not damaged,” Lockley said.

    Use the video player above to watch Fallon Silcox’s full report.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Idalia lashes Citrus County with winds and heavy rain

    Idalia lashes Citrus County with winds and heavy rain

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    CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — It started with a blast of wind-driven rain at 6 a.m.

    An inner rain band of Hurricane Idalia lashed Kings Bay in Crystal River late Tuesday, pushing the first of feet of storm surge toward land.

    What You Need To Know

    • Citrus County residents and business owners dealt with pounding winds and rising rain levels from Idalia

    • Idalia lashed Kings Bay in Crystal River late Tuesday and into Wednesday

    • LIVE UPDATES: Aftermath of Idalia in Tampa Bay

    That surge continued to rise Wednesday, knocking on the door of neighborhoods and dozens of small town businesses.

    “This water has risen in an hour from walking back there to up to your waste,” said Marty Hoffman, whose son works on commercial fishing boats in Crystal River. He came to try and help workers from losing the boats as the surge quickly pushed in.

    “There’s four commercial fishing boats back there that they are trying to keep from floating into buildings,” he said.

    Away from the docks, there’s water where it’s not supposed to be.

    Meanwhile, along the North Citrus Avenue shopping district, businesses owners threatened by rising water could only watch Wednesday afternoon, waiting to see how long the inshore winds will push water in.

    Aside from the storm surge, more than 3,000 power outages are being reported.

    And at least one fire was reported, an electrical fire, potentially due to storm surge.

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    Jason Lanning

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  • Live Updates: Aftermath of Idalia in Tampa Bay

    Live Updates: Aftermath of Idalia in Tampa Bay

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    The Tampa Bay area is dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. 

    The hurricane made landfall Wednesday morning at 7:45 at Keaton Beach in Taylor County with 125-mph winds. 

    The storm brought heavy rain, winds and flooding to the Bay area.

    Use our Live Updates feed below for updates from our reporters in the field, Weather Experts in the Spectrum Bay News 9 studio, and more.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • COUNTY BY COUNTY: What to expect from Idalia around Tampa Bay

    COUNTY BY COUNTY: What to expect from Idalia around Tampa Bay

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    Our Spectrum Bay News 9 Weather Experts have broken down, by county, what to watch for with Idalia. For the latest forecast updates, you can check here.

    Citrus

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Tropical Storm Warning

    Winds (coast): 30 to 40 mph, gusts to 60

    Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 40

    Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts near the coast

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 5 to 8 feet above ground within surge prone areas

    Hernando

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Tropical Storm Warning

    Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50

    Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts near the coast

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 5 to 8 feet above ground within surge prone areas

    Pasco

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Hurricane Warning

    Winds (coast): 35 to 45 mph, gusts to 70

    Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50

    Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 6 to 9 feet above ground within surge prone areas

    Pinellas

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Hurricane Warning

    Winds: 30 to 40 mph, gusts to 65

    Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 4 to 6 feet above ground within surge prone areas

    Hillsborough

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Hurricane Warning

    Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50

    Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts

    Manatee

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Hurricane Warning

    Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50 mph

    Winds (coast): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 55 mph

    Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 4 to 6 feet within surge prone areas

    Polk

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Tropical Storm Warning

    Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50 mph

    Rainfall: Additional 1 to 3 inches, locally higher

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Where to find last-minute gas

    Where to find last-minute gas

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    Many Floridians are preparing for Idalia, and soon many will be searching for gas as the storm gets closer.

    With the GasBuddy Outage Tracker, drivers can search for gas stations nearby, as well as filter by the following criteria:

    • Has Fuel & Power
    • Has No Power
    • Limited Fuel Options
    • Has No Fuel & Power

    Click/Tap on the image below to locate gas stations near you and check their status. For the best results, be sure to share you location. You can also track outages on your phone by downloading the GasBuddy app for Android or iOS.

    Screenshot of the GasBuddy Outage Tracker (Courtesy: GasBuddy.com)

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    Spectrum News Staff

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