DeSantis expands state of emergency for Tropical Storm Idalia to 46 counties

Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the state of emergency regarding Tropical Storm Idalia from 33 counties to 46 counties. He made the announcement at a news conference Monday morning.

The storm, currently traveling north into the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to strengthen in the warm waters of the Gulf and reach Category 3 strength, with winds speeds of up to 115 mph, by the time it makes landfall on Florida’s west coast.

Tracking models for the storm indicate it will come ashore in the Big Bend region of the state. The cone, indicating the possible track of the eye of the storm, currently encompasses an area from Tampa Bay to near Tallahassee.

Officials emphasized that the impact area could be much broader. Hurricane- and tropical-force winds could extend well beyond the eye, and storm surge, which accounted for most of the deaths from last year’s Hurricane Ian, can impact vast areas well outside the track of the eye.

There is currently a storm surge watch extending from Chokoloskee on Florida’s southwest coast to nearly Panama City in the Panhandle.

The state of emergency applies to the following 46 counties:

Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Nassau, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, and Wakulla counties.