Idalia, a powerful and dangerous hurricane with winds up to 125 mph, made landfall at Florida’s Big Bend area on Wednesday morning.

Idalia intensified into a category 4 storm in the early morning hours of Wednesday, before fading slightly to Category 3 just prior to landfall.

In its advisory at 11 a.m., the NHC stated that Idalia had weakened to a Category 1, with sustained winds of up to 90 miles per hour. The storm’s center is moving into southern Georgia, and the high water levels are continuing along the Gulf Coast of Florida.

WPTV First Alert Weather forecaster Jennifer Correa stated that 12 to 16 feet storm surge will affect the Big Bend, with rainfall amounts ranging between 4 to 8 inches. Between Gainesville to Tallahassee, tropical storm force winds are expected.

Cedar Key was flooded and trees were downed after Idalia hit the area.

Idalia will weaken into a tropical storm on Wednesday evening.

Correa stated, “It appears that the forecast cone is moving a bit more northward, staying over land along the coasts of South Carolina and exiting into the Atlantic Ocean later on Thursday.” “And then moving out into the Atlantic, slowing down a bit and hitting the breaks,” Correa said.

Correa said that although some forecast models show the storm heading back to Florida, “there’s a lot of uncertainty” about that.

Correa stated that “if that were to occur, Idalia would not have the same tropical structures.”

Palm Beach County, Treasure Coast and other areas will experience gusty winds on Wednesday, with passing storms. However, it won’t be a total washout.

Correa stated that our viewing area won’t get much rain but there is still a threat of isolated strong to severe thunderstorms.

As the day progresses, wind gusts of over 30 miles per hour are expected. Steve Villanueva, WPTV First Alert Weather’s meteorologist, said that the afternoon will be dominated by wind gusts over 30 miles per hour. But by tomorrow and this evening, the wind will start to slow down.

On Wednesday, temperatures will reach low 90s on a high and feel humid.

As Idalia moves off the Carolinas and into the Atlantic, moisture will follow behind it. This will cause our weather to be breezy with scattered storms. The weekend will be drier.

The NHC has predicted that Tropical Depression 11 will only last a few days in the central Atlantic Ocean.

Two other waves are also likely to develop in the eastern and central Atlantic.