Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to become a hurricane on Tuesday as it moves off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula towards the U.S. state of Florida. With maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, the storm is currently moving northeast at just 3 mph.
Throughout the day today, the storm will begin to make a more noticeable northward movement, gaining forward speed as it enters the eastern Gulf of Mexico tonight and into Tuesday. Weather experts predict the storm will intensify over the next 24 hours. It is forecasted to make landfall in Florida as a Category 2 hurricane on Wednesday morning. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 33 counties along the Gulf Coast as a precautionary measure.
Currently, Idalia is approximately 95 miles off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico. Heavy rain has been reported in parts of the Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba due to the tropical storm. The National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane and storm surge watches for parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast.
A second hurricane, named Franklin, is moving across the western Atlantic and could potentially affect Bermuda in the coming days. It is currently a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, moving to the NNW at 8 mph. Franklin is about 565 miles southwest of Bermuda. Over the next few days, it is expected to strengthen further, potentially reaching major hurricane status on Monday.