TAMPA, Fla. — Hurricane Idalia is continuing its track Tuesday toward the Gulf Coast of Florida — with life-threatening storm surge and strong winds increasingly likely for parts of the state.
It's important to stress that small shifts in Idalia's track will continue before the storm makes landfall — and parts of the region could still experience the "dirty" side of the system.
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Here's a breakdown of the timeline of events happening ahead of Idalia making landfall:
11:18 p.m. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office says its teams will be prepared for "a multitude of catastrophic events" from Hurricane Idalia, including 60-80 mph winds and gusts over 100 mph to an 8-12 foot surge.
11:02 p.m. The Atlantic has two hurricanes moving at 110 mph for the first time since 1950.
11 p.m. Hurricane Idalia remains just shy of a Category 3 storm as it continues its track along Florida's Gulf Coast. It's now forecast to become an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane before making landfall.
10 p.m.: Hurricane Idaila, now a 110-mph system, is just shy of major hurricane (Category 3) strength. At 111 mph, it is considered a major hurricane. The storm continues to track north along Florida's Gulf Coast.
9:45 p.m. At times throughout the evening, the eye of Hurricane Idaila appears to organize as the storm moves north off Florida's Gulf Coast.
8:29 p.m. A tornado watch is in effect for all Tampa Bay-area counties through 6 a.m. The outer rainbands from Hurricane Idalia could spawn isolated tornadoes.
8 p.m. Venice Municipal Airport closes until 8 a.m. Wednesday.
8 p.m. Hurricane Idalia is nearing Category 3 major hurricane strength as it continues its trek northward across the Gulf of Mexico.
7 p.m. DoorDash is stopping deliveries at 10 p.m. tonight in Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Gainesville, Lakeland and Tampa. Operations are expected to resume at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
6:59 p.m. Skies are darkening at Clearwater Beach as Hurricane Idalia pushes closer to the area.
5 p.m. Idalia strengthens to a Category 2 hurricane as it continues moving toward Florida.
4:37 p.m. First bands of Hurricane Idalia reach Lakewood Ranch.
4:30 p.m. GoPasco announces it will stop running at 6 p.m. with plans to restore service on Thursday. Pasco County residents who need a ride to a shelter can call Pasco County Customer Service at 727-847-2411.
4:30 p.m. Publix stores across Pinellas County are closing at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Tampa-area locations show similar closing times, as well as those along the coastline south to Sarasota County and north to Citrus County.
4:27 p.m. Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport will close at 7 p.m. Tuesday with plans to reopen at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
4 p.m. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue will close two fire stations located in Evacuation Zone A ahead of Hurricane Idalia. The personnel from these locations will be reassigned to surrounding stations at 8 p.m.
Emergency services may not be able to respond during the height of the storm. HART service will be shut down tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 30, and may resume, weather permitting, on Thursday, Aug. 31.
Closed stations include:
- Station 15 located at 715 S. 58th St. Tampa, FL 33619
- The personnel and fire engine will go to Station 32 located at 5808 Harney Rd., Tampa, FL 33610 The personnel and ambulance will go to Station 37 located at 5602 Providence Rd., Riverview, FL 33578
- Station 31 located at 8901 Memorial Hwy., Tampa, FL 33615
- The personnel and fire engine will go to Station 35 located at 10401 Countryway Blvd., Tampa, FL 33626 The personnel and ambulance will go to Station 38 located at 9755 Sheldon Rd., Tampa, FL 33635
3:44 p.m. The Florida State University Tallahassee campus will remain closed through Friday, Sept. 1.
3:07 p.m. AdventHealth North Pinellas successfully evacuates more than 60 pateints to other AdventHealth facilities.
3:01 p.m. Bayfront Health St. Petersburg will not be allowing visitors to come to the hospital after 5 p.m. Tuesday.
3 p.m.: St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport shuts down for at least 24 hours.
3 p.m. Busch Gardens closes the park Tuesday and Wednesday with plans to reopen on Thursday.
2:09 p.m. The Florida Department of Children and Families announces it will release SNAP benefits early for families to prepare for Hurricane Idalia. Funds are available now on recipients' EBT cards rather than Sept. 1.
2 p.m. Hurricane Idalia has maximum sustained winds of 90 mph and is located about 240 miles south of Tampa, according to the National Hurricane Center's latest advisory. Its movement is north at 15 mph.
1:45 p.m. Gov. Ron DeSantis warns that inland counties, even those outside of the cone, should prepare to lose power. Power restoration and rescue crews are ready to respond.
1:11 p.m. Tampa Bay Buccaneers cancel Wednesday's practice as a precaution.
1 p.m. Sarasota County Utilities shuts off water service to Casey Key.
12:45 p.m. Florida State University announces its Tallahassee campus will be closed and all classes will be canceled starting at noon on Tuesday until Friday, Sept. 1.
All FSU facilities in Sarasota, including the Ringling campus, will remain closed through Wednesday, Aug. 30.
12:30 p.m. Uber announces free round-trip rides to Florida shelter locations in Hernando, Hillsborough, Leon, Manatee and Pinellas Counties.
12:13 p.m.: Wells Fargo branches in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties are set to close at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
11:47 a.m.: DeSantis expands the number of counties under a state of emergency in preparation for Idalia from 46 counties to 49 counties.
11:40 a.m.: DeSantis reminds Floridians there will be a good amount of debris left in the wake of Idalia.
11:31 a.m.: Florida Power & Light Company brought together a workforce of approximately 12,000 men and women to support restoration efforts.
"Restoration personnel, supplies and equipment are strategically pre-positioned to quickly start work as soon as the storm clears and it is safe to do so," the electric company explains online. "The company will utilize 18 staging, parking and processing sites to help speed restoration. "
11:30 a.m.: According to the Central Florida theme park, Walt Disney World is "operating under normal conditions."
"We are closely monitoring the path of the projected weather as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members," Disney said on its website.
11:30 a.m.: Tampa Mayor Jane Castor urges residents to stay prepared. Additionally, Castor urges residents to keep their guard up and be aware that storm surge is still the greatest threat to the Tampa area, especially on Wednesday morning.
11:14 a.m.: Pasco County Government offices will be closed to the public starting at noon on Tuesday and all day Wednesday.
11 a.m.: Pinellas County leaders warn people about potential impacts from storm surge. They also reminded residents that it doesn't matter if the cone model of the hurricane doesn't show it affecting them, they should still take precautions.
10:30 a.m.: St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and other city leaders warn the highest storm surge is expected to come Wednesday morning, so even though the sun is out, it doesn't mean the danger from the storm is clear. Shelters are open and currently, Zone A is under a mandatory evacuation.
10:10 a.m.: Hillsborough County leaders remind all Zone A residents to evacuate. They also warn residents in evacuation zones that staying puts lives at risk and emergency workers may not be able to answer calls for help once winds reach certain speeds.
Ten additional shelters are open and transportation is available for people who need it.
"This is not a time to panic. It's a time to be prepared," county leaders said.
10 a.m.: Pet shelters open in Hernando County.
9:52 a.m.: Tampa leaders announce all self-service sandbag sites are closing at 11 a.m.
9:27 a.m.: North Port City Hall and other city offices shut down operations on Tuesday and Wednesday.
9:24 a.m.: Keiser University campuses across the Tampa Bay area are closed Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of impacts from Hurricane Idalia.
9:21 a.m.: Pasco County now officially has seven sandbag sites for residents. Two specific cities — New Port Richey and Dade City — have opened sites, as well.
9:15 a.m.: Gov. Ron DeSantis announces the state has coordinated hurricane response teams, including strategically stationed power and rescue teams. The state is coordinating response with the Federal Department of Transportation, and DeSantis is expected to speak with President Biden in a conference later today.
9:05 a.m.: Hernando County leaders warn residents of potential massive power outages as Idalia makes landfall.
Evacuations are ongoing at this time while shelters remain open for those in need.
8:50 a.m.: Bayfront Health physician offices and clinics are set to close at noon on Tuesday.
8:28 a.m.: Polk State College, along with its collegiate high schools, will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday. It will remain closed through Wednesday with plans to reopen on Thursday.
8:24 a.m.: Port Tampa Bay shut down inbound vessel traffic. Leaders also secured waterfront facilities and dock areas to remove debris and hazardous materials ahead of Idalia's landfall.
"While the port's waterways are closed, the port's landside operations remain OPEN," leaders explain in a news release. "We will work with our fuel terminal operators and partners to ensure gas and other fuels move out of our port and to consumers as long as possible."
8:23 a.m.: The Orlando International Airport announced it's not planning on shutting down operations as of Tuesday morning.
8:02 a.m.: Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital announced all outpatient care centers will be closed on Wednesday. The hospital will also stop non-emergeny surgeries at noon on Tuesday until Wednesday.
8 a.m.: Adventhealth North Pinellas in Tarpon Springs is evacuating the hospital ahead of impacts from Hurricane Idalia.
5 a.m.: Idalia officially strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane as it emerges in the Gulf of Mexico. Life-threatening storm surge and strong winds are increasingly likely for parts of Florida's Gulf Coast.
4 a.m.: All tolls are being waived in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Pasco, Pinellas and Sumter counties. Click here to see a list of facilities included in the toll suspensions.
12:01 a.m.: All commercial operations at Tampa International Airport are suspended until further notice. The airport says that while some cargo and private aircraft operations will continue overnight, all air traffic will stop by 7 a.m.
Midnight: Students at the University of South Florida will not be returning to campus until Thursday at the earliest. The University of Tampa is also following along with this timeline for reopening after closing its campus on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Midnight: All students in the Tampa Bay area are waking up to no school on both Tuesday and Wednesday as a precaution against potential major hurricane impacts from Idalia.
