SARASOTA, Fla. — Another airport in the Tampa Bay area will close its doors before Hurricane Idalia makes its way to the region.
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport says it will close all air traffic and lock up its terminal beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
It won't be long before SRQ opens back up for business. The airport says it will resume normal operations at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30. However, depending on any damage from the storm, SRQ may be closed for a longer period.
Either way, travelers are urged to check with their airlines for the latest flight information available.
SRQ wants to remind people the terminal is not a shelter. To look at state-approved evacuation shelters, click here.
Other airports in the local area that will be closed ahead of the storm are Tampa International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. TPA will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31 and PIE will do so on Wednesday, Aug. 30.
The outer rainbands from Hurricane Idalia are pushing their way across southwest Florida and into the Tampa Bay region.
Idalia, now a Category 2 hurricane, has gotten somewhat stronger as it continues a trek toward the state across the Gulf of Mexico. Life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force wind are increasingly likely for portions of the Florida Gulf Coast.
It's important to stress small shifts in Idalia's track will continue before the storm makes landfall — and parts of the region will still experience the "dirty" side of the system.
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