Lazaro Aleman
reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com
At 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the latest bulletin from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Suwannee, Hamilton and Lafayette Counties were placed under a hurricane warning and well within the cone of the probable path of Hurricane Idalia, which was projected to intensify rapidly into an extremely dangerous major hurricane before making landfall somewhere in Florida on Wednesday.
Idalia, which formed as a tropical storm off the Yucatan Peninsula on Sunday, was about 135 miles west-southwest of the Dry Tortugas and about 320 miles south-southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. It was moving north across the Gulf of Mexico at 14 mph, its probable landfall encompassing the area between the Big Bend and upper west coast of Florida.
On Saturday, Aug. 26, Governor Ron DeSantis issued an emergency declaration for 33 Florida counties, including Hamilton, Lafayette and Suwannee Counties.
“I signed an executive order issuing a state of emergency out of an abundance of caution to ensure that the Florida Division of Emergency Management can begin staging resources and Floridians have plenty of time to prepare their families for a storm next week,” DeSantis said in the statement. “I encourage Floridians to have a pan in place and ensure that they hurricane supply kit is stocked.”
In conjunction with the governor’s declaration, the Florida Department of Health issued a reminder to Floridians to have enough of their prescriptions on hand in the eventuality that pharmacies are temporarily unavailable. It reminded Floridians that under a state of emergency, individuals are permitted to receive early prescription refills regardless of the typical limits. This prescription refill availability remains in effect until the governor’s executive order is rescinded or expires.
In addition, in preparation for a potential hurricane, the Suwannee, Hamilton and Lafayette County Sheriff's Offices will have free sandbags available to residents. Residents must bring shovels with them, but the sand and bags are provided for free.
Lafayette County residents can fill sandbags behind the Mayo Community Center, located at 138 SW Community Cir. There is a limit of 25 bags per household.
Hamilton County residents can fill sandbags between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the Hamilton County Road Department, located at 1623 Martin Luther King Dr. SW, in Jasper. There is a limit of 10 bags per household. Additional bags will need to be purchased from building stores.
Suwannee County's sandbag locations include the Live Oak Fire Department, 200 Duval St. NE; The Suwannee County Judicial Annex, 218 Parshley St. SW; and the Branford Volunteer Fire Department, 602 SW Suwannee Avenue.
The Suwannee County Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management has also issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents living in mobile homes, travel trailers and structurally compromised housing for the entire county. The order states there is currently the potential for areas along the Suwannee River in the southern portion of Suwannee County to experience sustained Category 3 force winds between 111 and 129 miles per hour (mph). Mandatory evacuations also apply to those living in low-lying and flood prone areas or structures that have previously flooded during heavy rains. Evacuations went into effect on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 12 p.m. The following shelters will be available:
• General population/Pet friendly: Suwannee Pineview Elementary School, 1748 Ohio Ave. S, in Live Oak.
• General population: Branford Elementary School, 26801 SR 247, in Branford.
• Special needs (medically necessary): Suwannee Springcrest Elementary School, 1419 Walker St. SW, in Live Oak.
The Lafayette County Board of County Commissioners and Division of Emergency Management has also issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents living in mobile homes, travel trailers and structurally compromised housing throughout the entire county. Like Suwannee County residents, the evacuation order also applies to residents living in low-lying and flood prone areas or structures that have previously flooded during heavy rains. Evacuations went into effect on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. General population sheltering is available in the Lafayette High School cafeteria, located at 160 NE Hornet Dr., in Mayo. Individuals are recommended to bring bedding, pillows, extra clothing, medications, non-perishable food, a small flashlight and children's items. No alcohol, illegal drugs or weapons will be permitted.
Hamilton County residents needing to seek shelter can do so at the Hamilton County High School, located at 5683 US 129, in Jasper. Those seeking shelter at the high school will need to bring snacks, medication and any personal items they may need. No meals will be provided. Pets and comfort animals will be housed in a separate location. Owners will be responsible for bringing pet cages and food, and for feeding and cleaning up after their pets.
Meanwhile, Duke Energy on Monday announced that it was mobilizing 4,500 employees, including power line technicians, vegetation workers, damage assessors and support personnel, to respond to any disruptions to the electric grid in potentially affected areas.
As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, the center of Idalia was near latitude 23.8 North and longitude 84.8 West, moving toward the north at 14 mph. A north- northeast motion was expected later in the day, followed by a faster north- northeast motion in the evening and into Wednesday.
On the forecast track, per the NHC, the center of Idalia was expected to move over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and reach the Gulf coast of Florida within the hurricane warning area on Wednesday, with rapid intensification expected prior to landfall, making the storm an extremely dangerous major hurricane.
Per the NHC, hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm force winds extend outward up to 160 miles. The storm is expected to cross the state after landfall across Georgia onto the Carolina coastline on Thursday.
Per the NHC, a storm surge warning was in effect from Englewood in Charlotte and Sarasota Counties, including Tampa Bay, to Indian Pass near Apalachicola in the Panhandle. A hurricane warning was in effect from the middle of Longboat Key in Manatee and Sarasota Counties to Indian Pass in the Panhandle.
The NHC warns that the combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.
A hurricane warning means that hurricane condition are expected somewhere within the designated area and is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of the tropical force winds. It means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within the next 12 to 24 hours and preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion, per the NHC.
A storm surge watch means that there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline during the next 48 hours.
Idalia was expected to produce from four to eight inches of rain from Tuesday into Thursday in portions of the west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle and southeast Georgia. Isolated higher totals of 12 were also possible, primarily near landfall in northern Florida, according to the NHC.
Areas of flash and urban flooding, some of which could be locally significant were also expected across portions of the west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle, and southern Georgia on Tuesday and into Wednesday, according to the NHC.
The NHC cautioned the threat of tornadoes will spread into the area by Tuesday night.