Forecast updates provide a mix of good and bad news. [National Hurricane Center] On the good side, Idalia looks like she will be fast in forward movement as she arrives in Florida. On the bad side of the updates Idalia will be bigger, stronger, and the faster forward movement means the hurricane will be felt further inland potentially into southern Georgia. All advance preparations should be moved to completion within the next 48 hours.
Remember, you are in control. There is no need for panic or dark imaginings. Calm, prudent preparations should be taken if you are in the zone of uncertainty. Specific interests in the Tampa/St Pete region should be playing close attention. A a lot of change in impact zone can happen quickly with these northerly moving storms. Storm surge is expected to be significant.
[National Hurricane Center] – ..”At 700 AM CDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Idalia was located near latitude 20.6 North, longitude 85.2 West. Idalia is moving toward the north near 8 mph (13 km/h). A northward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a faster north-northeast motion on Tuesday and Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Idalia is forecast to pass near or over western Cuba tonight, over the extreme southeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Tuesday, and reach the Gulf coast of Florida on Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts. Idalia is forecast to become a hurricane later today and a dangerous major hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico by early Wednesday.”.. (more)
Idalia will come fast, now predicted to make landfall as a category 3+ hurricane. Those in the cone of uncertainty should pay attention, and people in the Tampa and St Pete region who have really lucked out in the past 30 years, should pay very close attention.
I hope you will understand why my proactive tips, advice and planning have modified since our experience with the September 2022 Hurricane, Ian. {Go Deep} Thankfully Idalia is not expected to be anything similar to slow moving Ian. Prior preparation advice remains solid and follows below.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

