 off the western tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 60mph (100 kph). By 1am on Wednesday local time, the map shows the hurricane heading towards the coast of Florida. And by 1pm local time, it will have smashed into the state. The centre's update also included a hurricane advisory for the Cuban province of Pinar Del Rio. Forecasters said they expected Idalia to become a hurricane later Monday and a dangerous major hurricane by early Wednesday over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US Idalia was expected to move northward on Monday, then turn north-northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday and move at a faster pace. The centre was forecast to pass over the extreme southeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Tuesday and reach Florida's western coast on Wednesday. Along a vast stretch of Florida's west coast, up to 11ft (3.4m) of ocean water could surge on shore, raising fears of destructive flooding. At a Sunday afternoon briefing, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis noted that much uncertainty remains in the forecast. 'This thing hasn't even gotten to Cuba yet, and the water in the Gulf is very, very warm and so that will provide some fuel for this thing to pick up some more speed,' DeSantis said. Large parts of){kind=link}
Hurricane local statement warns that storms will be deadly as winds of up to 110mph are forecast and Florida evacuation plans put into action
Destructive flooding is predicted in Florida as Tropical Storm Idalia intensifies and becomes a major hurricane.
The hurricane will pummel Florida’s Gulf coast, the National Hurricane Center warned, with an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds in the state as soon as late Tuesday.
Heavy rainfall in western Cuba could produce flooding and landslides, forecasters said, and hurricane-force winds were expected later this week on Wednesday for Florida. At 8am EDT Monday, the storm was about 90 miles (150km) off the western tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 60mph (100 kph).
By 1am on Wednesday local time, the map shows the hurricane heading towards the coast of Florida. And by 1pm local time, it will have smashed into the state.