Florida News That Impacts You – August 29th, 2023
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Idalia is now a hurricane as of the 5am update from the National Hurricane Center. Forecasting has been consistent over the past day with models pointing to a Big Bend landfall as a category three hurricane tomorrow morning. Hurricane warnings are in effect from Sarasota north to Apalachicola, on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Current intensity forecasting has Idalia topping out at 120 mph winds on the approach north of Horseshoe Beach. Storm surge is expected to top 10 feet in the Big Bend region. Tropical storm warnings are in effect from the Sebastian Inlet north along Florida’s east coast. There are no related advisories in Southeast Florida. No other disturbances in the tropics currently pose a threat to Florida. As for what we can expect in our area...
- Impacts to the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast will be indirect with scattered rain over the next two days from outer bands. Winds are expected to top out in our area between 20-25 mph tomorrow. Rainfall forecasting for our area has been downgraded over this time yesterday. Expected rainfall totals through Thursday range from under an inch throughout most of the Palm Beaches to about 2.5 inches in Stuart.
- Governor DeSantis has suspended tolls for all roads on Florida’s west coast in addition to much of Orange County for seven days as many residents in impacted areas are seeking shelter in Orlando or South Florida until the impact of the storm has passed.
- Gas prices were flat on Monday. Statewide the average price for regular unleaded remains $3.70 per gallon – 9 cents lower than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.88 per gallon, which is the second highest price in the state.