Idalia has made landfall as a category 3 hurricane into the Big Bend of Florida near Keaton Beach at 7:45am. Coastal water levels along Florida Big Bend are rising rapidly. A NOAA tide gauge at Cedar Key reported a water level at 5.9 feet above mean higher high water.
The Coastal Empire and Lowcountry have a hurricane warning and a storm surge warning. Idalia is not expected to slow down moving quickly across South Georgia after landfall, weakening but still with hurricane force winds.
Damaging hurricane force winds are likely in those portions of Eastern Georgia and southeastern South Carolina where those hurricane warnings are in effect.
Rainfall will be heaviest west of I95 with 1-3 inches, up to 8 inches possible inland. Tropical storm force winds expected to start around 5pm. A tornado watch is in effect until 3pm.