Roger Simmons – Orlando Sentinel

Compare Medicare drug and advantage plans with Orlando Sentinel 2024 Medicare Guide

Roger Simmons — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:03:39 +0000

The Orlando Sentinel Medicare Guide will help you compare plans in your county and see the key benefits of each. You can find out how costs have changed, what’s new in the Medicare landscape, and more.

CORRECTION: In a story on Page 4 of the Medicare Guide, the phone numbers to receive help from SHINE were wrong. The correct phone number for Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, and Orange county seniors to receive help through SHINE is 407-514-0019.

Read the digital e-edition version of our Medicare Guide here.

Brightline plans new station between Orlando and West Palm Beach

Roger Simmons — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:27:10 +0000

Brightline said Thursday it is planning a new station and a new stop between Orlando and South Florida.

The rail company said in a news release that it is seeking proposals for a new station in either St. Lucie or Martin counties, also known as the Treasure Coast area. It said it would consider station proposals from private or public land owners along its shared railway corridor through those areas. The goal is for the new station open by the first quarter of 2028.

“We’re excited to begin the process of identifying a station location in the Treasure Coast and have seen tremendous support from the local community,” said Brightline Chief Executive Officer Michael Reininger. “Expanding Brightline into the Treasure Coast region will make Brightline one of the most accessible forms of transportation in Florida, giving access to nearly half of the state’s residents.”

Brightline extended service from South Florida to Orlando on Sept. 22. Its current stations include Orlando (at Orlando International Airport), West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Aventura and Miami.

Brightline said it will discuss station proposal details with applicants on Nov. 28 and 29, with proposal submissions due by Dec. 22. St. Lucie County cities along the rail line include Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie, while Martin County cities with station possibilities include Stuart and Hobe Sound.

“Brightline will host one-on-one meetings for eligible proposal applicants in each respective county,” the company said. “After receiving submissions, Brightline will begin evaluations with a goal of entering negotiations with the property owners in the first quarter of 2024.”

Orlando ridership on the rise

Brightline is upbeat about the ridership to and from Orlando thus far.

The service to Orlando International Airport started late last month with eight daily round trips between South and Central Florida, according to a monthly financial report for September. On Oct. 9, the service grew to 15 daily round trips “and by November we plan to increase frequency again to sixteen daily roundtrips,” the report says.

“Results to date are strong and accelerating, with 17,578 customers trying our long-distance service in September at an average fare of $84, growing to 40,219 riders paying an average fare of $91 from October 1-16,” the report says. “We believe the addition of long-distance service has fundamentally transformed our business, with average fares, ancillary revenue per passenger and ridership all increasing significantly.”

David Lyons of the South Florida Sun Sentinel contributed to this report.

How to get your Orlando Sentinel mobile alerts back

Roger Simmons — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 22:34:46 +0000

The Orlando Sentinel’s parent company recently changed the software we use to send news, weather, sports and other alerts to your mobile devices. If you were previously receiving our alerts on your phone or tablet, you might not get them any more because of this change.

But, don’t worry – you can still get your alerts back.

Make sure you have downloaded the latest version of the Orlando Sentinel app – it’s free! – from the Apple or Android app store.

Now, follow these five steps to make sure can get your Sentinel alerts:

1. When you open the app, click on the little bell at the bottom that says “Alerts.”

2. Click on the link in the middle of the page that says “Customize alert settings.”

3. A new page will open, and you should see a button that says, “Enable Notifications.” Click this button to allow your phone to get the Orlando Sentinel alerts.

4. On the next screen, click “Notifications” to and then the button for “Allow Notifications.”

5. Now you should be presented a list of Orlando Sentinel alerts. Click the buttons on the right for the alerts you want to receive. When finished, click “done” in the upper right screen.

That’s it. And now you’re all set.

You should start receiving alerts on your mobile device for the topics you clicked.

We’re sorry you had to do all of that, but we do thank for you being an Orlando Sentinel customer. We really appreciate it.

Bye, bye birdie: Florida Scrub-Jay would oust Mockingbird as state’s official bird in new bill

Roger Simmons — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 16:49:59 +0000

The threatened Florida Scrub-Jay would replace the Northern Mockingbird as Florida’s official state bird if a new bill filed in the legislature becomes law.

Sen. Tina Polsky, a Democrat from Boca Raton, filed SB 162 earlier this month in her attempt to elevate the Florida Scrub-Jay. It would remove the Mockingbird, which has been the Sunshine State’s official bird since 1927.

Polsky’s bill noted that the Scrub-Jay is the only bird species that lives exclusively in Florida. It can found be in small habitats of low-growing scrub oak and sandy soils across Central Florida, from the Ocala National Forest south to near Lake Okeechobee.

The Northern Mockingbird, meanwhile, can be found in every state across the continental U.S. in addition to most of Mexico and parts of the Caribbean.

“Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Florida Scrub-Jay is also protected as a threatened species by the federal Endangered Species Act and as a federally designated threatened species by the Florida Endangered and Threatened Species rule,” Polsky’s bill explained.

A new bill would change Florida’s official bird from the Northern Mockingbird to the threatened Florida Scrub-Jay. This one was spotted at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in September 2023.

Polsky filed a similar bill last year that failed, but it did garner the support of a group of Seminole High School students who were advocating for the Florida Scrub-Jay.

“Since the Scrub-Jay is found only in Florida, it should be chosen as the state bird without a doubt,” Navya Sharma, a senior at Seminole High, told the Sentinel in December 2022. She said she hoped the state’s designation would bring attention to preserving the threatened bird’s natural scrub habitat.

While the legislature didn’t adopt the Scrub-Jay measure last year, the students were able to get Seminole County commissioners make it the county’s official feathered creature.

Spirit Airlines cancels more than 40 flights at Orlando International Airport

Roger Simmons — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:08:20 +0000

More than 40 Spirit Airlines flights to and from Orlando International Airport were canceled Friday because the carrier needed to inspect some of its planes – an issue expected to upend flight schedules for several days.

“We’ve cancelled a portion of our scheduled flights to perform a necessary inspection of a small section of 25 of our aircraft,” Spirit said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel. “While this action is being taken out of an abundance of caution, the impact to our network is expected to last several days as we complete the inspections and work to return to normal operations.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said approximately 25 of Spirit’s Airbus airplanes were removed from service for “mandatory maintenance inspection.”

“The FAA will ensure that the matter is addressed before the airplanes are returned to service,” the FAA statement added.

The website flight-tracking website FlightAware showed the inspections caused the cancellation of 11% of Spirit’s Friday flight schedule.

Crowds wait in line at the Spirit Airline ticketing counter after dozens of Spirit flights in and out of Orlando International Airport were canceled as the airline reported it was necessary in order to perform aircraft inspections. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

South Florida-based Spirit is the second-busiest carrier at Orlando International. A check of the airport’s flight status website on Friday morning showed more than 40 Spirit cancellations, almost evenly split between departures and arrivals.

The canceled flights impacted travel between Orlando and domestic cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City and Newark as well as foreign destinations such as Columbia and the Dominican Republic.

Long lines quickly formed at Spirit’s customer service locations at the Orlando airport.

“We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to take care of affected Guests,” Spirit said in its statement. “Our Guests are advised to monitor their email and check their flight status on spirit.com or the Spirit Airlines App before heading to the airport.”

Travelers whose Spirit flights are canceled can accept a rebooking on the next available flight. Or, they can cancel their booking entirely and ask for a refund, “which may be credited back to your original form of payment or as a Spirit Airlines flight credit,” according to the personal finance website NerdWallet.

The U.S. Department of Transportation says if a traveler’s flight is canceled, and an airline cannot rebook the flier or the person decides not to travel, the customer is entitled to a full refund of the unused portion of the trip. That also includes fees charged for services such as seat selection and baggage checking.

Spirit, known as an ultra low-cost carrier, is poised to be taken over by discounter JetBlue Airways of New York for $3.8 billion.

But the Biden Administration has sued to stop the combination. An antitrust trial on the matter is scheduled to start Monday before a federal judge in Boston.

David Lyons of the South Florida Sun Sentinel contributed to this report.

Orlando Sentinel’s free Prime Expo for mature adults and seniors is Saturday

Roger Simmons — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:36:11 +0000

Health and medical advice, expert speakers and live food and drink demonstrations will be part of the Orlando Sentinel’s 2023 Prime Expo this Saturday.

Prime Expo is billed as offering a day filled with information, products and services to help mature adults and seniors plan and live their lives to the fullest. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel North at 600 N Lake Destiny Rd in Maitland. Admission is free, but registration is required at OrlandoSentinel.com/Prime.

Attendees can expect seminars by experts, live music, plus exhibitors, giveaways and more. Products and services for both active and aging adults will be featured.

There will be several Medicare Education Roundtables. Other seminars offered at the event include “Fraud Risk Management,” “How to Choose the Right, Safe Vacation,” and “Rocking Your Retirement.”

Sentinel food writer Amy Drew Thompson will join chef Alex Diaz of Alex’s Fresh Kitchen for a special recipe demonstration and food tasting. Kylar Cecilione of Ivanhoe Park Brewing will be offering a craft beer tasting.

For more information about Prime Expo and to see a full list of exhibitors and the event schedule, go to OrlandoSentinel.com/Prime.

150-year-old Florida Keys lighthouse illuminated for first time in a decade

Roger Simmons — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 19:59:53 +0000

ISLAMORADA — A 150-year-old beacon that helped guide ships through the treacherous Florida Keys coral reefs before GPS, sonar and other technology made it obsolete is shining again as part of a national effort to save historic lighthouses that have dotted the U.S. coast for more than a century.

An Islamorada community group that is spending $6 million to restore and preserve the Alligator Reef Lighthouse turned on its new solar-powered lights on Saturday to remind the public about the effort.

“Alligator Lighthouse was lit in 1873 and it stayed lit until about 2013, and then it went dark for 10 years,” said Rob Dixon, the executive director of Save Alligator Lighthouse, which took over the lighthouse’s title in late 2021. “And now our Statue of Liberty is lit once again.”

The lighthouse is named after the USS Alligator, a Navy schooner that ran aground on the reef in 1822 and sank.

Alligator and five other aging lighthouses off the Keys were important maritime navigational aids that once warned ships away from the area’s barrier coral reef. But modern-day satellite navigation made open-water lighthouses obsolete and such structures are being disposed of by the General Services Association.

A detailed engineering study of Alligator Lighthouse was completed to determine stabilization needs after many years in highly corrosive conditions.

Dixon said an engineering study determined that it will take six years and $5 million to $6 million dollars to save the Alligator Lighthouse.

“There’s nobody in this community that doesn’t want to help our project,” he said.

Dixon said fundraising is well underway with about $500,000 already raised, including $215,000 from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

Orlando Sentinel recognizes Top Workplaces 2023 in Central Florida

Roger Simmons — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 14:24:07 +0000

Nearly 500 people gathered at the Caribe Royale Resort on Friday for the Orlando Sentinel’s 2023 Top Workplaces celebration.

This year, a record 116 Central Florida companies were recognized for being top workplaces, having received the highest scores from a survey of their employees conducted by Energage, the Orlando Sentinel’s Top Workplaces partner.

Hyatt Hotels was the winner in the large business category, for local companies with more than 500 employees. Read more about them here.

Taylor Morrison Home Funding was the winner in the the midsize business category, for local companies with 150 to 499 employees. Read more about them here.

And Assured Information Technology (AIT) Engineering was the winner in the small business category, for companies with with up to 149 employees. Read more about them here.

Special awards were also presented for leadership and other categories, based on standout scores from employee responses to specific survey statements. Read more about them here.

Bob Helbig, media partnerships director for Energage, attended the event and explained the process for selecting Top Workplaces. Read more about the selection process here.

For a full list of all the award winners and photos from the event, please click here.

Deadly Hurricane Idalia makes Florida landfall as ‘catastrophic’ major hurricane

Richard Tribou, Amanda Rabines, Roger Simmons — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 09:15:24 +0000

Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend as a dangerous Category 3 major storm with 125 mph winds on Wednesday morning, and at least two storm-related deaths were reported by the Florida Highway Patrol.

The National Hurricane Center said radar imagery showed the eye of the storm, which had grown to Category 4 status with 130 mph winds just hours earlier, made landfall at 7:45 a.m. near Keaton Beach in Taylor County just north of Steinhatchee.

By 8 a.m. Thursday, what had diminished to Tropical Storm Idalia on Wednesday evening continued to have sustained winds of 60 mph after remaining a hurricane more than six hours beyond landfall as it plowed its way up through Florida and into Georgia. The center of the storm was located about 65 miles southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina and 135 miles southwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina moving east-northeast at 20 mph.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles, the NHC said.

Tropical Storm Idalia cone of uncertainty as of 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. (NHC)

“An eastward to east-southeastward motion is forecast to begin later today and continue through Saturday. On the forecast track, the center of Idalia will just offshore of the coast of North Carolina today. Idalia will then move over the western Atlantic into the weekend,” the NHC said. “Little change in strength is expected today, but some gradual weakening could occur Friday and Saturday.”

Tropical Storm Jose forms as Idalia joins Franklin and 2 more systems in Atlantic

It heads out into the Atlantic where it joins newly formed Tropical Storm Jose, Hurricane Franklin and two other systems being tracked by the NHC.

Before landfall, the storm had intensified quickly within 24 hours as it made its way alongside Florida’s Gulf Coast from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The late drop in intensity from Category 4 before landfall came as the NHC said the storm was going through an eyewall replacement cycle.

Damage to Faraway Inn is seen Wednesday, Aug 30, 2023, in Cedar Key Fla., in the wake of Hurricane Idalia. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
This aerial photo shows homes surrounded by floodwaters in Steinhatchee, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, left behind by Hurricane Idalia. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)
A storm-damaged gas station is seen after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state on August 30, 2023 in Perry, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as a category 3 hurricane. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***
Jewell Baggett stands beside a Christmas decoration she recovered from the wreckage of her mother's home, as she searches for anything salvageable from the mobile home her father had acquired in 1973 and built multiple additions on to over the decades, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., after the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
A truck driver uses a machete to clear I-10 of fallen trees and branches after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state on August 30, 2023 near Madison, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as Category 3 hurricane. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***
In this photo made in a flight provided by mediccorps.org, a destroyed home is seen in Keaton Beach, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Caleb Cullinan, 14, of Cedar Key, center, climbs on debris outside of Steamers seafood shack and bar after their waterside deck was damaged on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Cedar Key, Fla., in the wake of Hurricane Idalia. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
People work to clear I-10 of fallen trees after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state on August 30, 2023 near Madison, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as category 3 hurricane. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***
A set of concrete steps carried by storm waters from another building sit amidst the wreckage of a home owned for decades by the parents of Jewell Baggett, who was searching through the debris to recover any salvageable possessions for her mother, now left homeless, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., after the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Donnye Franklin helps a friend try to get the flood waters out of his Explorer Manatee Tour store after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Crystal River, Florida. Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
A storm-damaged McDonald's sign is seen after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state on August 30, 2023 in Perry, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as a category 3 hurricane. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
A lineman works to restore service after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state on August 30, 2023 in Perry, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as a category 3 hurricane. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Debris from destroyed buildings lies next to a home still standing in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., after the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Eliah Corcoran sits on a bench in flood waters after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Crystal River, Florida. Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***
Kayakers paddle along in flood waters after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Crystal River, Florida. Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Damaged homes after Hurricane Idalia passed in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Aug. 30, 2023. Idalia, now a Category 1 storm, brought destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges before moving inland. Communities as far as North Carolina were threatened. (Emily Kask/The New York Times)
Utility crews work on damaged power lines after Hurricane Idalia passed in Perry, Fla., Aug. 30, 2023. Idalia, now a Category 1 storm, brought destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges before moving inland. Communities as far as North Carolina were threatened. (Paul Ratje/The New York Times)
Water and debris surround a home in Cedar Key, Fla., after Hurricane Idalia passed through the area Wednesday. MUST CREDIT: Photo for The Washington Post by Thomas Simonetti
A man uses a chainsaw to clear I-10 of fallen trees after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state on August 30, 2023 near Madison, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as category 3 hurricane. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
A truck sits partially in a canal amid debris after Hurricane Idalia passed in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Aug. 30, 2023. Idalia, now a Category 1 storm, brought destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges before moving inland. Communities as far as North Carolina were threatened. (Emily Kask/The New York Times)
In an aerial view, people prepare to kayak through flooded streets after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Crystal River, Florida. Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Gulf Search and Rescue team members launch their boat into the choppy waters outside Cedar Key to help rescue residents after Hurricane Idalia flooded streets and homes in Cedar Key, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
A displaced building sits alongside flooding littered with debris from other buildings, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., after the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Steinhatchee resident Dave Ebert, left and Travis Ross, right, cuts off limbs from the tree that landed on Ebert’s home during Hurricane Idalia in Steinhatchee, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
The missing roof and floors covered in mud await the owner of this store on the Steinatchee River after Hurricane Idalia, lands in Steinhatchee, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
Cedar Key resident Herman Wells, becomes emotional when he finds out they will not let him cross the causeway to his home after Hurricane Idalia flooded streets and homes in Cedar Key, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
Gulf Search and Rescue, Founder and Director, Jake Stovall, prepares to launch his rescue boat to help rescue stranded residents after Hurricane Idalia flooded streets and home in Cedar Key, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
Strong Hurricane Idalia winds knocked down this utility pole over the road in Steinhatchee, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
Gulf Search and Rescue volunteer team members launch their boat in challenging waters to rescue stranded residents after Hurricane Idalia flooded streets and homes in Cedar Key, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
In the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia's impact on Florida, members of the Virginia Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, made up of firefighters from Virginia Beach, await an assignment from the Search and Rescue/FEMA Resource Center staging area at the Orange County Convention Center on August 30, 2023. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
The Steinhatchee River leads out to the gulf where Hurricane Idalia brought hurricane force winds into Steinhatchee, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
Steinhatchee resident Travis Ross, cuts off limbs from a tree that landed on his neighbors home during Hurricane Idalia in Steinhatchee, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
Gulf Search and Rescue, Founder and Director, Jake Stovall, center, talks to his crew before they launch and rescue stranded residents after Hurricane Idalia flooded streets and homes in Cedar Key, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
In this photo made in a flight provided by mediccorps.org, storm damage is seen in Keaton Beach, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Rebecca Blackwell/The Associated Press)
Daniel Dickert wades through water in front of his home where the Steinhatchee River overflowed on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Steinhatchee, Fla., after the arrival of Hurricane Idalia. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a news conference with Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett, right, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Perry, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. (John Raoux/The Associated Press)
David Lemon walks with his bike past his flooded apartment after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Crystal River, Florida. Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
In this photo made in a flight provided by mediccorps.org, a destroyed home is seen in Keaton Beach, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Rebecca Blackwell/The Associated Press)
In an aerial view, a vehicle drives through a flooded street after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Crystal River, Florida. Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area of Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Trees and power lines block city streets Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Perry, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. (John Raoux/The Associated Press)
Orange County Mayor Jerry Deming gives an update on Orange County's storm readiness and preparations for Tropical Storm Idalia on August 28, 2023. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
Sam Caudle, 33, of New Port Richey, attempts to dry the floor of the home he owns in Tarpon Springs, Fla., after it flooded due to Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Ivy Ceballo/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Residents clear tree limbs and debris from their yards Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Perry, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. (John Raoux/The Associated Press)
A store owner (who did not want to give his name) uses a sump pump to try to keep water out of his store after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
In an aerial view, a home smolders after burning as Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Hudson, Florida. Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area as a Category 3 storm on the Gulf Coast of Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Search and rescue teams stage along State Road 24, the only road into Cedar Key, after Hurricane Idalia passed the region in Florida, Aug. 30, 2023. Idalia, now a Category 1 storm, brought destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges before moving inland. Communities as far as North Carolina were threatened. (Zack Wittman/The New York Times)
Downed branches sit alongside where members of the National Guard prepare their equipment in Mayo, Fla., while they wait for instructions on where to respond, after the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Rebecca Blackwell/The Associated Press)
Flooding at the Low Key Hideaway Resort along State Road 24 in Cedar Key, Florida, Aug. 30, 2023. Idalia, now a Category 1 storm, brought destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges before moving inland. Communities as far as North Carolina were threatened. (Zack Wittman/The New York Times)
Shore Boulevard in front of O'Maddy's Bar & Grille is seen in floodwaters as Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Gulfport, Fla. (Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Casey DeSantis posted this photo on Twitter with the caption: 100 year old oak tree falls on the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee — Mason, Madison, Mamie and I were home at the time, but thankfully no one was injured. Our prayers are with everyone impacted by the storm. (Courtesy Casey DeSantis via Twitter)
Lily Gumos, 11, of St. Pete Beach, kayaks with her French bulldog along Blind Pass Road and 86th Avenue Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023 in St. Pete Beach, Fla. Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday in Florida as a Category 3 storm and unleashed devastation along a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, submerging homes and vehicles, turning streets into rivers, unmooring small boats and downing power lines in an area that has never before received such a pummeling. (Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Looking out over floodwaters along a road in the historic district of Crystal River, Fla., Aug. 30, 2023. Hurricane Idalia made landfall along a sparsely populated area of Florida’s Gulf Coast, bringing destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges. (Hilary Swift/The New York Times)
Chad Hinchman, 40, walks through one of his rental Airbnb properties on Hibiscus Avenue South, which flooded overnight, as Hurricane Idalia made landfall, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023 in Pasadena. (Martha Asencio-Rhine/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Janecia Wallace, 18, climbs down a ladder with the help of her brother, Julian Wallace, 13, after being rescued by St. Petersburg Fire Rescue from their Shore Acres home Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday in Florida as a Category 3 storm and unleashed devastation along a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, submerging homes and vehicles, turning streets into rivers, unmooring small boats and downing power lines in an area that has never before received such a pummeling. (Jennifer Glenfield/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
An Emergency Management Technician guides a Veteran toward an ambulance at C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in Bay Pines, Fla on August 29, 2023. Multiple services were coordinated for the transport of 146 Veterans to safer locations prior to Hurricane Idalia. (Photo courtesy of Rob Frazier/Public Affairs Officer, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System).
A man walks his motorcycle to Desoto Park after attempting to ride through an impassable South Bermuda Boulevard at Palmetto Beach in Tampa, Fla., as Hurricane Idalia makes landfall on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Ivy Ceballo/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
A vehicle passes a downed tree on U.S. Route 19 near Cross Creek, Fla., Aug. 30, 2023. Hurricane Idalia made landfall along a sparsely populated area of Florida’s Gulf Coast, bringing destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges. (Paul Ratje/The New York Times)
Hurricane Idalia caused some flooding on the airfield at Tampa International Airport but a spokeswoman said initial assessments showed runways had not been affected. MUST CREDIT: Tampa International Airport
A City of Tallahassee electrical worker assesses damage to power lines after a tree fell on Old St. Augustine, a canopy road, in Tallahassee, Fla., as Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Phil Sears/The Associated Press)
Flood waters pushed by Hurricane Idalia pour over the sea wall along Old Tampa Bay as paddle boarder Zeke Pierce, of Tampa rides Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Idalia made landfall earlier this morning along the Big Bend of the state. (Chris O'Meara/The Associated Press)
A woman surveys the flooding on Bayshore Blvd., along Old Tampa Bay after winds from Hurricane Idalia pushed water over the sea wall Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Idalia made landfall earlier this morning along the Big Bend of the state. (Chris O'Meara/The Associated Press)
David Rudd helps Steve Odom, left, carry a kayak onto his porch through the flooded streets caused by Hurricane Idalia passing offshore on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Members of the Tampa Fire Rescue Dept., remove a street pole after large awnings from an apartment building blew off from winds associated with Hurricane Idalia Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Idalia made landfall earlier this morning along the Big Bend of the state. (Chris O'Meara/The Associated Press)
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: Ken Kruse looks out at the flood waters from Hurricane Idalia surrounding his apartment complex on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Kyan Watson and her dog Brandon look out at the flood waters from Hurricane Idalia surrounding their house on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: Makatla Ritchter (L) and her mother, Keiphra Line wade through flood waters after having to evacuate their home when the flood waters from Hurricane Idalia inundated it on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: A truck passes through flooded streets caused by Hurricane Idalia passing offshore on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: Tina Kruse looks out at the flood waters from Hurricane Idalia surrounding her apartment complex on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: A person rides a kayak through the flooded streets caused by Hurricane Idalia passing offshore on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: People ride an ATV through the flooded streets caused by Hurricane Idalia passing offshore on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Cars sit in flood waters from Hurricane Idalia after it passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Cedar Key Fire And Rescue photo shows damage on Cedar Key in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Cedar Key FIre and Rescue)
Cedar Key Fire And Rescue photo shows damage on Cedar Key in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Cedar Key FIre and Rescue)
Cedar Key Fire And Rescue photo shows damage on Cedar Key in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (Cedar Key FIre and Rescue)
People work to free a vehicle stuck on the shoulder amid storm debris as Hurricane Idalia crosses the state on August 30, 2023 near Mayo, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as Category 3 hurricane. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: In an aerial view, a fire is seen as flood waters inundate the downtown area after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: Reporters wade through flood waters as it inundates the downtown area after Hurricane Idalia passed offshore on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: Vehicles sit in a flooded street caused by Hurricane Idalia passing offshore on August 30, 2023 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is hitting the Big Bend area of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
This photo provided by FDOT shows flooded interstate 275 Over Tampa Bay, Fla., on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. Hurricane Idalia steamed toward Florida’s Big Bend region as a dangerous Category 4 storm Wednesday morning, threatening deadly storm surges and destructive winds in an area not accustomed to such pummeling. (FDOT via AP)
The roof of a small shopping plaza sits next to the building that was damaged from Hurricane Idalia Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Perry, Fla. (John Raoux/The Associated Press)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis greets National Guardsmen at a news conference Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Perry, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. (John Raoux/The Associated Press)

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Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference from the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee that damage wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

“This storm moved a little bit faster than some of the other ones have moved,” he said. “Some of these things will just dump water and they go so slow, this one moved a little bit faster. Which is, at least when you’re talking about the flooding, is a little bit better.”

By 8 a.m. Thursday, more than 140,000 customers remained without power in the state, according to website poweroutage.us. That’s about 40,000 less than was tracked 12 hours earlier. DeSantis said by 6 p.m. Wednesday more than 315,000 accounts had already had their power restored.

“You’re going to see a lot of efforts and power restoration,” he said. “You’re going to see the roads cleared in the really significantly affected areas. That’s going to just increasingly happen, and we’re going to do whatever we need to do to be help these local communities get back on their feet.”

DeSantis said no confirmed storm-related fatalities had been reported yet as they would have to wait on a determination from a medical examiner and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

But FHP reported two weather-related fatalities as the storm was lashing the Gulf Coast. The first occurred when a man was killed in a crash in Gainesville around 6 a.m. while driving on State Road 20 in “extremely rainy conditions,” according to FHP. The 59-year-old Gainesville resident drove his Toyota Tacoma into a ditch and crashed into a tree. He was declared dead at the scene by Alachua County Fire Rescue responders.

The second reported death was a driver who lost control of his Ford Ranger in Pasco County on St. Joe Road east of Interstate 75 at 6:15 a.m. traveling too fast for the conditions, FHP said. The 40-year-old Spring Hill man left the roadway and hit a tree suffering fatal injuries at the scene of the crash.

DeSantis said all eight of the state’s urban search and rescue teams have been deployed while the Florida National Guard has 2,400 vehicles in operation as well, especially in places like Taylor County.

“They’re getting on scene there to do things like clear major pieces of the roads and get debris that has been knocked around,” DeSantis said. “So there’s a lot of moving parts there kind of at ground zero.”

Response teams from the U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife and Florida Department of Transportation have been deployed as well.

More than 1,000 bridges have to be inspected, but FDOT expected to be finished with that work on Wednesday afternoon, although a few bridges including a road to Cedar Key and another into Steinhatchee remained impassable because of flooding.

Later Wednesday, DeSantis said rescue operations were not encountering the grim results seen in 2022’s Hurricane Ian.

“Fortunately the search and rescue operations, the hasty searches in the really impacted areas, have been different than what we were finding with Hurricane Ian,” he said. “And that’s obviously welcomed news…The bad news type of calls that we were so accustomed to during Ian, those were really not happening on this storm, certainly not to that level.”

Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said crews are still in the field working Wednesday evening with no reports of any unconfirmed or confirmed fatalities related to any drowning or flooding victims.

“Good news story we are not finding anybody at home so therefore, as the governor has talked about, many many people heeded the warning to evacuate,” he said.

Thirty of the 52 school districts that closed due to the storm will reopen Thursday and an additional eight school districts will open Friday. Throughout the state there were 10 evacuated hospitals, and nine out of the 10 will be in full operation status in the next 24 hours, the governor said.

100 year old oak tree falls on the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee — Mason, Madison, Mamie and I were home at the time, but thankfully no one was injured.

Our prayers are with everyone impacted by the storm. pic.twitter.com/l6MOE8wNMC

— Casey DeSantis (@CaseyDeSantis) August 30, 2023

Wind damage in Leon County included an oak tree that fell at the governor’s mansion in Tallahassee.

“It’s fine,” DeSantis said noting his wife Casey and his kids were OK. “She called me probably about 45 minutes ago and told me, I guess, an ancient oak tree split in half, and part of it fell. I don’t know that it fell on like the residence per se. I think it was a little bit off to the side. So that’s going to be cleared. I don’t know if they’re going have to cut down the whole tree. If they do cut down the whole tree that’s just going to be more room for my kids to hit baseballs in and so in some respects for us even though the tree was nice I will probably make do and just be quite alright.”

WATCH: Incredible time-lapse video from Steinhatchee in the Big Bend area Wednesday morning of flood waters rising as Hurricane Idalia moved through the region. https://t.co/JnEZm412yJ pic.twitter.com/dLWRoaEvM8

— Spectrum News 13 (@MyNews13) August 30, 2023

As the storm slid up the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday morning, the NHC had warned storm surge could get as high as 12-16 feet in some locations along Idalia’s path. In the hours after landfall, surge was above 8 feet in the Steinhatchee River and nearly 7 feet in Cedar Key.

The Cedar Key Fire Rescue posted photos and videos to their Facebook page saying, “We have multiple trees down, debris in the roads, do not come.” and later posting “We have propane tanks blowing off all over the island. Do not drive do not come out. We cannot get to them at this time.”

Videos on social media showed several sailboats broken free of their moorings and getting slammed under a bridge in Steinhatchee.

NEW: Storm surge from #HurricaneIdalia reversed the Steinhatchee River, tore sailboats from their moorings and they lost their masts against the bridge.#Idalia #IdaliaHurricane #Hurricane pic.twitter.com/0em0MlJ6lq

— Insider Corner (@insidercnews) August 30, 2023

And Weather Nation TV posted drone video of the flooding that was halfway up the first stories of several of the town’s houses.

New video: drone footage from @bclemms shows Steinhatchee, Florida inundated by storm surge from Hurricane #Idalia. pic.twitter.com/S2fhYeVOu4

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 30, 2023

In the town of Perry, the wind blew out store windows, tore siding off buildings and overturned a gas station canopy. Interstate 275 in Tampa was partially flooded, and toppled power lines closed northbound Interstate 75 just south of Valdosta, Georgia.

About 200 miles to the south of where Idalia made landfall, the roads around the chic shops and restaurants of St. Armands Circle in the Sarasota area were underwater.

Trees being shredded on the Nature Coast between Perry and Salem, FL as the eye of Idalia hammers the Big Bend #Idalia pic.twitter.com/2OjrlUsNBi

— Aaron Jayjack (@aaronjayjack) August 30, 2023

Astounded by the flooding that turned Tampa’s Bayshore Boulevard into a river, Bill Hall watched a paddleboarder ride along the major thoroughfare.

“This is actually unbelievable,” Hall said. “I haven’t seen anything like this in years.”

Hurricane Idalia live updates: DeSantis gives update on rescue response

“Don’t put your life at risk by doing anything dumb at this point,” DeSantis had said ahead of landfall. “This thing’s powerful. If you’re inside just hunker down until it gets past.”

Video from a live camera on Horseshoe Beach south of Steinhatchee posted to social media was reported to be about 10 feet above sea level when it stopped sending.

Here's the full video of the destruction of the Horseshoe Beach, FL camera moments ago. This camera was at least 10 feet above sea level. Waves were overtaking this camera during its final moments. https://t.co/y3ZAok0Ft0 pic.twitter.com/JUu8JGZwQG

— RadarOmega (@RadarOmega) August 30, 2023

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee called Idalia “an unprecedented event” since no major hurricanes on record have ever passed through the bay abutting the Big Bend.

Images of flooding along Florida’s Gulf Coast flowed in overnight as surge and rain combined to put coastal roads underwater. The city of Venice posted street flooding in its downtown while shots of St. Petersburg and Tampa showed streets under several inches of water.

Street flooding this morning at Tarpon Center Drive and along Golden Beach Blvd., Villa Drive and and Flamingo Drive pic.twitter.com/oW7LJOaQVE

— City of Venice, FL (@CityofVeniceFL) August 30, 2023

Here’s a look at the flooding in the parking lot of Derby Lane. Bridges are closed.#stpetepd asks you to Please stay off the roads. pic.twitter.com/hyggsF2NVd

— St. Pete Police (@StPetePD) August 30, 2023

The St. Pete Police posted that they rescued one person from a mobile home park showing floodwaters up to the car hood parked alongside. Later, the city of St. Pete posted that more than 75 people had been rescued by emergency teams from flood-prone areas and that boats were still deployed by Wednesday afternoon.

.@StPeteFR rescued one person this morning from the flooding at the Twin City Mobile Home Park. #stpetepd is urging you to stay out of flooded areas#idalia pic.twitter.com/i5ABH9c0gf

— St. Pete Police (@StPetePD) August 30, 2023

The Florida Highway Patrol reported the Skyway Bridge across Tampa Bay closed after sustained winds exceeded 50 mph with parts of other bridges in the area closed to either winds or flooding.

Video from Cedar Key showed waves crashing up and over a vehicle parked on a bridge.

Cedar Key at 5:03 AM just before the power went out and we couldn’t see anymore from the remote cam#HurricaneIdalia #Idalia pic.twitter.com/FsPBFLTUAL

— Updates (@sirfupdate) August 30, 2023

DeSantis on Tuesday expanded his executive order declaring a state of emergency to 49 counties, up from 46 on Monday including Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia counties in Central Florida.

He noted that the Big Bend portion of the state really has not endured a hurricane of this strength since going back to the 1800s.

“So those coastal areas there have not necessarily been through this before,” he said. “I think that being safe is the appropriate thing and in erring on the side of caution is the appropriate thing.”

State health employee Sonia Lewis wipes down beds as staff ready the hurricane shelter set up inside the Orange County/Orlando Magic Recreation Center on Goldenrod Road in Winter Park, Fla., Tuesday, August 29, 2023. There are four shelters open in Orange County in response to the state of emergency declared due to Hurricane Idalia. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Signage indicates the closure of the Orange County/Orlando Magic Recreation Center on Goldenrod Road in Winter Park, Fla., as it is serving as a hurricane shelter, Tuesday, August 29, 2023. There are four shelters open in Orange County in response to the state of emergency declared due to Hurricane Idalia. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
An electrical line technician walks among hundreds of electrical line trucks at Duke Energy's staging location in Sumterville, Florida, on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. Duke Energy is staging thousands of workers and trucks in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Idalia. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Electrical line technicians walk among hundreds of electrical line trucks at Duke Energy's staging location in Sumterville, Florida, on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. Duke Energy is staging thousands of workers and trucks in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Idalia. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis greets Duke Energy electrical line technicians during a press conference at Duke Energy’s Operations Center in Wildwood on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. Duke Energy is staging thousands of workers and trucks nearby in Summerville in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Idalia. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Water on the shelves is running low at a Target in Winter Garden as Hurricane Idalia makes its way north in the Gulf of Mexico towards Florida on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
The water aisle at the Publix in Leesburg has been hit hard on Monday evening, August 28, 2023. Many are scrambling to garner supplies in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, set to hit Florida’s west coast this week as a major hurricane. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Plywood and supplies are readily available at the Lowes in Clermont as Hurricane Idalia makes its way north in the Gulf of Mexico towards Florida on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. The current projected path has the center making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend part of the Gulf Coast and heading inland between Gainesville and Tallahassee. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
Left to Right, City of Oviedo Public Works employees Alex Gonzalez stacks sandbags, as Andrew Shuttloefel, Craig Stauffeldt, and Fidel Canot, operate a sandbag-filling machine, in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, on Monday, August 28, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda)
Amy Ertel, fills up sandbags as the City of Oviedo opens a sandbag-filling location in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, on Monday, August 28, 2023. The city also has a sandbag-filling machine, that fills and sews the bags, helping save time and effort. Tropical storm Idalia intensified, and the National Hurricane Center predicted it would be a Category 3 before it reaches Florida. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
Teresa Mercedes, 66, gets a hug from Meals on Wheels Senior V.P. Wilda Belisle during a wellness visit to make sure she has all her essential needs in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia at her Kissimmee apartment on August 28, 2023. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
Rafaela Cruz gets a wellness visit at her Kissimmee apartment from Meals on Wheels Senior V.P. Wilda Belisle, center, and Debora Foscolo from Instead Senior Care on Monday, August 28, 2023, to make sure she has all her essential needs in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
Orange County Mayor Jerry Deming gives an update on Orange County's storm readiness and preparations for Tropical Storm Idalia on Monday, August 28, 2023. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
Brian Adams removes umbrellas from the playground at St. Paul’s Catholic School in Leesburg on Monday, August 28, 2023, in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia which is set to hit Florida’s west coast this week as a major hurricane. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Customers wait in line to pump gas at Sam’s Club in The Villages on Monday, August 28, 2023. Many are scrambling to garner supplies in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, set to hit Florida’s west coast this week as a major hurricane. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Customers pump gas at Sam’s Club in The Villages on Monday, August 28, 2023. Many are scrambling to garner supplies in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, set to hit Florida’s west coast this week as a major hurricane. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
The City of Oviedo opens up a a sandbag-filling location in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, on Monday, August 28, 2023. The city also has a sandbag-filling machine, that fills and sews the bags, helping save time and effort. Tropical storm Idalia intensified, and the National Hurricane Center predicted it would be a Category 3 before it reaches Florida. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
With plenty of plywood in stock, a child runs through the lumber aisle at Home Depot in Leesburg on Monday evening, August 28, 2023. Many are scrambling to garner supplies in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, set to hit Florida’s west coast this week as a major hurricane. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Shoppers walk past generators and gas cans on display at Lowe's in Leesburg on Monday, August 28, 2023. Many are scrambling to garner supplies in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, set to hit Florida’s west coast this week as a major hurricane. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
The City of Oviedo opens up a a sandbag-filling location in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, on Monday, August 28, 2023. The city also has a sandbag-filling machine, that fills and sews the bags, helping save time and effort. Tropical storm Idalia intensified, and the National Hurricane Center predicted it would be a Category 3 before it reaches Florida. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
Left to Right, City of Oviedo Public Works employees Andrew Shuttloefel, Craig Stauffeldt, and Fidel Canot, operate a sandbag-filling machine, in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, on Monday, August 28, 2023. Tropical storm Idalia intensified, and the National Hurricane Center predicted it would be a Category 3 before it reaches Florida. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
The City of Oviedo opens up a a sandbag-filling location in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, on Monday, August 28, 2023. The city also has a sandbag-filling machine, that fills and sews the bags, helping save time and effort. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)

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The state Department of Transportation had removed tolls in portions of the state to assist in evacuation efforts.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect on the U.S. East Coast from Altamaha Sound, Georgia north to the North Carolina-Virginia border as well as Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.

A storm surge warning is in effect for St. Catherine’s Sound, Georgia to the South Santee River, South Carolina. A storm surge watch is in effect for the Beaufort Inlet to Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina and the Neuse and Pamlico rivers in North Carolina.

Storm surge was the driving force that led to the deadly effects of last year’s Hurricane Ian that made landfall in southwest Florida, resulting in almost 150 deaths. The Category 5 hurricane damaged 52,000 structures, nearly 20,000 of which were destroyed or severely damaged.

The storm moved quickly over the state, but the NHC said rainfall totals would still hit between 4-8 inches with some areas with as much as 12 inches across ports of Florida’s west coast and the Florida Panhandle as well as southeast Georgia and the eastern Carolinas that could lead to urban and flash flooding.

President Biden on Monday approved an emergency declaration and ordered federal assistance in responding to the storm. DeSantis had submitted a request for aid Sunday night to the White House.

DeSantis said the state was prepped for reaction once the storm hit including more than 420,000 gallons of fuel staged and ready to deploy plus the activation of eight urban search and rescue teams, 580 search and rescue personnel and all of the state’s 5,500 National Guardsmen.

“With this storm, given the geography, there’s gonna be a lot of debris, a lot of trees, a lot of that,” DeSantis said. “Now, that’s a challenge but it’s also compared to say an [Hurricane] Ian, where you had it mixed with a lot of commercial and residential, … I think it’ll be easier to get rid of the debris just given how the things are laid out.”

He said by the time the storm passed, there would be between 30,000 and 40,000 utility linesman staged in the state ready to deploy.

“They will immediately move to commence power restoration efforts,” he said. “We’ve also been working with counties to make sure that they know that we have resources ready to deploy and we want to be helpful to support their efforts.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Hurricane Idalia: Tornado watch expanded to all of Central Florida

Roger Simmons — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 01:32:43 +0000

As Hurricane Idalia moved near landfall, the National Weather Service expanded a Tornado Watch for more than two dozen Florida counties that now includes all of Central Florida.

Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia counties are all included in the watch, which is issued until 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

A Tornado Warning was issued for east Orange and Seminole just before 4:30 a.m. for a possible radar-indicated tornado.

Tornado Warning including Bithlo FL, Geneva FL and Chuluota FL until 5:00 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/ZUqcQe5xli

— NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) August 30, 2023

Other counties in the watch include Alachua, Charlotte, Citrus, DeSoto, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Taylor

Those are all the counties closest to Idalia and its feeder bands. According to the 5 a.m. Wednesday hurricane center update, the hurricane had grown to a Category 4 storm with 130 mph sustained winds. It continued to move north off the coast of Florida toward a forecast landfall in the Big Bend area of the state later Wednesday morning.

A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Florida and Georgia until 3 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/fmJD5yg0CG

— NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) August 30, 2023

What’s the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?

The NWS says that a tornado watch means, “Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Review and discuss your emergency plans and check supplies and your safe room. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching.”

A Tornado Warning, the NWS says, means, “A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle, or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.”