Tropical Storm Idalia is quickly gaining strength as it moves towards Florida. With sustained winds of 80 mph, Idalia is forecast to become an extremely dangerous major hurricane before making landfall on Wednesday. Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 46 of the state's 67 counties and has warned residents to prepare for power outages. Evacuations have been ordered in several at-risk areas, and more than 5,000 members of the National Guard have been activated to assist with the storm response.

Idalia's current track is projected to pass near or over western Cuba before moving over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and hitting the Gulf coast of Florida. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and storm surge to parts of the state, as well as impacting areas of Georgia and the Carolinas. The west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle, southeast Georgia, and the eastern Carolinas could see 4 to 8 inches of rain, leading to possible flooding.

With the potential for rapid intensification, meteorologists are closely monitoring Idalia's path and any potential last-minute wobbles that could alter the storm's impact. Floridians are anxiously awaiting the storm's arrival and are advised to stay vigilant and follow all warnings and evacuation orders.