Hurricanes are Earths way of flushing Flor-i-daaaa's like a toilet..

Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Florida as Category 3 storm

“Please hunker down wherever you are, don’t mess with this storm,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

By KIERRA FRAZIER

Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on the Big Bend region of Florida’s Gulf Coast Wednesday morning.

The hurricane was given a Category 4 projection earlier Wednesday but with sustained winds near 125 mph, the storm was downgraded to a Category 3. However, the change in wind does not diminish the threat of the storm, the National Weather Service warns.

“Please hunker down wherever you are, don’t mess with this storm,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a press conference earlier Wednesday morning. “Don’t do anything that’s going to put yourself in jeopardy. ... This is a very, very powerful storm.”

Hurricane Idalia made landfall at 7:45 a.m. near Keaton Beach and is forecasted to move inland through north Florida and south Georgia before reemerging into the Atlantic off the coast of the Southeast U.S.

More than 230,000 customers were without electricity as trees snapped by strong winds brought down power lines and rushing water covered streets. Along the coast, some homes were submerged to near their rooftops and structures crumpled. As the eye moved inland, destructive winds shredded signs and sent sheet metal flying.

“Time will tell on how bad it is, but it really just takes one as we’re seeing right now, and we could have more,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said on “Morning Joe” Wednesday. “We are in the peak of hurricane season, and so we are fully postured and monitoring what the Atlantic is doing as well as in the Pacific because it’s been a very active season in the Pacific.”

As soon as the storm dies down, the state has eight search and rescue teams ready to go, 33 ambulance strike teams and 5,500 national guardsmen, DeSantis said, with the Coast Guard also on standby. There are also over 30,000 linemen ready to go to commence restoration efforts for local municipalities and electric co-ops.

President Joe Biden said Tuesday he has been in constant contact with DeSantis and approved an emergency declaration for Florida in anticipation of the storm.

“I told the governor and the mayor of the region that’s likely to be hit first, that we’re there as long as it takes, and we’ll make sure they have everything they need,” Biden said Tuesday.

On “Fox and Friends” Wednesday morning, Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) said unlike Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Idalia seems to be staying on the projected path so far.

“One year later, so many Floridians are still recovering from Ian,” Steube said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The full impact of Idalia isn’t known yet, but Floridians are resilient & we will rebuild just like we’ve done before.”

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) on Tuesday night also recalled Hurricane Ian, a Category 5 hurricane that wreaked havoc on Florida last September. It was the deadliest storm in the state since 1935.

“Tonight, Erika & I are praying for Florida’s West Coast, particularly the Big Bend region, as they brace for Hurricane Idalia,” Donalds wrote on X. “We are 11 months to the day when Southwest Floridians woke up to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Ian & we’ll never forget it. Be Smart. Be Safe.”