Tropical Storm Idalia expected to hit Florida as hurricane; watches issued

TAMPA - Tropical Storm Idalia strengthened in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday and is forecast to become a hurricane in the eastern Gulf of Mexico before making landfall over Florida's Gulf Coast this week.

Forecasters expect that the eventual hurricane will bring significant impacts to Florida; hurricane watches were issued late Sunday for most of the state's Gulf Coast.

As of the National Hurricane Center’s 11 p.m. update, Tropical Storm Idalia was sitting between the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba with winds of 60 mph. The storm is not moving much but is slowly strengthening and becoming better organized, soaking the region with heavy rain and gusty winds.

With high pressure to the north and Hurricane Franklin to its east, the system still won’t move much in the next few hours. But eventually, forecasters expect the storm to begin moving north into the Gulf of Mexico on Monday.

Computer models suggest Idalia will make landfall anywhere from the Panhandle to the Tampa Bay area as a hurricane, but it’s not yet clear how powerful the storm will be.

"Models are beginning to come into agreement on a track to our west but there remains a high degree of uncertainty regarding how close the system comes to the Tampa Bay area," meteorologist Tony Sadiku noted.

Sunday night Tropical Storm Idalia update

Fox 13 meteorologist Paul Dellegatto provides the latest on Tropical Storm Idalia, which is expected to turn into a hurricane and impact Florida starting on Tuesday

Hurricane Hunters began flights in and around the storm on Sunday, and their data is helping meteorologists refine those models and predictions.

"Water temps are exceptionally warm in the southern gulf and future Idalia is expected to be fueled by generally favorable conditions for intensification," Sadiku continued.

Watches & warnings; what to expect

As of Sunday evening, a hurricane watch was issued for the Gulf Coast of Florida from Englewood to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay.

A storm surge watch has also been issued for the Gulf Coast from Chokoloskee to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay.

Direct impacts on the Tampa Bay area will begin Tuesday, with tropical downpours and squally weather, with the worst along the coast. Strong winds could lead to power outages as well as storm surge and coastal flooding, especially during periods of high tide. The full moon midweek will not help.

Communities across the Bay Area have begun making sandbags available to residents.

LINK: List of available sandbag locations

"Everyone along Florida’s Gulf Coast should prepare for potentially significant impacts from this storm, whether direct or indirect," Sadiku warned.

LINK: Track Idalia on MyFoxHurricane.com

State of Emergency

Ahead of the storm, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday declared a state of emergency for 33 Florida counties, including the Tampa Bay Area, "out of an abundance of caution."

The state of emergency was issued to the following counties: