Hurricane Idalia, the first major storm to pummel Florida this season, brought a surge of seawater on Wednesday that flooded neighborhoods along much of the state’s western coast and lacerating winds that cut power and leveled trees. Two people died in traffic accidents that the police linked to the harsh conditions. Rescuers pulled scores of…
For much of the summer, Lake Okeechobee suffocates under toxic, blue-green algae blooms fed by fertilizer runoff from farms. The blooms recently subsided, but Hurricane Idalia could cause further cycles of growth and rot. That’s because storms can send additional fertilizer runoff down the Kissimmee River and other waterways, stir up pollution from the lake…
More than 20 counties in western and Central Florida have issued evacuation orders as Hurricane Idalia approaches, including parts of Tampa, the state’s third-largest city. Each county in Florida has its own website that residents can check for the recommended level of preparation. Here is the latest, as of 5 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday.…
Florida is bracing for Tropical Storm Idalia, which formed on Sunday and could strengthen to a hurricane in the next two to three days, forecasters said. Idalia, the latest named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, also threatens to bring heavy rains to Georgia and the Carolinas, forecasters said. Jamie Rhome, deputy director of…