Idalia
2023 Atlantic Hurricane SeasonOverview
Hurricane Idalia made landfall in the Florida Big Bend as a Category 3 hurricane, causing major storm surge and wind damage. It was the strongest hurricane to hit the Big Bend region in over 125 years.
🧭 What This Means For You
💨 How dangerous was this wind?
Winds 130–156 mph (209–251 km/h). Catastrophic damage. Most roofs destroyed, trees uprooted, and affected areas may be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Compare: a typical car crash at 70 mph feels violent — imagine 130 mph sustained winds.
💰 What was the human cost?
To put this in perspective: $3.6B could fund thousands of rebuilding projects, or cover years of flood insurance premiums for an entire coastal county.
12 people lost their lives — behind every number is a family, a home, and a community that had to rebuild.
✅ What you can do today
- Check your emergency kit — water, food, medicine, batteries
- Know your evacuation route and shelter locations
- Sign up for free alerts so you are never caught off guard
Storm Path
Storm Track Data
| Time (UTC) | Latitude | Longitude | Wind (mph) | Pressure (mb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-26 06:00 UTC | 17°N | 82°W | 30 | 1006 |
| 2023-08-27 06:00 UTC | 18.5°N | 85°W | 40 | 1002 |
| 2023-08-28 06:00 UTC | 20°N | 87°W | 55 | 994 |
| 2023-08-29 06:00 UTC | 23°N | 89.5°W | 75 | 982 |
| 2023-08-30 00:00 UTC | 25.5°N | 90°W | 100 | 967 |
| 2023-08-30 06:00 UTC | 27.5°N | 88°W | 115 | 958 |
| 2023-08-30 12:00 UTC | 29°N | 85°W | 125 | 950 |
| 2023-08-30 18:00 UTC | 30°N | 83.5°W | 130 | 947 |
| 2023-08-31 00:00 UTC | 31.5°N | 82°W | 90 | 965 |
| 2023-08-31 12:00 UTC | 33°N | 78°W | 60 | 980 |
Data Source
Track data from NOAA National Hurricane Center. Last updated: 2023-09-01.