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Idalia Now A Category 3 Hurricane As It Heads To Florida; National Hurricane Center: Don't Mess With This One; Idalia A Cat 3 Hurricane, Expected To Be A Cat 4 At Landfall. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired August 30, 2023 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[02:00:49]

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Omar Jimenez live in New York where we continue our special coverage of Hurricane Idalia. Florida's governor is warning residents of the state's Big Bend coast to prepare for hurricane they haven't seen since the likes of the late 1800s.

And breaking news as of just a few moments ago. Idalia has just been upgraded to a category three storm with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles an hour. But it's forecast to reach category four by landfall which would mean winds potentially more than 130 miles an hour. The storm is already bringing coastal flooding and Western Florida. It's expected to make a hard turn to the east later on Wednesday, dumping more rain across Georgia and South Carolina.

Forecasters are predicting 12 to16-foot storm surge in the Big Bend area where Florida's panhandle turns into its Peninsula. That's enough to completely submerge most one-storey buildings. And they're warning that in some of those areas, it may likely not be survivable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's definitely going to hit the Big Bend. Everywhere in the Big Bend is going to get storm surge. It's going to see major, major impact whether the eyewall is hitting you or not. So please prepare for that. It is going to be a significant, significant impact to that region of Florida.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: The National Hurricane Center has just issued a new advisory. Let's bring in meteorologist Karen Maginnis at that's at the CNN weather center with details. Karen talked to us about this upgrade and what it means for the potential future path of this hurricane.

KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is stunning, Omar. It's stunning. And just in the past hour, we watched this go from category two. We had anticipated it would be three. Now it's a category three. The winds had been 110 miles an hour. Now it's 120 miles an hour. It is rapidly intensifying as the forecast suggested from the National Hurricane Center. It has done that because the warm water temperatures here are just fueling this system. It is huge.

It is massive. Look at this, all the way from just about the central panhandle down to towards Cape Coral and Fort Myers and Naples, Florida. We're looking at this broad system that encompasses a huge swath of central and western sections of Florida. The impact is going to be tremendous. The other problem that has happened now is it's moving north at 15 miles an hour. It had been 16, before that it was 17, before that it was 18.

Slowing down is not good for a hurricane if you're on land, because that suggests it's really going to be intensifying. And in this case pretty rapidly. Category three, it has about 100 or so miles from Cedar Key. Here we go. This can happen within the next four to six hours. We're anticipating this making landfall but landfall is not the specific thing that we're most concerned about.

It's the storm surge. Storm surge kills more people than anything else with a hurricane. You will see power outages, you'll see trees down, you'll see structures completely damaged. This is a low line area, this Big Bend area. I've talked about. This has wildlife management areas. There are a lot of estuaries, there are beautiful springs there. It's gorgeous. Not highly populated, not like Tampa. Not like Gainesville, not like Tallahassee, but the impacts are still being felt.

There is a tornado watch. We did recently just see a tornado warning. That was a little further interior sections of the Florida peninsula. But look at this. It's not just affecting Florida, and not just Georgia where there are states of emergency out for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina. And look at this broad swath. Almost 700 miles. It's going to traverse in the next several days wreaking havoc in its wake. We could see tremendous amounts of rainfall.

[02:05:00]

But I mentioned that storm surge in this very vulnerable area here around the Big Bend there's no elevation. So that surge is going to move well inland. Lots of folks move to the inland to get away from this. But that storm surge is going to be tremendous. This red shaded area, this is a tornado watch. It goes until 6:00 in the morning. So, there is the potential for tornadic activity. wouldn't be surprising. Not at all, but so much tropical air there.

Now we see it show up. Here's the category three, a little over 100 miles from shore. Category four when it makes landfall. Maybe around 8:00. Where? Somewhere in the Big Bend area. Might it be Cedar Key, might it be Steinhatchee? Might it be some of these other small coastal towns? Certainly possibility. Here's another stunning idea. Right along the Georgia, South Carolina border category one going into Wednesday evening with 80 mile an hour winds with all the rain.

This is going to be devastating. And my beloved South Carolina coastal area could see very heavy rainfall, maybe two to six inches. The potential for flash flooding is certainly there as we go into the next 24 to 36 hours. A lot to tell you about, Omar. JIMENEZ: And we'll, of course, stay close to you throughout it all of these developments have been moving very quickly as the storm continues to make its way towards the Florida coast. Karen Maginnis. Thank you. I want to bring in CNN's Gloria Pazmino now. She's covering the storm from Clearwater next to Florida's Tampa Bay. And as you heard, Gloria, it is now officially a category three hurricane forecast to be a category four by the time it makes landfall.

I can see the wind that appears to be picking up from the last time we spoke but what are you seeing on the ground on your end?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NEWSOURCE NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Omar, I apologize because I think we're having connection issues. Hopefully you can hear me. I'm having a hard time hearing you. But you were just talking about the hurricane officially being a category three hurricane now. You were mentioning the wind here in the area. We are in Clearwater Beach. The rain has stopped as you can see, but the wind significantly increased in the last few minutes.

So, the rain has led up but we are feeling the force of that wind just sweep through the area now. As you said, Hurricane Idalia now officially a category three hurricane and we are expecting that to become a category four hurricane by the time it makes landfall in the early hours of Wednesday morning which we are getting into now. So, conditions here are changing really minute to minute.

It was raining hard just about an hour ago when we last spoke. That stop now but it is very windy. Storm surge is going to be the primary thing that we are watching for in this area. We are expecting to see anywhere from four to seven feet of storm surge coming in. That is going to be catastrophic for the area. That is a very large amount of water, dangerous levels of water. And so, as a result of that, this area has been put under a mandatory evacuation order.

Not everyone has heeded those orders. I've spoken to people who were local to the area, who told me they weren't going to ride this out in their homes just writing it out hoping for the best. But as we heard from the governor earlier today, he believes that most people who are in the path of what is now a very dangerous category three storm have heeded those warnings. So, we are standing by here as we await the arrival of this potentially historic, catastrophic storm. Omar?

JIMENEZ: And we can hear the wind whistling and whipping around you in a way that's been different from the other times that we've checked in with you to this point. So please stay safe as you continue to cover it, as well as you have been to this point, and we'll check in with you soon.

Meanwhile, as Western Florida begins feeling the first effects of Hurricane Idalia, some authorities say it's now too late for people to safely evacuate. Those who stayed behind are going to have to ride out the storm with little to no help from First Responders because they may be unable to move around safely as the hurricane hits. And some of the most dangerous parts of Idalia may not be seen for hours.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SHERIFF BOBBY MCCALLUM, LEVY COUNTY, FLORIDA: It's getting now to the point that it's too late. You're going to be in for whatever you're in for. And unfortunately, does not sound good. No matter how it wobbles, we're going to get the hurricane force winds and then it's been said what comes after that we expect around noon tomorrow then we're going to have a high tide with the -- this potential 10 to 15 feet of storm surge. So that -- that's -- those of deadly amounts, deadly circumstances that come together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:10:08]

JIMENEZ: And officials are warning those who didn't leave that they need to be careful in the coming hours to not believe the worst is over when they see the sunshine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF CHAD CHRONISTER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA: As the storm surge that ends up taking their lives keep you and your family safe.

JANE CASTOR, MAYOR OF TAMPA, FLORIDA: And so, we don't want anyone to wake up, see the blue skies and think that we are done with Idalia. That is not the case. And that probably will be the most critical element tomorrow, will be that storm surge. Mother Nature wins every time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: So, to talk about this all, joining us now by phone is Trey Athey. He's a storm chaser from Texas planning to ride out the storm in Perry, Florida, which is right along -- right in the Big Bend of Florida. So for starters, Trey, what are you seeing where you are? What are -- what are you expecting to see where you are?

TREY ATHEY, STORM CHASER (via telephone): As of right now we've got a bunch of rain coming in and then I'm going to start to see a pretty rough storm coming through.

JIMENEZ: Yes, yes. And where you are, in particular, we're seeing forecast from the National Hurricane Center, storm surge up to potentially 16 feet. You know, you've been chasing the storms. You've done this I imagined for a good bit of time. Based on the forecasts that you've seen, how is this different in your mind and maybe what you would have done before?

ATHEY: Well, they're all -- they're all pretty crazy when you're going through it. We got a pretty good plan in motion if we have to move (INAUDIBLE) really pretty good spot where it's a straight shot North if we had to get out of here from storm surge.

JIMENEZ: Yes. And in your experience, look, I I've been down there and Florida covering in recent memory Irma. Of course, Hurricane Michael in the panhandle. And obviously, Ian happened last year. In your experience of being in those types of environments, how quickly do the conditions change? Because -- I mean, I think one thing I get from talking to people is that they go to bed, it's sunny, and then a few hours later things completely are different.

ATHEY: Oh, it's pretty quick.

JIMENEZ: Yes.

ATHEY: It's pretty quick. One second there's a roof there and then next, gone.

JIMENEZ: Yes. Yes. And then it's too late for people to leave at that point.

ATHEY: Yes. That's when it gets pretty dangerous. And you're just praying, keep pushing through.

JIMENEZ: Yes, yes. And when you -- when you talk to people who don't end up leaving, because I imagine if you're sticking around, you're seeing other people that are sticking around. What are the reasons that they're telling you for writing it out?

ATHEY: Same thing, some people see the thrill, some people just can't afford to go or some people just stubborn.

JIMENEZ: Yes, yes. And one thing that -- one other thing I want to mention before I let you go is look, you deal with storm surge when it comes in from one of these potential hurricanes but as it gets further inland, you know, you got -- you got lakes, you got other freshwater areas that begins to swell and it creates a sort of compound effect. Walk me through a little bit of you all strategy as storm chasers.

How do you plan to follow this storm and get what you all are planning to get but also trying to be as safe as you can in the process?

ATHEY: We try to (INAUDIBLE) towards the last year side of the storms. It's just what we've always done. And we just pretty much winging it until the storms over and then it's -- go to work and start helping whoever we can help.

JIMENEZ: Yes, yes. Well, hey, Trey, thank you for taking the time. I know it's late. I know you guys got a long day ahead of you. I really appreciate it. Stay safe. And if there's anything you need to seek it out, feel free to reach out.

ATHEY: Anytime. Thank you.

JIMENEZ: Of course, of course. Now, the warnings about the dangers of the hurricane were not enough to convince some residents to evacuate and yet some are choosing to ride out the storm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't had anything like this since the great Cedar Key hurricane of the United States. And I think it's going to be three times as bad as that. So, this island that we all love I have grave concerns, but largely not (INAUDIBLE) 48 hours from now. (END VIDEO CLIP)

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[02:18:03]

DESANTIS: You really got to go now. Now's the time. If you don't, if you stay hunkered down tonight, it's going to be too nasty tomorrow morning to be able to do it. Now, if you do choose to stay in one of the evacuation zones, First Responders will not be able to get you until after the storm has passed. That's right. They're not going to be able to get there until after --

JIMENEZ: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis there urging residents to evacuate. The state is bracing for Idalia which is expected to make landfall as an extremely dangerous category four hurricane. Tornado watches are also in effect for more than seven million people. And this is the projected path of the storm. After lashing Florida it'll move through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina before heading out over the Atlantic.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center is warning of life-threatening storm surges of 12 to 16 feet above ground level. That's enough to inundate a bus. The storms outer bands are already causing flooding in some coastal areas of the state. Earlier I spoke with the Public Information Officer for Dixie County Emergency Management in cross City, Florida, which is right in the hurricane's path. Here's what she told me about the monster storm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANDY LEMMERMEN, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, DIXIE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Well, for us, we're fixing to start getting the first true bands of the winds come and it is slowly going to creep up with the -- what we look at shutting trucks down off the roads just as our ambulances and our fire trucks and even our law enforcement and that's 45-mile-per hour sustained winds. And that's not wind gusts, that's when it starts getting to 45 sustained winds.

And it's going to slowly creep up from there to -- up to the 80s and 90s. And stay there for a good few hours. And that's where we get really concerned because that's when we can no longer start answering emergency calls and going out on the roads. So we'll have to stay in shoulder in place and we have to take the mercy calls and just triage from there are most critical to the least critical.

[02:20:04]

And once the storm moves out and out of our path and we can actually start getting our trucks back on the road, we're going to have we know a large influx of calls. So that's number one. Our main concern followed then by the storm surge that's going to follow as the other storm moves closer on the land and hits our coastal communities. So that's the two biggest things we're really stressing right now about and making sure we're just ready to get boots on the ground as soon as we can once the storm moves on. JIMENEZ: And Mandy, you can't -- you can't see it on the screen. But we've been showing a little bit of the map of around the Florida area and where the forecasts are for storm surges. And where you are, you guys are forecast according to the National Hurricane Center to get some of the heaviest storm surge in the range of potentially 12 to 16 feet. And just lay it out for us, I mean, look, I know you're experienced in dealing with storms but lay it out for our viewers and for folks who may be watching.

What is the difference in dealing with storm surge versus maybe just the heavy winds and rain that we of course, and you all are of course going to see here?

LEMMERMEN: Yes. And we just got them new totals of up to 16 feet of storm surge. And Ferdowsi has been the highest they've predicted yet. The closest we've ever came to a storm surge like that on our coastal communities was back with Hermine. And we got maybe four-foot, five- foot in some places. And we're low laying in our communities down on the coast of Swanee and Horseshoe and Gina.

And back during Hermine (INAUDIBLE) was devastating. We had a lot of major damage to residents and commercial structures. So, for us with the storm surge of a potential of 16-foot is just total, you know, catastrophe and devastation. And there's no way people that stay down there can survive that unless they get the elevated ground above that. And so, we're really concerned what we will find in the morning once it moves on for those that we've got word that did not evacuate.

And we do have someone that we know is down there that was just adamant, they didn't want to, you know, evacuate. And when we talk about storm surge we're talking about on a normal dry ground where tide is at its normal. You're standing there looking out on the golf and then you can add 15 or now 16-foot potentially to that of water. And you got to thank that's moving with winds pushing and waves on top of that.

So, it's definitely going to be a game changer for, you know, as we move forward and change the layout of our beautiful coastal communities with a lot of destruction, so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: That was Mandy Lemmermen from Cross City, Florida. That's an area that is forecast to see up to 16 feet of storm surge according to the National Hurricane Center. Despite all the warnings to evacuate throughout the region, some people are choosing to ride out the storm, choosing to stay in areas that are very likely to be lashed by powerful winds and overwhelmed with floodwaters. Here's how one resident rationalized it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL BOBBIT, RIDING OUT THE STORM: We've got some elderly and infirm people here on the island that had refused to leave. And I just felt a responsibility as their neighbor and as a person that loves this island to try to stay behind and to see what I can do to help. We've got a stone church building here that we're going to be holed up in that we believe will withstand the winds. And it's at the highest point on the island. So, we believe that even at the highest bit of storm surge we'll be OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: Now the owners of a Marina in Steinhatchee says -- they say they've done all they can to prepare for Idalia by boarding up and moving equipment to higher ground but they're staying because their Marina is the family's livelihood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the insurance and stuff going on. I mean, we're all worried and that's why we're kind of staying here to just, you know, see if there's anything that we can do to protect what we have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: Let's bring back CNN is Gloria Pazmino. She's covering the storm from Clearwater, Florida. And Gloria, I know we've come to you multiple times over the past few hours. Just for viewers who may just be tuning in, can you compare what it was like when people would have been going to bed now a few hours ago to what you are seeing now?

PAZMINO: Well, Omar, you know, the wind here is really significant as we speak. And in the last hour that I spoke to you, it was raining and it was windy. Now the rain has sort of led up a bit and the wind is very, very strong. And it really does put things in perspective to hear people from the area talking about why they're riding out the storm. They want to stay to protect their livelihoods. They want to stay to protect their property. But the reality and one thing we do have to keep in mind here is that this is a very dangerous storm.

[02:25:05]

It has slowed down. It is now officially a category three. And the fact that it has slowed down just means that this storm now has more time to gather more strength as it hovers over those warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Now, we are in Clearwater Beach. This is part of Pinellas County which is also under a mandatory evacuation order. But despite that order, there are people here who have chosen to ride out the storm right here at home.

I spoke to one of them earlier today. A couple of friends that were walking along the beach, they told me they lived here for several years. They are -- they are used to seeing this kind of weather. They have ridden it out before. And that is exactly what they're planning to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Safety first, you don't want to lose any lives but things can be replaced. Basically, I think we've all been through at one time in our life. Technology is technology, but it is what it is. Mother nature always wins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Mother nature, nature always wins. That has been ringing in my head for the last several hours, Omar, because conditions here have changed so significantly hour by hour. And the question here as we await the landfall of Hurricane Idalia is whether or not the storm surge is going to come in as strongly as we have forecasts that it might. For this area we are expecting to see anywhere from four to seven feet of water, moving inland where we are right now.

The ocean is in this direction. It is about a quarter of a mile or so to the water from where we are standing. So, if that storm continues to gather strength, if it continues to get stronger over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, it means that conditions here are prime for that surge to come in and potentially flood much of where we're standing right now. So, the next few hours will be critical to see whether or not that takes shape.

Again, a very dangerous, potentially catastrophic storm heading for the west coast of Florida. Omar?

JIMENEZ: Yes. And Gloria has those conditions change. I know you and your crew will do your best to stay safe as well. Thank you for your reporting. We'll stay close to you as this continues to move toward the coast.

Now from the sky. Idalia looks extremely threatening. This is a live satellite view of Hurricane Idalia as it turns through the Gulf of Mexico's warm waters toward Florida's coast. Coming up, we'll take you back to Florida live as landfall draws near.

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[02:32:09]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEATH DAVIS, MAYOR, CEDAR KEY, FLORIDA: We are here to beg our citizens to heed this warning, this storm is worse than we have ever seen --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And many have heeded that warning, fleeing from Florida's west coast as the devastating hurricane bears down. Hurricane Idalia is now a category three storm, it is forecast to be a category four when it slams into Florida's big bend coast a few hours from now.

It could bring sustained winds greater than 130 miles per hour, that is enough to drive a catastrophic ocean storm surge up to 16 feet. Let's bring in meteorologist Karen Maginnis at the CNN weather center. Karen, what is the latest that you are seeing? Obviously we are bracing for impact on the Florida west coast. MAGINNIS: You know, I was just looking at this, studying it a little bit longer, and the symmetry on this has really caught my attention. When I see something like that, obviously we are seeing a system that has become more mature, it is stronger, it is more intense, it is capable of producing widespread damage.

All of that applies to what hurricane Idalia is going to be doing over the coming hours. We have already received a report at Madeira Beach right down here at the peninsula of Tampa where they have reported some significant flooding. This is not finished. We are still in the throes of this. We're about 100 or so miles to the south of Tallahassee, category three.

The national hurricane center said in their last update that it is going to strengthen rapidly before landfall. It is category three, they are still projecting category four. That happens, projected to be about 8:00 local time somewhere in this big bend area. But, the computer model shifted a bit.

It shifted a bit more towards the west, so that means more people, perhaps more populated areas, the big bend area, is a very recreational area. Lots of fishing and recreational activities and wildlife management areas. but this is a forecast radar. I want to point out one thing and that is what is happening with these bands of showers.

Or what will as we go into the next several hours, heavy bands of rainfall, but it is not the rainfall we are most concerned about, it is the surge. Around this big bend area, that is where we are looking at the potential for 12 to maybe 16 inches of rainfall. It is going to be -- or storm surge rather. But it is not just going to be in Florida, it is extending up into Georgia, towards Savannah, towards Charleston, to the Midlands, and into the southeast coast of Georgia.

[02:35:04]

States of emergency are out for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina. We've got a long way to go. Another update coming up in about 25 minutes or so. I will let you know right then.

JIMENEZ: Karen Maginnis. We'll stay on top of it all at the CNN weather center. Thank you very much. Now coming up next, Aaron Thomas is deputy director of emergency management in Hernando County, she's in Brooksville, Florida which is north of Tampa. Aaron, good to see you, thank you for taking the time.

I want to start actually with something a bit unique to your area, because obviously a lot of warnings are going out for people to evacuate, or to move further inland. But last year, at least the Tampa area missed a direct hit from hurricane Ian, thankfully. And I'm curious, because of some of those same types of warnings that are going out now, how do you convince some residents to actually heed some of those warnings?

ERIN THOMAS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEP. DIRECTOR, BERNARDO COUNTY: That is a great question. Thank you so much for having me. We have been pushing public information, public education about the severity and intensity of this storm since we first got the initial notice.

So for several days we have been telling our residents, particularly on the west side of US19, along our coastline, that this storm is serious, that this storm surge is life-threatening. 6 to 9 feet above ground level is absolutely nothing to sneeze at. So we are actively messaging that, we are encouraging registrations for special needs clients so that we can appropriately plan for them.

And we are very pleased with the compliance rate with our evacuation order. Our law enforcement, national guard, and fire rescue partners are telling us that the vast majority of people on the west side of US19 did comply with the evacuation order and we are exceptionally grateful for that.

JIMENEZ: That is definitely good news, because as we see in a lot of these preparation scenarios, there are a number of people that choose to stay, and along those lines for what you do and what your department does, what is the top of the priority list for a few hours from now when the hurricane actually makes landfall? What are you most concerned about that you want to make sure you all tackle first?

THOMAS: Well, first and foremost, we need our residents to understand that the wind threat is going to subside well before the storm surge threat does. Our wind threat is anticipated to subside somewhere around lunchtime today, but that surge threat is going to be with us for much longer.

So if they're in a shelter or a safe place, it could be easy for someone to think that it would be safe to travel back to their home or business. We will be issuing the all clear when it is safe to do so, but we are not going to do that until we are absolutely positive that that surge threat has also subsided.

We know we have a high tide cycle coming up this afternoon, so we are going to be watching that very closely, and make sure we are not letting people go home too soon and putting themselves in harm's way.

JIMENEZ: And as you all are watching in the overnight hours where you are, people are going to be waking up to a much different situation that they saw when they went to sleep with.

So how do you deal with some of the folks who stayed, which sounds like you're happy with the compliance rate, but we do know there are people who have stayed, how do you best help them in those initial hours, or can you in those initial hours?

THOMAS: We are going to provide as much support and assistance to our residents as we possibly can, regardless of where we are in the response timeline. We have already started planning for our recovery efforts, and we are prepared to initiate damage assessment as soon as it is safe to put people on the road.

And, again, we are not going to issue the all clear until it is absolutely safe to do so. At that time we will roll our damage assessment teams, our planning department, our building and code and zoning, they're prepared to issue emergency permits as needed. That we'll also, before that happens, we'll be very interested in

clearing the roads for emergency responder access, so that we can go and conduct search and rescue efforts and take care of the needs of the vulnerable.

We're also very concerned about long term power outages, and our electric dependent special needs clients. We want to make sure that they have a safe, sanitary, habitable, power filled home to go back to before we put them back in a scenario where their health may deteriorate because they do not have power.

[02:40:03]

JIMENEZ: Yeah, that is why, I have covered many of these types of hurricanes, that is one thing that I think people do not quite understand. After the storm comes through and the storm surge, it is not like everything goes back to normal.

You have to get the power back up, you've got to create infrastructure again for people to actually go back to their lives before they run back to it en masse and potentially get in your way. Erin Thomas, I know you all have a lot of work to do. Thank you so much for taking the time, and best of luck to you.

THOMAS: Thank you so much, take care.

JIMENEZ: Of course. Well fears are growing in Florida as the hurricane strengthens. We will speak with the sheriff of Levy County when our storm coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIMENEZ: Officials in Florida are pleading with residents to take precautions as hurricane Idalia is expected to hit the state as an extremely dangerous category four storm in the coming hours.

[02:45:10]

Idalia is currently a category three hurricane, but continues to intensify as it slowly moves north in the Gulf of Mexico. Officials warn the likely historic storm surge, destructive winds and flooding, mean there is great potential for death and catastrophic devastation.

The national weather service says parts of levy county, where Cedar Key is located, could see powerful battering waves, and buildings could be washed away. Joining us from Bronson Florida is Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum. Sheriff, great to see you. Thank you for taking the time. Let's start out with what worries you most about this hurricane?

BOBBY MCCALLUM, SHERIFF, LEVY COUNTY, FLORIDA: Well, obviously, its intensity and its continuing to intensify and that is the concern and probably even as much so as the storm surge that we will expect later today, along with the high tides at about the same time. That is what we are really worried about in our coastal towns in our areas. We have a lot of low lying flood prone areas in our county. We are a

huge county, geographically, of around 1400 square miles so we have a lot of land here and a lot of areas that are prone to flooding but our main concern really is with the evacuation. We have tried hard to encourage all of our residents in Cedar Key and Yankeetown, to shelter, to move with their friends or family in safe areas of the county further east.

Or in our shelters, we've had three shelters open and continue to be open. But we've had a difficult time in encouraging and getting folks out of cedar key. We still have a number of residents there, probably over a hundred or so in cedar key alone who chose not to evacuate. So certainly we are worried about them, and about the safety of all of the citizens here in the county as the storm approaches.

JIMENEZ: You may not be able to see it, but we have been showing as you have been talking, some of the graphics of the forecast of the storm surge and what's expected and Cedar Key is right in the area that is expecting to get up to 16 feet, potentially, of storm surge.

But nevertheless potentially one of the worst-hit areas for storm surge. What have you found have been, the residents who've stayed, what have you found have been their reasoning for doing so, why do you think it has been so difficult to get them to evacuate?

MCCALLUM: You know, I think it is some of our older citizens in the area, some that have been there and their families have been there over the years, they have been very resilient in past hurricanes, past storms, and just feel like they are prepared to ride it out.

But you know, this again, you indicated, and it's certainly a factor that this hurricane seems to be -- will be much different than anything we have faced. I've been around a good while and a long time, a lot of years. I've been through a lot of hurricanes and storms here in Levy County, and this one has the potential, and I don't see much change at this point.

We're getting pretty late, going into the game at this point. And I just, I don't see much good to come from this storm by not evacuating but we certainly hope and pray that all of our residents will be safe. It is to the point now that these bands have started coming in, it is getting pretty close to the time that we will not be able to travel the roads in our county in the wind.

And that is the thing that people tend to -- you know, as much as i hate to say it, we have to pull our deputies in. Our emergency medical rescue units have to come in when you get the sustained wind speeds of 40 to 45 miles an hour. We have to pull our folks in for their safety, otherwise trying to get to some of these folks at the last minute, it is going to be impossible.

JIMENEZ: No, of course, there are a lot of considerations to make. Sheriff Bobby MacCallum. Thank you for being with us, I know you have a busy day ahead. Please stay safe and best of luck.

MCCALLUM: All right, thank you very much. JIMENEZ: Of course. Coming up for us, we are watching as hurricane Idalia makes its way to Florida's coast. How this monster storm could compare to other devastating storms in U.S. history. That is next.

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JIMENEZ: Florida's Gulf Coast is already feeling the effects of hurricane Idalia and the storm has not even made landfall. The national hurricane center is calling it an extremely dangerous hurricane. Right now it is packing wind speeds of 120 miles per hour, that is expected to rise. Forecasters say it is likely to turn into a category four storm by the time it reaches Florida's big bend.

This once in a lifetime storm is also expected to cause strong surges that officials say will be unsurvivable in some coastal areas. Officials are warning people who are still in the direct path of the storm to drop everything and evacuate, before it is too late. Telling residents, it will be impossible for emergency workers to reach them when disaster strikes.

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One storm chaser in Florida describes what he is seeing so far.

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JEFF PIOTROWSKI, STORM CHASER: This is going to be a catastrophic wind event, similar to hurricane Michael, which was a low end five a couple of years back. I chased that storm also. So you are going to have about a 30 mile wide, approximately 30 mile wide damage path of catastrophic damage from here all the way back to Northwestern Jacksonville.

It will be a hurricane, a strong hurricane, all the way to Southeast Georgia and South Carolina as it rockets northeast across this area.

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JIMENEZ: And that is it for me this hour, but not it for our coverage. I'm Omar Jimenez, I will be back much more on hurricane Idalia in just a moment.

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