August 29, 2023 at 8:30 am

Overnight, Idalia has strengthened into a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.

As of 7 am today, Tuesday, August 29, 2023, Idalia was 85 miles north of Cuba and 370 miles south-southwest of Tampa, moving north at 14 miles per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour.

Forecasters advise that “areas of flash and urban flooding, some of which may be locally significant, are expected across portions of the west coast of Florida, the Florida Panhandle, and southern Georgia Tuesday into Wednesday, spreading into portions of the eastern Carolinas Wednesday into Thursday.”

Hilton Head Island remains under a Tropical Storm Watch, which, according to the National Weather Service, means “Tropical Storm conditions, including winds of 39-73 mph, pose a POSSIBLE threat to a specified coastal area within 48 hours.”

Impacts to our area are expected Wednesday into Thursday. Those impacts may include tropical storm force winds 39-73 miles per hour, 6-8 inches of rain and 2-4 feet of storm surge.

Flooding on Hilton Head Island is expected, especially in low-lying areas prone to flooding.

We urge you to be prepared for this storm, as well as other severe weather events and emergencies.

For more information on preparedness, please visit our Hurricane Center or the SC Emergency Management Division at https://hurricane.sc

Remember to follow official government sources for your information on Tropical Storm Idalia.

The Town will continue to provide you with updates on Tropical Storm Idalia. Our next update will be tomorrow, Tuesday, morning.

To follow developments with Tropical Storm Idalia, visit the National Hurricane Center’s website at www.nhc.noaa.gov.