“It’s like an aquatic wrecking ball so to speak. When it moves on shore it basically pushes everything that’s in its path,” the Weather Channel’s Reynolds Wolf tells Inside Edition.
Officials in Florida are warning residents to brace themselves for two hurricanes approaching both of the state’s coasts.
Hurricane Idalia is approaching Florida from the west and Hurricane Franklin from the east.
Hurricane Franklin, a category four storm, is tracking off of Florida’s east coast and is not expected to make landfall but will cause big surf and dangerous rip currents.
On the west coast, Hurricane Idalia is set to slam into “the big bend” of the state Wednesday morning.
The Weather Channel’s Reynolds Wolf spoke to Inside Edition.
“It looks like it will be striking the area we call the nature coast. Where you have a lot of estuaries, a lot of grasslands, very beautiful, beautiful area,” Wolf says. “Sparsely populated. But in areas where if people stay, they could be cut off,” Wolf says.
The island of Cedar Key, with a population of 700, is in the direct path of Idalia. Meteorologists say it could be swamped by a storm surge of at least six feet and more.
“It’s like an aquatic wrecking ball so to speak. When it moves on shore it basically pushes everything that’s in its path,” Wolf says. “It could be dwellings. It could be boats that are not properly stored.”
All residents have been ordered to evacuate. Homes have been boarded up and a duct-taped ‘X’ has been put on some apartment windows to let officials know they are not occupied.
Governor Ron DeSantis is warning residents to get out while they can.
“You do not have to leave the state. You do not have to drive hundreds of miles. You need to get to higher ground in a safe structure,” DeSantis says.
A satellite captured image of lightning strikes inside the storm as it raged the gulf at 14 miles per hour, gathering in strength as it gets closer to land.
“This storm is rolling to the north, northeast and the full weight and momentum is really loaded on the right side. So even if it’s not a direct hit, in places like Tampa, St. Pete, highly populated areas, will still have high effects. If you get a warning, get an advisory, follow them to the letter,” Wolf says.
