Update: Hours away from Hurricane Idalia, which is classified as a Category 3 hurricane, crossing the coast of Florida, and there are fears of catastrophic flooding.

Arabia Weather - As soon as Hurricane “Idalia” arrived near the coast of Florida, it quickly developed into a category three hurricane as a result of the great warmth in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, whose surface water temperatures exceed 32 degrees Celsius, as the warm water represents the fuel that powers these tropical systems.

Forecasts indicate that Tropical Cyclone Idalia will hit the coast of Florida this afternoon and evening as a Category 4 hurricane with wind speeds exceeding 200 km/hour! It is also accompanied by large amounts of rain, ranging from 100-300 mm in most areas, exceeding the 500 mm barrier in some areas, and a large rise in waves. These conditions lead to violent floods and torrential rains in many areas, especially low-lying and coastal areas.

The Governor of Florida urged the state's residents residing in low-lying areas to move to higher areas, warning that the intensification of the hurricane may cause floods that threaten lives. Hurricane warnings were issued for most of Florida's 21 million residents, in addition to many in Georgia and South Carolina. States of emergency were declared in the three states.