In this article, Hurricane Idalia, the first major hurricane to hit Apalachee Bay in recorded history, made landfall on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, near Keaton Beach, Florida, as a Category 3 storm with winds of 85 mph. The storm then moved northeastward across the Florida Panhandle and Georgia, causing widespread damage and power outages. Here is a timeline of how Hurricane Idalia affected West Palm Beach and its surrounding areas.
Tuesday, August 29
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- The forecast for Idalia, which became a hurricane overnight, indicated potential gusty winds and rains for Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast starting late Tuesday.
- Meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Miami said tropical-storm-force winds could reach Collier County by late Tuesday morning or afternoon, with the southeast coast and Atlantic waters experiencing wind gusts up to 35 mph from Idalia’s outer bands Tuesday evening into Wednesday.
- A full moon combined with heavy rains raised the risk of flooding across vulnerable areas of southeast Florida during high tides.
Wednesday, August 30
- Hurricane Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach at 7:45 a.m. and exited Florida’s panhandle by 10 a.m., driving damaging winds into Georgia.
- The city of Tallahassee reported seeing damage around town, including a downed tree that blocked Buck Lake Road but was later removed. A gas transmission line also gave way on Lexington Drive off Meridian Road, prompting an evacuation of residents within a quarter mile radius.
- The city of Tallahassee, which saw as many as 44,000 customers without power in the morning, reported 513 outages affecting 35,789 people by 9:41 a.m. Power was also out at Lincoln High School, where storm evacuees were housed at a shelter.
- In West Palm Beach, gusty winds and rain bands from Idalia began to affect the area by Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for coastal Palm Beach County until 8 p.m., warning of winds up to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. A high surf advisory was also in effect until Thursday morning, with waves up to 8 feet and a high risk of rip currents.
- Some minor flooding was reported in low-lying areas along the Intracoastal Waterway and near Lake Worth Lagoon. No significant damage or injuries were reported in West Palm Beach as of Wednesday evening.
Thursday, August 31
- As Hurricane Idalia moved further away from Florida, the weather conditions in West Palm Beach improved. The wind and surf advisories were lifted by Thursday morning, and the skies cleared up by the afternoon. The National Weather Service said the high temperature for Thursday was expected to be around 90 degrees with a heat index of up to 105 degrees.
- West Palm Beach residents began to resume their normal activities after Idalia’s brush with the area. Some local attractions, such as the Palm Beach Zoo and the Norton Museum of Art, reopened on Thursday after being closed on Wednesday due to the storm. The Palm Beach International Airport also resumed normal operations after some flights were canceled or delayed on Wednesday.
- West Palm Beach officials expressed their relief that Idalia did not cause more damage or disruption to the city. Mayor Keith James said he was grateful that the storm spared West Palm Beach and thanked the city staff and emergency responders for their efforts during the storm. He also urged residents to continue to monitor the weather and be prepared for any future storms.
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