TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has expanded an executive order he signed over the weekend, now declaring a state of emergency exists in 49 counties due to threats posed by Hurricane Idalia.
[CONE, MODELS, MORE: Idalia forecast to strike Florida as hurricane]
Executive Order 23-177 states the system could affect portions of Florida’s Gulf Coast and areas still recovering from last year’s hurricanes Ian and Nicole as early as Tuesday. The original order covered 33 counties and 13 additional counties were added on Monday. Another three were placed on the list on Tuesday.
Storm surge, heavy rain, flash floods, high winds and tornadic activity is all expected to hit the state’s Big Bend and some portions south of it, what EO 23-171 conveys prompted DeSantis to sign it in order to mobilize relevant agencies in preparation for hurricane recovery efforts and to temporarily ease potential restrictions on said efforts.
Idalia briefly strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane as of 5 a.m. Wednesday before its expected landfall in Florida’s Big Bend. It became a Category 3 once again, with wind speeds up to 125 mph, at 7 a.m. while still just off the Gulf Coast.
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The full list of counties is as follows:
- Alachua County
- Baker County
- Bay County
- Bradford County
- Brevard County
- Calhoun County
- Charlotte County
- Citrus County
- Clay County
- Collier County
- Columbia County
- DeSoto County
- Dixie County
- Duval County
- Flagler County
- Franklin County
- Gadsden County
- Gilchrist County
- Gulf County
- Hamilton County
- Hardee County
- Hernando County
- Hillsborough County
- Jefferson County
- Lafayette County
- Lake County
- Lee County
- Leon County
- Levy County
- Liberty County
- Madison County
- Manatee County
- Marion County
- Nassau County
- Orange County
- Osceola County
- Pasco County
- Pinellas County
- Polk County
- Putnam County
- Sarasota County
- Seminole County
- St. Johns County
- Sumter County
- Suwannee County
- Taylor County
- Union County
- Volusia County
- Wakulla County
Read the executive order below:
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