Hurricane Idalia tracker: Storm takes aim at Florida as forecasters warn of ‘life-threatening’ storm surge

Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions, according to the latest statement from the company on Tuesday morning.

“We are closely monitoring the path of the projected weather as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members,” a post on the Walt Disney website read.

Hurricane Idalia may be the first to hit Florida this hurricane season – but it joins a long list of disasters in the United States and globally which are being amplified by the climate crisis.

The state of Hawaii is in recovery mode and still searching for victims after devastating wildfires on the island of Maui where drought conditions are believed to have played a role.

Earlier this month, the first tropical storm in almost a century hit California, causing flash flooding and mudslides. In July, Vermont was deluged by major flooding. And in early June, air quality plummeted across large parts of the United States and Canada as hundreds of wildfires rage out of control north of the border.

The climate crisis, driven by the emissions from burning fossil fuels, is raising the average global temperature and causing a cascade of impacts around the world.

Ocean temperatures have reached historic highs in many parts of the world this summer due to global heating and the developing recurring weather pattern, El Nino.

The Gulf of Mexico is experiencing high surface temperatures which scientists say could supercharge Idalia with stronger winds and more moisture as it comes ashore.

Idalia thrashed Cuba with heavy rain, especially in the westernmost part of the island, where the tobacco-producing province of Pinar del Rio is still recovering from Ian.

More than 10,000 people evacuated to shelters or stayed with friends and relatives as up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain fell. More than half of the province was without electricity. (AP)

Visitors to the Southernmost Point buoy braved the waves to take photos on Tuesday as Hurricane Idalia passed the Florida Keys some 175 miles to the west on Tuesday in Key West.

Forecasters warned that Idalia is expected to increase in strength before it makes landfall somewhere in the Big Bend area of western Florida on Wedneday morning.

Hurricane Idalia is strengthening as it moves towards Florida and the sheer scale of the vast storm was captured in high-resolution satellite imagery on Tuesday.

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University shared the imagery of Idalia as the sun came up.

Gas stations are Florida were running out of gas on Tuesday as residents raced to evacuate ahead of the major Hurricane Idalia.

According to GasBuddy, a social media account which tracks fuel, as of 10am (Eastern Time), 10 per cent of stations in the state were empty at the pump.

The most impacted area was Gainesville (4.7 per cent) then Fort Myers and Naples at 4 per cent. Tampa and St Petersburg followed with 2.6 per cent and then Orlando (0.5 per cent).

The biggest hazard from Hurricane Idalia is storm surge, warned the National Hurricane Center on Tuesday.

“We’re expecting a surge as much as 8 to 12 feet above normal tide levels in portions of the Big Bend area of Florida,” said Robbie Berg, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

While Big Bend is relatively densely-populated, major cities were also expected to see several feet of water.

Some 4ft-7ft of storm surge was expected in the Tampa Bay area; and 2ft-4ft in Charlotte Harbor.