FOX Weather, the streaming television weather service of FOX News Media, will lead breaking news coverage surrounding Hurricane Idalia as the storm heads toward Florida.
FOX Weather will simulcast its hurricane coverage on Fox News Channel overnight from midnight to 5 a.m. ET, according to a release. The service will have meteorologists, correspondents and multimedia journalists on location throughout Florida to cover the storm.
Additionally, renowned hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross will contribute to FOX Weather’s coverage throughout the duration of the storm. Meteorologist Britta Merwin will co-anchor "FOX Weather First" from Tampa Bay, alongside meteorologist Jason Frazer, who will be at FOX Weather headquarters in New York City beginning Tuesday. Additionally, meteorologist Bob Van Dillen will be reporting live from St. Petersburg.
Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to start affecting Florida with hurricane-force winds as soon as late Tuesday and arrive on the state’s west coast by Wednesday. It is the first storm to hit Florida this hurricane season and a potentially big blow to the state, which is also dealing with lingering damage from last year's Hurricane Ian.
A state of emergency in Florida is now in effect for 46 of its 67 counties.
Idalia upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane early Tuesday morning as the storm passed Cuba, according to FOX Weather. It is expected to be become a major hurricane with "life-threatening" storm surge when it makes landfall on Florida's western coast Wednesday morning.
As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Idalia was located about 85 miles north of the western tip of Cuba and about 370 miles to the south-southwest of Tampa, FOX weather reported. Hurricane Idalia has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph with higher gusts, and it's moving to the north at 14 mph.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference with state officials Tuesday morning.
"The storm is forecast to make landfall along Florida's Big Bend tomorrow morning as a major hurricane. The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for the Gulf Coast from Sarasota County up through Franklin County in the Panhandle," DeSantis said.
IDALIA FORCES UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOOTBALL TEAM TO ALTER TRAVEL PLANS FOR SEASON OPENER
"There are over 20 shelters open, an additional 20 special needs shelters are mobilizing or on standby throughout the state of Florida. We have 5,500 National Guardsmen that have been activated," he continued.
DeSantis added that 42 school districts have chosen to close for two days surrounding the storm. He nevertheless said that residents "still have time" as of Tuesday morning to make their final preparations for the storm.
Fox News' Bradford Betz, Anders Hagstrom and Lawrence Richard, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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