Hurricane Idalia is sending massive storm surges cascading into parts of Florida, and also wreaking havoc for travellers and airlines.
Reuters reports that airlines in the United States canceled more than 850 flights today (Aug. 30) as the storm landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as an “extremely dangerous” Category 3 storm.
Southwest Airlines had canceled 222 flights as of noon Eastern Time, while Delta Air Lines and American Airlines canceled 158 and 132 flights, respectively, as of 8:17 a.m. ET, according to flight-tracking website Flightaware.com.
The website reported 65% of incoming flights to Tampa International Airport had been cancelled, while a full 91% of outgoing flights were canceled. In Savannah/Hilton Head, 75% of outgoing flights were canceled, while the outgoing cancellation rate for Jacksonville was 70% and 32% for Southwest Florida International.
Cedar Key, Florida at sunrise. JIM BYERS PHOTO
CNN states it’s the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Big Bend region in more than 125 years, and that it briefly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane before landfall. The network also says some 264,000 people are without power.
There were major storm surges in Keaton Beach and Cedar Key, Florida, a delightful town I visited a few years ago and dearly loved. I hope all the good people I met there have made it through without too much damage.
