Hurricane Idalia is expected to intensify into a Category 3 storm before it makes landfall along the west coast of Florida, posing significant risks to lives and property in Florida.

Floridians are bracing for a major hurricane strike on Wednesday as Hurricane Idalia has begun to strengthen while pushing away from Cuba. AccuWeather hurricane experts say the storm will rapidly intensify into a powerful major hurricane over the eastern Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in the state's Big Bend area of the coast.

Idalia strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph early Tuesday morning. Strengthening has continued through the morning hours and Idalia's winds have increased to 85 mph as of 11 a.m. local time.

An 'extreme' risk for impacts is now in place for a portion of the Sunshine State, centered around the region bridging the Gulf coasts of the panhandle and peninsula. This area will be most at risk for life-threatening storm surge flooding, damaging winds and torrential rain as Hurricane Idalia approaches on Wednesday morning.

AccuWeather meteorologists have rated Idalia as a 3 on the RealImpact™ Scale for Hurricanes in the United States due to the anticipated impacts from flooding rain, destructive winds, life-threatening storm surge and overall damage and economic loss.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the west coast of Florida, extending from Apalachicola on the Panhandle through Tampa Bay and points just south. Tropical storm watches and warnings are also out for other regions of Florida's Gulf Coast, including the Florida Keys, as well as the central and northern portion of the Florida Atlantic Coast, all the way to the central coast of South Carolina.