Hurricane Idalia: A Look Back One Year Later

Just after sunrise on August 30th 2023, Hurricane Idalia became the first major hurricane, on record, to ever hit Florida’s Big Bend. It would be the beginning of a protracted weather event that would start along Florida's Nature coast with a devastating storm surge before charting a course for the Carolinas.

Idalia moved from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico region up through southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina before pushing into the Atlantic just south of Myrtle Beach. Tropical storm force winds were felt all along the southeast South Carolina coastline.

Very heavy rain fell across inland areas west of the Interstate-95 corridor leading to flooding in a number of locations. Idalia's passage coincident with high tide resulted in a damaging storm surge across portions of the South Carolina coast.

Heavy rainfall from Idalia resulted in multiple Flash Flood Warnings across portions of inland counties. Additionally, rainfall from Idalia resulted in several rivers across southeast South Carolina and southeast Georgia rising above flood stage.

Digital meteorologist Leslie Hudson takes a look back and Idalia's powerful foot print across the Southeast.

FEMA says they have processed over 7,500 claims stemming from Idalia’s wrath. FEMA helped survivors & communities with grants, flood insurance settlements & low-interest disaster loans.

Climatologically, September begins the height of hurricane season. And with several more months ahead of us, there’s no time like the present to be ready for whatever Mother Nature may dish out between now and the end of November.