Weather

Authorities have attributed at least three deaths to Idalia -- two in Florida and one in Georgia. The storm is forecast to move away from North Carolina on Thursday while dumping heavy rain on coastal areas of the state.

The deadly Category 3 hurricane hit along the coast of the Florida Big Bend near Keaton Beach about 7:45 a.m. local time, posing an immediate threat to lives and properties with 125 mph winds and significant flooding.

At the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, there’s room for 3,000 horses and other animals to evacuate during a hurricane, free of charge. Over at a smaller equestrian center, the owner said she is preparing as well.

An electrically charged sky gave U.S. Air Force pilots a rare light show while evacuating planes in Florida ahead of Hurricane Idalia.

The time to prepare is over and a dire situation is unfolding along Florida’s Gulf Coast as Category 4 Hurricane Idalia continues to rapidly intensify in the Gulf of Mexico. Catastrophic, life-threatening storm surge and destructive winds will pound the state’s Big Bend region as the monster storm nears the coast just hours away from landfall.