Page 8 - Tracking Team News Today

Hurricane Idalia has strengthened with winds now sustained at 80 mph and is projected to become a major hurricane ahead of landfall tomorrow morning near the Florida Big Bend. Though the storm is still battling moderate wind shear, this is expected to weaken over the next 24 hours. Now that the storm is moving into the southern Gulf, warmer than usual sea surface temperatures will aid in rapid intensification. The storm's forward speed has stayed consistent, moving north at 14 mph. 

Tropical Storm Idalia has intensified with winds sustained at 65 mph winds and is now moving north at 7 mph. The storm will enter the Gulf today and is now expected to strengthen into a major hurricane by Wednesday ahead of landfall near the Florida Big Bend. 

Conditions will start out dry this morning with winds returning out of the south. This will feed in plenty of moisture across southwest Florida and muggy conditions will kick in throughout the morning.

It's a warm and dry start out the door for the start of your weekend with temperatures in the 70s. Conditions will be hot and mostly dry today across southwest Florida with highs in the mid 90s.

As a disorganized cluster of showers and storms works through the Florida Straits this morning, rain chances will increase for southwest Florida throughout the mid-morning and afternoon. Isolated showers and storms will start inland and work toward the coast by the early afternoon.

Showers and storms are developing offshore this morning but with an east wind in place, land will stay mostly dry through the mid-morning as temperatures heat up quickly.

Two SAPS officers were arrested in Mpumalanga, for allegedly transporting firearms in a BMW flying squad police vehicle.

It is alleged that the officers were transporting rifles, including three AK47s, two service pistols and explosives.

The NBC2 First Alert Hurricane Tracking team is monitoring three areas of potential tropical development.

A few offshore showers and storms are developing off Collier County this morning but most of the region is starting out dry.