state of emergency

Isaias strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane on Friday and is expected to make landfall near Pensacola by Saturday morning.

Tropical Storm Isaias is expected strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane on Friday. The cyclone is headed towards the northern Gulf but moisture will impact much of Florida.

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties, including Leon and Bay. Tropical Storm Isaias could hit the western panhandle by the weekend.

Later this year, St. Michael and All Angels parish will celebrate its 152nd anniversary.

The ceremony recognized individuals and agencies from Leon County, as well as adjoining areas of North Florida and South Georgia.

Severe storms that included tornadoes caused damage Tuesday in Northwest Florida and knocked out power to more than 87,000 customers in the state as of mid-day.

“You really got to go back to the late 1800s to find a storm of this magnitude that will enter (the state) where this one looks like it’s going to enter tomorrow,” Gov. DeSantis said Tuesday evening.

Ahead of Hurricane Idalia making landfall, evacuations (mandatory and voluntary) have been issued for several coastal counties in Florida.

The National Hurricane Center says models indicate Hurricane Idalia will make landfall in the area of Apalachee Bay, which is near Tallahassee in the northeast Gulf of Mexico.

1.6 million people in 22 Gulf Coast counties are under evacuation orders, as Idalia is expected to cause life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds in North Florida.