Hurricane Idalia has made landfall in Florida as a category 3 hurricane near Tallahassee, bringing sheets of rain and winds to parts of Lake County.
According to the National Weather Service, as of 8 a.m., Hurricane Idalia has maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and is moving north-northeast at around 18 mph. The hurricane is currently about 10 miles south-southeast of Perry, Florida.
The NWS predicts that Idalia will “weaken further now that the center is inland,” and that it will likely remain a strong hurricane as it passes through the state today.
Lake County is currently under a state of emergency, and government offices, schools, libraries and other official buildings are all closed through Wednesday.
Curbside trash collection services are suspended throughout Lake County on Wednesday, with normal curbside pickup rescheduled to Thursday. Residents who are scheduled for Thursday pickup will be rescheduled to Friday.
Two pet-friendly emergency shelters are currently open in the county at the Villages Elementary of Lady Lake (695 Rolling Acres Road, Lady Lake) and Lost Lake Elementary (1901 Johns Lake Road, Clermont).
On Tuesday, Duke Energy gathered 1,000 trucks and thousands of line workers to respond to communities as soon as weather and hurricane conditions permit them to.
Did you experience damage in your area? Share your photos with Leesburg-News.com.
Lake County officials are reminding residents who experience power outages to contact their electricity provider. The following is a list of companies provided power to the county:
Eustis Office: 352-357-5600; Groveland Office: 352-429-2195; Sumterville Office: 352-793-3801
