Schools open Tuesday; shelter openings are on standby
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Rainfall projects through Saturday: Osceola County could get 2-4 inches of rain with locally-heavy spots of 5 inches possible. GRAPHIC/NHC
If soon-to-be Hurricane Idalia stays on current course, Osceola County won't get anything it can't handle -- if its residents are preparing like county and city staffs area.
"Even though Osceola County is not directly in the current path of the storm, an abundance of caution is being exercised," County Commission Chair Viviana Janer said at a midday press conference Monday.
tropical storm gusts -- tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the center, meaning Osceola County would likely get some of that if Idalia stays on the current path -- can be expected Tuesday night into the first part of Wednesday. The current NHC wind probabilities have Orlando (it doesn't have an Osceola Co. breakpoint) with a 33 percent chance (1 in 3) of 40-58 mph winds, and a 5 percent chance (1 in 20) of 58-74 mph winds.
The county should also see 2-4 inches of rain. It is working with the South Florida Water Management District to ensure lakes and canals have the capacity to handle expected rain.
"The good news is this is a different kind of storm (than Ian)," Janer said.
Kissimmee Mayor Olga Gonzalez said its public works department is working to inspect the city's storm system, and ensures they are ready. Lake Toho and East Lake both have "plenty of capacity" in a plan for the worst. St. Cloud Mayor Nathan Blackwell reiterated that from the St. Cloud perspective, including pumps in place in order to not repeat the flooding from Hurricane Ian last year. Sheriff Marcos Lopez said his agency has high-water vehicles ready to go for water rescues.
A jog to the east of the projected path necessitated the need for sandbag distribution. It will be at Osceola Heritage Park from 12-7 p.m. Monday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
County officials said there are no plans as of midday Monday to open shelters, but that plan is on standby.
Osceola schools are currently scheduled to be open Tuesday. A decision will be made about Wednesday going forward.
Solid waste collection still remains on schedule, but don't put limbs or other items to the curb until after the storm passes.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect as of 5:30 a.m. Monday for Osceola and Orange Counties. If it's any idea of what to expect, the same Watch for Lake County turned into a Tropical Storm Warning at 11 a.m.
A Hurricane Warning has been issued from the Middle of Longboat Key near Sarasota northward to the Ochlockonee River in the Panhandle, including Tampa Bay. The right edge of the NHC cone of uncertainty continues to hug I-4 or just a bit to the west of it.
With the storm projected currently to run parallel to the state until a suggested landfall in the Big Bend area Wednesday, residents here should stay vigilant to any changes in the storm's course.
