Will Idalia Loop Around and Hit Florida For a Second Time?

Hurricane Idalia barreled into Florida on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction. It snapped trees in half, forcibly removed hotel roofs, and transformed small vehicles into makeshift boats. The storm then advanced into Georgia, retaining its formidable strength and causing flooding on roads. Residents were compelled to seek higher ground for safety.

Idalia officially struck near Keaton Beach at 7:45 a.m. as a powerful Category 3 hurricane and had sustained winds reaching up to 125 mph. Not long after making its landfall, it weakened to a tropical storm with winds of 70 mph by Wednesday afternoon.

Will Hurricane Idalia Return to Florida?

For those tracking Hurricane Idalia's trajectory, the latest forecasts might provoke a surprised reaction due to certain computer models suggesting an unusual loop in the Atlantic Ocean, potentially leading to a second landfall in Florida next week.

According to meteorologists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, at least two models indicate scenarios where the tropical cyclone reverses course and heads back towards Florida after moving out into the Atlantic Ocean. This scenario might ring a bell for some, as Hurricane Ivan executed a strikingly similar path during the tumultuous 2004 hurricane season when Florida endured four consecutive impacts.