Hurricane Idalia is gaining# streng miles per hour.

It's now a Category 2# system and is barreling toward Fl where its expected to make landfall# as a Category 3 storm tomorrow.

AMNA NAWAZ: Rain from the hurricane's# outer bands is already falling in Flori Idalia is expected to punish the Western coast# of the state, and the Big Bend region nea Panhandle in the northwest.

Forecasters# are warning of a catastrophic storm surge,## along with destructive winds, flooding# rain, and possibly even tornadoes.

More than 20 counties were under evacuation orders# late today as the storm takes aim at Florida.

Along the Gulf Coast of Florida,## people in Tampa and elsewhere are GRACE CRUZ, Tampa Resident: In every situation# now, we start preparing, putting away all my patio## furniture, bringing in anything out there that's# loose and can fly away, getting the sandbags.

AMNA NAWAZ: Hurricane Idalia is expected to# make landfall in the state on Wednesday.

It## will be the first storm to strike# Florida this hurricane season.

The National Hurricane Center projects# sustained winds of up to 120 miles per hour.

GOV.

RON DESANTIS (R-FL), Presidential# Candidate: It's been tracking into the## Big Bend area pretty consistently,# bu t, at the same time, you have got to watch# how this thing goes and wher So, just make sure you are heeding the warnings# from your local emergency management individuals.## Make sure you're doing what you need to# do to keep yourself and your family safe.

AMNA NAWAZ: Video from the# International Space Station## today showed the storm churning in the# Gulf o The storm has already swept past# Cuba, drenching Havana.

Residents## there waded through floodwaters,# trying to get to higher ground.

YADIRA ALVAREZ, Cuba Resident (through# translator): We have two days.

It hadn't risen much before, but, yes,# AMNA NAWAZ: Back in Florida, the U.S. Coast# Guard prepared helicopters to assist in## rescue efforts.

The state also mobilized# more than 1,000 National Guard members.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said Idalia## could significantly raise water# levels off the Florida coast.

DEANNE CRISWELL, FEMA Administrator: This# storm is very strong and is ex strengthen to a major hurricane# by the time it makes landfall,## due to high surface temperatures in the Gulf# of Mexico.

This means heavy heavy rain, and a forecasted 12-foot storm surge# in some of the areas along the Western coast.

AMNA NAWAZ: St. Petersburg# Mayor Ken Welch urged caution,## especially in areas hard-hit by# Hurricane Ian less than a year ago.

KEN WELCH, Mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida:# Storms are unpredictable.

Folks that have## been in Florida for a long time know it.# that track and think they're safe.

And# we know from Ian that is not the case.

AMNA NAWAZ: It's a lesson learned# at great cost in New Orleans, where,## today, they marked 18 years since# Hurricane Katrina blasted ashore,## devastating parts of the city and surrounding# communities and killing more than 1,800 people.

To update us on the latest with Hurricane# Idalia and how it is advancing, I'm joined## by Jamie Rhome, deputy director# at the National Hurricane Center.

Jamie, welcome back.

Let's just start just past 6:00 here on the East Coast,# where is the storm and where is it headed?

JAMIE RHOME, National Hurricane Center: well,## it's currently centered about 200# Maximum sustained winds have been steadily# increasing throughout the day.

It is now## a Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale,# which puts the peak winds at 100 miles per## hour.

And looking at the satellite imagery,# it is continuing to intensify as we speak.

AMNA NAWAZ: You noted there that the FEMA# director -- administrator, rather, said it## is intensifying and strengthening.

Do you still# expect it to make landfall as a Category 3 storm?

JAMIE RHOME: Oh, yes.

All indications are it's continuing to strengthen.# And our forecast takes it to a# Category 3 over the next 12, 18 hours.

AMNA NAWAZ: And has the path changed at all?# Do you -- where are you expecting it to make## landfall and what should folks expect# on the ground to see when that happens?

JAMIE RHOME: The projected path# has been relatively consistent## throughout the last several# days leading up to the event.

It hasn't changed, and I don't anticipate# significant changes.

It look to make landfall somewhere in the Florida Big# Bend area.

It's hard to tell precisely where,## which county, but somewhere in the Florida# Big Bend area, most likely passing very## closer east of Tallahassee area, so they# could get some pretty big winds as well.

AMNA NAWAZ: Jamie, part of the National# Weather Service advisory said today,## don't mess around with this storm.

They put this system into historical# if you can, to storms in the past.

We# have heard a lot about Hurricane Ian,## for example, which folks there are still# recovering from.

How does Idalia c JAMIE RHOME: Well, hurricanes are sort of like# people, and they're all a little bit dif So comparing storms is -- can be problematic# at times.

But what I can tell you is,## if you have never experienced the power# of a major hurricane, you're probably## underestimating just how strong it is.

These# winds -- you can see on this graphic here,## you think of this red area as where the# hurricane-force winds could move inland.

You can see how far those winds carry inland,# including all the way into Southern Georgia.

AMNA NAWAZ: Governor DeSantis said earlier## the highway tolls are being# waived.

Sh We know people are being encouraged to# evacuate.

For those who haven't ab le to or who can't yet, what's your# advice to them?

What's your message?

JAMIE RHOME: Unfortunately,# you're down to the last few hours.

The conditions are going to deteriorate# rapidly through the evening and overnight## areas in advance of this system.

We are# already seeing heavy rain bands and strong## winds move across the Florida Peninsula as# we speak.

This is no longer a sit and wait,## sit and watch, or hope for a different outcome.

It is clear, if you're in the path of this# system, and most esp if you have been ordered to evacuate, you# need to do that now, not tomorrow, now.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is Jamie Rhome, deputy# director at the National Hurricane Center,## with the latest on Hurricane Idalia.

Jamie, thank you so much.