First Thing: Idalia to hit Florida as 'extremely dangerous' category 4 hurricane

Good morning. Florida's Gulf Coast braced for fierce winds, torrential rain and surging seawater from Idalia, forecast to become "an extremely dangerous" category 4 hurricane, as it swirled toward a direct hit on the state's Big Bend region. Idalia was generating maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (177 kph) by late last night - at the upper end of category 2 - and its force would ratchet higher before it came ashore early this morning, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) projected. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued in at least 28 of Florida's 67 counties as of last night. "If…