Hurricane Idalia originated from an area of disturbed weather that began over the eastern Pacific and Central America around August 23, 2023. This system then drifted northeast into the northwestern Caribbean Sea, where it slowly organized. On August 26, 2023, it developed into a tropical depression, and by August 27 it had strengthened into a tropical storm while in the northwestern Caribbean Sea
. Idalia then moved northward, crossing the western tip of Cuba on August 28-29 as a tropical storm. It rapidly intensified in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, becoming a hurricane by early August 29 and reaching major hurricane status (Category 3) before making landfall near Keaton Beach in Florida's Big Bend region on August 30, 2023
. In summary, Hurricane Idalia started as a disturbed weather system over the eastern Pacific and Central America, became a tropical depression in the northwestern Caribbean Sea on August 26, 2023, and then intensified into a hurricane before hitting Florida's Big Bend region on August 30, 2023
