Idalia, now a tropical storm, touched down in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane.
Idalia touched down in Florida's Big Bend region on Wednesday morning as a powerful Category 3 hurricane -- the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the Apalachee Bay.
Idalia has since weakened into a tropical storm and moved inland over Georgia and the Carolinas.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Charleston, South Carolina, said water has breached the Charleston Battery and dunes at Edisto Beach -- flowing onto roadways and into downtown Charleston.
High tide is coming shortly as well, which will compound the impacts. The NWS said the tide is "already in the top 8 of peak tides on record" -- and rising.
-ABC News' Kenton Gewecke
Here are some preliminary rain, wind and storm surge numbers from Idalia so far, as of 5 p.m.:
-Highest reported rainfall total: 9.4 inches in Clearwater Beach, Florida
-Highest wind gusts: 85 mph gusts in Perry and Bucell Junction, Florida
-Highest reported storm surge: Nearly 7 feet in Cedar Key, Florida (setting a new record at this gauge; the old record was 6.1 feet during Hurricane Hermine in 2016)
-ABC News' Daniel Peck
Gov. Ron DeSantis said there is "significant damage" throughout the Big Bend region, with Columbia, Madison and Dixie counties hardest hit.
"There is, of course, a lot of debris to clean up. But we will get working with that with the local communities to make sure that the roads are cleared and people can go back to their lives," DeSantis said during a press briefing.
As of 6 p.m. there is one unconfirmed fatality due to the storm involving a traffic incident that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is reviewing, the governor said.
"That may end up being a confirmed fatality, it has not been confirmed yet," DeSantis said.
Thirty of the 52 school districts that closed due to the storm will reopen Thursday, and an additional eight will reopen on Friday, the governor said.
-ABC News' Hannah Demissie and Will McDuffie
Idalia is forecast to be a tropical storm as it reenters the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, tracking away from the U.S.
Storm surge will continue to be a threat due to the circulation of tropical storm Idalia, with the winds bringing water ashore.
Heavy flooding rain will also continue tonight.
A tornado watch remains in effect until 10 p.m. for the Carolinas.
-ABC News' Kenton Gewecke and Melissa Griffin
