Hurricane Idalia: How to stay informed if your power goes out

Tracking Idalia (WFTV/WFTV)

By Brittany Caldwell

ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 is committed to keeping you informed as Hurricane Idalia passes over Florida.

▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

▶ DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

We want to let you know how you can download the free WFTV news and weather apps -- before your power goes out or you lose your internet connection.

In addition to our mobile apps, you can also keep up with storm coverage on WFTV social media platforms.

We put together the following ways you can access coverage of the storm:

Mobile apps:

WFTV news app:

  • Free in the app store, but you can also download it by clicking on this link.
  • Available for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets
  • Watch our live continuous coverage
  • Activate alerts informing you about what is happening in your neighborhood because of Nicole

TV streaming apps:

  • Download our WFTV Now app for your Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV and Google TV.

Read: Hurricane Idalia: Here’s how the storm is impacting Central Florida airports

Digital:

WFTV.com:

Read: How to keep your pets safe during a natural disaster or emergency

Social media:

Facebook: Click here to like us on Facebook

  • The latest information posted on our Facebook page
  • Media conferences about the storm from Central Florida counties
  • Connect with your neighbors to share information about storm prep and cleanup
  • Stay informed about any programming changes made to WFTV on television or online

Twitter: Click here to follow us on Twitter

  • Direct links to stories about preparation, safety, evacuations and other important information
  • Live updates about weather and road conditions from our certified meteorologists and journalists
  • Live updates from our newsroom as we confirm information about what’s happening in Central Florida

Instagram: Click here to follow us on Instagram

  • Images of the latest on Idalia’s track
  • See what is happening around Central Florida during storm preparation

Read: Hurricane Idalia: Orlando theme parks continue to monitor storm’s track

Hurricane Idalia preps 230828-N-YD641-003 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Aug. 28, 2023) Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Matthew Riggs grabs some essentials at the Naval Air Station Jacksonville Commissary, Aug. 28 prior to Tropical Storm Idalia arriving in the Jacksonville area. (U.S. Navy photo by Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Scotty Coombs/Released) (NAS Jacksonvill/Facebook)

Hurricane Idalia preps 230828-N-YD641-001 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Aug. 28, 2023) Culinary Specialist (CS) 2nd Class Juan Rios shovels sand as CS2 Peter Angelade holds the sandbags open to fill at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Aug. 28. The station has 6,000 bags ready to be filled to help prevent water intrusion from Hurricane Idalia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Matthew Riggs/Released)

Hurricane Idalia preps 230828-N-YD641-002 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Aug. 28, 2023) Culinary Specialist (CS) 2nd Class Juan Rios shovels sand as CS2 Peter Angelade holds the sandbags open to fill at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Aug. 28. The station has 6,000 bags ready to be filled to help prevent water intrusion from Hurricane Idalia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Matthew Riggs/Released)

Hurricane Idalia preps PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: Antonio Floyd places sandbags in a pickup truck at the Helen S. Howarth Community Park ahead of the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Pinellas Park, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida on Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: William Brouard places sandbags at the door to his IRB Creamery before the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: Loemys Rivera-Valentin and her children D'Angelo Gabriel Abreu-Suarez (C) and Zaelys Loemys Robles-Rivera fill sandbags at the Helen S. Howarth Community Park ahead of the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Pinellas Park, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida on Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: (L-R) Steve Leitgeb and Michelle Fedeles place protective shutters over the openings at Coco's Crush Bar & Grill before the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: Workers place protective plywood over the openings at Toucan's Bar & Grill before the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: Workers place protective plywood over the openings at Toucan's Bar & Grill before the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: A grocery store's water section is almost bare as people stock up ahead of the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Pinellas Park, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps TAMPA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 28: Brooke Painter loads personal items into a van as she and her family evacuate their vacation rental ahead of the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 28, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. Tropical Storm Idalia is nearing hurricane strength and is forecast to become a hurricane as it tracks toward the Gulf Coast of Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: Workers place protective plywood over the openings at Toucan's Bar & Grill before the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Idalia preps PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA - AUGUST 29: Vinell Chambers (L) and Antonio Floyd fill sandbags at the Helen S. Howarth Community Park ahead of the possible arrival of Hurricane Idalia on August 29, 2023 in Pinellas Park, Florida. Hurricane Idalia is forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida on Wednesday morning. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Tropical Weather Garry Sears, 78, collects fallen pecans from his pecan tree on Monday, Aug 28, 2023, near his collectible 1953 Ford sedan which he has elevated to keep out of storm surge. Sears, who said he had four inches of water in his Florida room during Tropical Storm Eta, in November 2020, is anticipating as much surge from Tropical Storm Idalia which intensified early Monday and is expected to become a major hurricane before it reaches Florida's Gulf coast. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP) (Douglas R. Clifford/AP)

Tropical Weather Motorists wait in line during sandbag distribution, ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia's arrival, at MacFarlane Park in Tampa, Fla., Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. (Ivy Ceballo/Tampa Bay Times via AP) (Ivy Ceballo/AP)

Orlovista flooding The Orlovista community in Orange County is also bracing for whatever Idalia may bring. (wftv.com)

Tropical Weather Members of the Tampa, Fla., Parks and Recreation Dept., help residents with sandbags Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Residents along Florida's gulf coast are making preparations for the effects of Tropical Storm Idalia. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara)

Tropical Weather Members of the Tampa Parks and Recreation Dept., help residents with sandbags Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Residents along Florida's gulf coast are making preparations for the effects of Tropical Storm Idalia. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara)

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.