Axios

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' mansion experienced the impact of Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall in the state as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday.

Driving the news: The storm, continuing inland into Georgia and northern Florida, felled a 100-year-old oak tree that landed on the governor's mansion in Tallahassee, Fla., Casey DeSantis, Florida First Lady, said on Twitter.

The Thursday afternoon before Labor Day is projected to be the busiest time on the road this holiday weekend.

Why it matters: Planning to drive during off times could save travelers hours in the car.

Idalia strengthened into a Category 4 major hurricane as it neared Florida's Gulf coast Wednesday morning after rapidly intensifying over record-warm waters.

Threat level: "SHELTER IN PLACE!" said the National Weather Service's Tampa Bay office online early Wednesday, noting the hurricane was strengthening ahead of its expected landfall as an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm on Florida's Big Bend coast Wednesday morning.

Hurricane Idalia's forecast track, rate of intensification and the environment it will encounter as it approaches land sets it apart from other recent damaging storms in several ways, hurricane experts told Axios.

The big picture: First, there is the storm setup. It is no accident that the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico have hit record highs recently, amid astonishing streaks of record-setting warmth in nearby land areas.