Video: Blue supermoon worsens Hurricane Idalia threat in Florida

On August 30, a rare celestial event, the blue supermoon, coincided with the landfall of Hurricane Idalia, a Category 4 storm, on Florida's Gulf Coast.

The blue supermoon, which is the second full moon in a month and also at its closest point to Earth, appeared 8% larger and 15% brighter than a normal full moon. However, this stunning spectacle also intensified the gravitational pull on Earth, leading to higher tides. As Hurricane Idalia barreled towards Florida, the heightened tides caused by the supermoon were expected to exacerbate the storm's impact, potentially worsening flooding not only in Florida but also in states like Georgia and South Carolina.

The National Hurricane Center projected a storm surge of up to 15 feet along parts of Florida's west coast. This convergence of natural phenomena raised concerns about the heightened risk of severe storm surges and flooding as the hurricane made landfall.