TAMPA, Fla. (WCIA) – A Gibson City native is bracing for what could be his second brush with a hurricane since he moved to Florida.

Alec Johnson saw the strength of Hurricane Ian firsthand in September as it hit his home in Fort Myers, Fla. Now he lives in Tampa, and Hurricane Idalia is headed his way. What was initially a tropical storm gained hurricane strength on Tuesday.

For Johnson, Idalia brings back bad memories.

“Felt a little bit like a war zone,” Johnson said about Ian. “That’s a bit of an exaggeration. But I was driving down and there was a bunch of first responders coming down the opposite road, where it was just trucks with boats attached to them.”

Johnson said that he is blessed and thankful that his valuables were not damaged in last September’s hurricane. This time around, he is more prepared on what to do if he is evacuated.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Idalia is forecasted to go west of Tampa and make landfall along the northwest Gulf Coast of Florida on Wednesday. Current projections suggest it will turn into a Category 3 major hurricane. Live coverage and updates can be viewed here.