Journalist battles 100mph winds as he reports from Florida during Idalia landfall

An NBC News photographer battled wind gusts of 100mph as he reported from Florida amid Hurricane Idalia’s landfall.

Paul Rigney was on the ground in Perry at just after 8am on Wednesday 30 August when he was nearly blown off his feet.

“The gust was so severe it lifted me, my camera and tripod off the ground. Hence the wobble halfway through,” Mr Rigney tweeted, responding to a video shared on Twitter of his report.

He also explained that a billboard close to him “collapsed” in “roaring” winds.