WEATHER ALERT
Helene and Milton are both likely to be $50 billion disasters, joining ranks of most costly storms
Read full article: Helene and Milton are both likely to be $50 billion disasters, joining ranks of most costly stormsMonstrous hurricanes Helene and Milton caused so much complex havoc that damages are still being added up, but experts in economics, insurance and risk say they are likely to be in the pantheon of super-costly $50 billion disasters.
As Milton takes aim at Florida, why is Tampa Bay so vulnerable to hurricanes?
Read full article: As Milton takes aim at Florida, why is Tampa Bay so vulnerable to hurricanes?The last time the eye of a major storm like Hurricane Milton directly struck Tampa Bay was 1921 when the city was a sleepy backwater.
Death toll from Maui wildfire reaches 89, making it the deadliest in the US in more than 100 years
Read full article: Death toll from Maui wildfire reaches 89, making it the deadliest in the US in more than 100 yearsAuthorities in Hawaii say a fire that swept through a picturesque town in Maui this week has killed at least 89 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire of the past century.
Vulnerable Tampa Bay braces for storm not seen in a century
Read full article: Vulnerable Tampa Bay braces for storm not seen in a centuryIt’s been over a century since a major storm like Hurricane Ian has struck the Tampa Bay area, which blossomed from a few hundred thousand people in 1921 to more than 3 million today.
Weather experts: Lack of planning caused cold catastrophe
Read full article: Weather experts: Lack of planning caused cold catastrophe(National Weather Service via AP)This week’s killer freeze in the U.S. was no surprise. AdThe event shows how unprepared the nation and its infrastructure are for extreme weather events that will become bigger problems with climate change, meteorologists and disaster experts said. He said the meteorological signal from the Arctic, where the cold air was escaping from, “was literally blinking red. University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Jason Furtado tweeted about “off the chart” cold on Feb. 5. “We come up with all kinds of rationale for ‘we’re going to be OK.'"__This story corrects the spelling of the name of a Texas A&M University meteorology professor.
2 months after hurricanes, Louisiana residents still hurting
Read full article: 2 months after hurricanes, Louisiana residents still hurting– As southwest Louisiana recovers from the back-to-back hurricanes that hammered the region this year, signs of progress compete with lingering evidence of mass destruction. Hurricane Laura roared ashore in southwestern Louisiana on Aug. 27 as a Category 4 storm just south of Lake Charles. According to Louisiana government figures, nearly 47,000 homes were damaged by Hurricane Laura, with about 16,000 of those in need of major repairs. The bulk of those homes are in Calcasieu Parish, home to the state's fifth-largest city, Lake Charles, with 80,000 residents. A Facebook group set up after Hurricane Laura has become a lifeline for struggling residents.
DaBaby, Roddy Ricch to help BET celebrate awards virtually
Read full article: DaBaby, Roddy Ricch to help BET celebrate awards virtuallyThe three-hour show will be jam-packed with heavy hitters currently dominating the pop charts and streaming services, including DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Summer Walker, Kane Brown and Chloe x Halle. The three-hour show will be jam-packed with heavy hitters currently dominating the pop charts and streaming services, including DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Summer Walker, Kane Brown and Chloe x Halle. Comedian, actress and TV personality Amanda Seales will host the 2020 BET Awards, which will air on CBS for the first time. Drake is the leading nominee: Hes up for six honors, including video of the year and best male hip-hop artist. Ricch and Megan Thee Stallion follow Drake with five nominations each.
Many states scrambling to update hurricane plans for virus
Read full article: Many states scrambling to update hurricane plans for virusThe Associated Press surveyed more than 70 counties and states from Texas to Virginia, with more than 60% of coastal counties saying as of late May that they're still solidifying plans for public hurricane shelters. Everything that we do will be affected in one way or another, big and/or small, by COVID-19, Florida Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said. Our biggest change to our hurricane plan is sheltering. During tornadoes in April, the state used hotels as shelters, which was good practice for hurricane season, he said. By August and September, typically the height of Louisiana's hurricane season, the number of infections and social distancing requirements may have changed, he said.