Thousands in the dark as Hurricane Francine strikes Louisiana, raising flood fears
Hurricane Francine has slammed into Louisiana as a dangerous Category 2 storm, knocking out power to more than a quarter million customers and threatening a large stretch of the Gulf Coast with flooding and destructive winds.
Tropical system expected to strengthen near Mexico and Texas and bring heavy rains, forecasters say
The National Weather Service says a tropical system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico was expected to strengthen this week into a tropical storm and dump heavy rains onto Mexico and Texas before reaching the U.S. as a potential hurricane.
And now there are 4! National Hurricane Center monitoring multiple tropical systems
As of Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center was tracking three tropical systems, from the Gulf of Mexico to just off the coast of Africa.
And now there are 4! The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Tropical Waves
As of Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center was tracking three tropical systems, from the Gulf of Mexico to just off the coast of Africa.
More rain, less heat for your Friday, wet weekend ahead
More rain is on the way and below normal highs topping off in the upper 80s. Thunderstorms are likely to develop this afternoon with localized flooding possible, especially in areas that received heavy downpours and accumulation on Thursday.
Florida’s Big Bend hit by hurricane 11 months after Idalia caused widespread damage
Hurricane Debby made landfall about 7 a.m. Monday near Steinhatchee as a Category 1 storm, bringing the rural Big Bend region its second hurricane in less than a year.
Gov. DeSantis puts vast majority of Florida counties under ‘state of emergency’ ahead of possible tropical depression
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday issued an executive order declaring the vast majority of Florida counties under a state of emergency as a tropical wave approaches the state.
Beryl moves into the Gulf of Mexico after battering Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, takes aim at Texas
Beryl has moved into the the Gulf of Mexico and is taking aim at the south Texas coast, after battering Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Tropical Storm Alberto dissipates over central Mexico after heavy rains killed 4
Tropical Storm Alberto, the season’s first named storm, has weakened as it moves inland over northeast Mexico — but not before bringing heavy rains to the parched region and leaving at least three dead.
Florida authorities warn of shark dangers along Gulf Coast beaches after 3 people are attacked
Authorities are warning of shark dangers this weekend along Florida’s Gulf Coast, where three people were hurt in two separate shark attacks.
'Heat dome' leads to sweltering temperatures in Mexico, Central America and US South
Extreme heat in Mexico, Central America and parts of the US South has left millions sweltering, strained energy grids and resulted in iconic Howler monkeys in Mexico dropping dead from trees.
Experts say coral reef bleaching near record level globally because of 'crazy' ocean heat
Scientists say temperatures that have gone “crazy haywire” hot, especially in the Atlantic, are close to making the current global coral bleaching event the worst in history.
Scientists say coral reefs around the world are experiencing mass bleaching in warming oceans
Reef scientists say coral reefs around the world are experiencing global bleaching for the fourth time due to prolonged warming of the oceans.
Daytona 500 facing possible delays as rainy, cold weekend expected in Central, Northeast Florida
A batch of rain will sweep across Florida as it tracks east on Saturday and Sunday with rain impacting the Daytona 500 weekend.
Dial it up to Category 6? As warming stokes storms, some want a bigger hurricane category
A handful of super powerful tropical cyclones in the last decade has a couple of experts proposing a new category of whopper hurricanes: Category 6.
Oil companies offer $382M for drilling rights in Gulf of Mexico in last offshore sale before 2025
Oil companies have offered $382 million for drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico after courts rejected the Biden administration’s plans to scale back the sale to protect an endangered whale species.
Search is on for pipeline leak after as much as 1.1 million gallons of oil sullies Gulf of Mexico
As much as 1.1 million gallons of oil may have been discharged into the Gulf of Mexico from a pipeline system off Louisiana’s southeast coast.
Climate change is hurting coral worldwide. But these reefs off the Texas coast are thriving
Far off the Texas coast there is a beautiful surprise in the Gulf of Mexico that draws divers from around the world: a stunning amount of coral coverage on undersea mountains.
Lease of Gulf waters delayed by whale protection debate must continue, court rules
A federal appeals court has ordered the Biden administration to carry on with an auction of oil and gas drilling leases for Gulf of Mexico waters in 37 days — rejecting arguments by environmentalists.
Four tracts of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico are designated for wind power development
The Biden administration has designated four tracts of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas and Louisiana coasts for development of wind energy.
Reprieve for New Orleans as salt water creeping up the Mississippi River slows its march inland
Salt water inching up the Mississippi River is progressing more slowly than once projected — buying time for water systems in metropolitan New Orleans that draw drinking water from the river.
Biden backs new offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Scaled-back plan disappoints all sides
President Joe Biden's administration has proposed up to three oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico over the next five years but none in Alaska.
Louisiana's struggle with influx of salt water prompts a request for Biden to declare an emergency
Salt water flowing from the Gulf of Mexico into the drought-stricken Mississippi River is prompting Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards to ask President Joe Biden to declare a state of emergency.
Judge blocks government plan to scale back Gulf oil lease sale to protect whale species
The Biden administration is appealing a federal judge's order requiring the Interior Department to expand next week’s scheduled sale of Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases by millions of acres.
What makes Idalia so potent? It's feeding on intensely warm water that acts like rocket fuel
Feeding on some of the hottest water on the planet, forecasters expect Hurricane Idalia to rapidly strengthen as it bears down on Florida.
Second opportunity to receive tax-free discount on hurricane preparedness items starts Saturday
If you missed the first hurricane supply sales tax holiday in May at the beginning of hurricane season, your second chance to receive a few savings is Saturday, which comes just as a developing system is brewing in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
US tightens some offshore oil rig safety rules that had been loosened under Trump
The Biden administration has tightened offshore oil drilling safety regulations, including rules regarding the use of “blowout preventer” devices on offshore oil and gas drilling rigs.
Sweltering temperatures bring misery to large portion of central US, setting heat records
Sweltering temperatures are lingering in a large swath of the central U.S., causing misery from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes.
First U.S. auction of Gulf of Mexico tracts for wind power set for Aug. 29
The Biden administration has announced plans for the first sale of offshore wind power leases in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana and Texas coasts.
Private flight with 2 Saudi astronauts returns from space station with Gulf of Mexico splashdown
A private crew is back on Earth after a nine-day trip to the International Space Station.
Have you changed your Florida travel plans because of recent legislation?
We want to know, have you changed your travel or event plans due to the travel advisory or any other factors involving state legislation? Tell us.
Oil drilling in Gulf safer, but concerns linger, report says
A new National Academy of Science study says that 13 years after a massive BP oil spill fouled the Gulf of Mexico, regulators and industry have reduced some risks in deep water exploration in the gulf but some troublesome safety issues persist.
Dangerous storms, tornadoes may target Midwest, South
Meteorologists are warning of a series of severe storms that could rip across America's Midwest and South over the next couple of weeks, with the first and perhaps most dangerous outbreak forecast to strike Friday.
Companies bid $264M in Gulf oil sale mandated by climate law
Oil companies including Chevron and ExxonMobil offered a combined $264 million for drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico in a sale mandated by last year’s climate bill compromise.
Biden considers 1st offshore wind auction in Gulf of Mexico
The Biden administration said Wednesday it is considering the first-ever lease sale for offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Mexico, a key part of a push to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030 to help fight climate change.
EXPLAINER: What came together to make deadly Alabama tornado
Experts say a natural La Nina weather pattern, unusually warm moist air juiced by climate change, and long-term shift in where tornadoes hit all are factors in Thursday's devastating tornado in Alabama.
‘Miracle’: Missing cruise ship passenger found OK in water
The U.S. Coast Guard says a passenger who went overboard from a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico was rescued on Thanksgiving after likely being in the water for hours.
NTSB: Communications outage a factor in lift boat disaster
A federal agency says an outage involving a Coast Guard marine warning system and “data gaps” in radar systems were factors in last year's deadly capsize of an oil industry lift boat off Louisiana's coast.
Study finds that climate change added 10% to Ian's rainfall
A quick study by two scientists calculates that climate change made Hurricane Ian 10% rainier than it would have been if there were no such thing as global warming.
Hurricane Ian gets nasty quickly, turbocharged by warm water
Hurricane Ian is quickly gaining monstrous strength as it moves over oceans partly heated up by climate change, just like 30 other Atlantic tropical storms since 2017 that became much more powerful in less than a day.
Gov't OKs nearly $190M in bids from offshore oil lease sale
The Biden administration has accepted nearly $190 million in bids from an offshore oil and gas lease sale that was held nearly a year ago but rejected by a federal judge.
Sea turtle hooked by fisherman to be released from rehabilitation
An adult female loggerhead sea turtle is set to be released back into the Gulf of Mexico after being in rehabilitation at the Gulf World Marine Institute (GWMI) for almost three months. That’s in the Florida Panhandle.
Trump plane makes emergency landing after engine failure
A plane carrying former President Donald Trump was forced to make an emergency landing in New Orleans last weekend after suffering engine failure over the Gulf of Mexico.
Protecting critical habitat: Proposal aims to expand coral reef off Texas coast
If you’re familiar with the Texas coast, which isn’t known for having crystal clear water, you probably never would have suspected that a mere 100 miles off of Galveston is a 56 square mile marine sanctuary complete.
December warmth gives way to mini-nor’easter
It has been a December to remember as every single afternoon has seen high temperatures at or above normal. Our coolest was 68°. Yet, lurking on the horizon will be a swirl of clouds, as a low pressure rolls out of the Gulf of Mexico and swings towards Jacksonville late Sunday evening.
Florida man arrested after body found floating in Gulf
Police in Florida have arrested a 29-year-old man on manslaughter charges in connection to the death of an older man whose body was found floating offshore earlier this month in the Gulf of Mexico.
Companies bid $192 million in 1st Gulf oil sale under Biden
Energy companies have offered a combined $192 million for drilling rights on federal oil and gas reserves in the Gulf of Mexico in the first government lease sale under President Joe Biden.
WAAD Thursday for storms but it only slowly gets better afterwards
Late Wednesday night the squall line of storms that have been racing eastward along the northern Gulf of Mexico, continues to hold together. This is very unusual, typically we see significant weakening. And we might still, just as the storms are coming through Jacksonville Thursday morning. Even if it does weaken, there will still be a very high possibility of another round of possible thunderstorms Thursday afternoon.
Mexico allows limited return of activists to help porpoise
The Mexican government is allowing the environmentalist group Sea Shepherd to return to the Gulf of Mexico to help efforts to save the critically endangered vaquita marina porpoise, but won't let the group remove illegal gill nets.
Hurricane names: What happened to the Greek alphabet?
The Hurricane Committee of the World Meteorological Organization met virtually back in March to discuss the record-breaking 2020 hurricane season and what changes needed to be made.