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Tropical Storm Rafael formed south of Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea. The forecast anticipates strengthening into a hurricane south of Western Cuba, before advancing northwest into the Gulf of Mexico later this week. Given significant uncertainties in the long-range forecast track and intensity, it is too soon to determine what, if any, impacts could occur. Watches and warnings have been issued for the Lower and Middle FL Keys, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Western Cuba. Mash the graphics below to enlarge. All links and images are self-updating. NHC Public Advisories NHC Discussions Tropical Tidbits by Levi Cowan News: NOLA.comFL Keys NewsWLOX...

The storm battered Florida Gulf Coast is in the forecast track for Milton. The tropical storm formed quickly Saturday in the SW Gulf of Mexico. Many FL Gulf Coast barrier islands and coastal communities are in the initial stages of clearing debris from substantial flooding during Hurricane Helene. Mash the graphics below to enlarge. All links and images are self-updating. NHC Public Advisories NHC Discussions Tropical Tidbits by Levi Cowan Local News: WWSB MySuncoast.comFOX News13 Tampa BayNBC2 Ft. MyersWESH2 OrlandoWFLA Tampa Bay

The tropical system which would be Helene is developing in the Western Caribbean Sea. The storm is forecast to strengthen and move into the Gulf of Mexico. Interests along the Eastern GOM coast should monitor the progress of Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, and additional watches or warnings could be required later tonight or tomorrow. Hurricane Hunters initiated flights to the storm system this morning. All links and images are self-updating. Mash images to enlarge Public AdvisoriesNHC DiscussionsNWS Tampa Bay FLNWS Key West FLNWS Tallahassee FL WFLA TampaWCTV TallahasseeWWSB Sarasota/BradentonWINK News Ft. MyersWJHG Panama City News

The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season is finally heating up. The tropical system which could be Francine is developing in the Bay of Campeche. The storm is forecast to move toward the NW Gulf of Mexico. Interests along the Texas and Louisiana coastline should monitor the progress of Potential Tropical Cyclone Six, and additional watches or warnings could be required later tonight or tomorrow. All links and images are self-updating Mash images to enlarge Public AdvisoriesNHC DiscussionsNWS Lake Charles, LANWS Houston/Galveston

HOUSTON – For the second year in a row, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says its Disaster Fund has run out of money. FEMA’s administrator stated that the agency will now focus on providing funds solely to those with immediate needs. The agency is currently awaiting Congress to approve a $9 billion supplemental request to replenish the disaster fund. However, with Congress in recess until the end of August, the approval process is delayed. [Snip] Initially, FEMA estimated a 10-day turnaround for dispersing aid, but the process has extended beyond that timeframe. The deadline to apply for [Hurricane Beryl]...

Hurricane Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida in the Florida Big Bend. While moving inland, Debby was downgraded to a Tropical Storm. The storm is expected to bring major flooding to the Southeastern U.S. over the next several days as the storm slows to a crawl. Mash the graphics below to enlarge. All links and images are self-updating. Jacksonville FLCharleston SCMorehead City NC NHC Public Advisories NHC Discussions Tropical Tidbits by Levi Cowan NWS Jacksonville FL NWS Charleston SC NWS Morehead City NC Local News: Action News JaxWESH2 OrlandoWTOC Savannah GAWJCL Savannah GAWCSC Live 5 News Charleston SCABC News 4...

Tropical Storm watches and warnings have been issued from the Florida Keys up the Florida Gulf Coast to Suwanee. The system is crossing Central Cuba, moving at 16mph. The disturbance is expected to develop into a tropical depression on Saturday as it moves across the Straits of Florida, followed by intensification into a tropical storm by Saturday night. Governor DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 54 counties, most along the Gulf Coast and in northern Florida, to move assets in preparation for the storm. August 13 marks 20 years since Hurricane Charley made landfall near Punta Gorda FL. The...

Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), who prior to his election to the House of Representatives served as White House physician for both Barack Obama and Donald Trump, stated that his nephew was shot and wounded in the assassination attempt on Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. Jackson's nephew was grazed in the neck by a bullet from the would-be assassin’s gun. My nephew was injured at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Thankfully his injury was not serious and he is doing well. My family was sitting in the front, near where the President was speaking. They...

Hurricane Beryl barreled across the Caribbean, made landfall along the Yucatan Peninsula, and is forecast to make landfall in SE Texas. Mash the graphics below to enlarge. All links and images are self-updating. GOES Satellite NHC Public Advisories NHC DiscussionsTropical Tidbits by Levi Cowan Local NWS Weather Brownsville TX

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is expected to discuss the future of his re-election campaign with family at Camp David on Sunday, following a nationally televised debate Thursday that left many fellow Democrats worried about his ability to beat former President Donald Trump in November, according to five people familiar with the matter. [Snip] So far, the party’s top leaders have offered public support for Biden, including in tweets posted by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Senior congressional Democrats, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Nancy Pelosi of California, have privately...

California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell, known for using his campaign war chest as a "personal piggy bank," according to watchdog group American Accountability Foundation, spent campaign funds at the Super Bowl and paid $50,000 to NFL teams for "event tickets," records show. Swalwell, a San Francisco 49ers superfan, attended the big game in Las Vegas with his wife on Feb. 11, where his beloved team lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. "Not the outcome we wanted," Swalwell said in a social media post from the game. Swalwell’s attendance raises questions about how a congressman known for facing financial struggles was...

Pharmacies across the United States are reporting that they are having difficulty getting prescriptions to patients because of a cyberattack on a unit of UnitedHealth. The company said in a regulatory filing Thursday its Change Healthcare business, which processes prescriptions to insurance for tens of thousands of pharmacies nationwide, was compromised by hackers who gained access to some of its systems. The company became aware of the cyberattack Wednesday, and, in a separate statement, said it expected the attack to last at least throughout the day Thursday. The cyberattack prevented some pharmacies from processing prescriptions to insurance companies to receive...

Capital One Financial is set to acquire Discover Financial Services , according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The deal could be announced Tuesday, the outlet said, citing sources. The merger of the two companies, who are among the largest credit card issuers in the U.S., would expand Capital One’s credit-card offerings. The news comes on the back of a Bloomberg News report on Monday that Capital One was considering an acquisition. Shares of Discover are down 1.7% lower for the year, putting the company at a $27.63 billion market cap. Capital One has a market cap of...

State’s licensing process has created too much product and not enough places to sell it, a consultant and retail-store applicant sayNew York state has only opened about 50 legal stores, yet state-legal cannabis farmers grew enough product this past summer and fall to supply up to 1,500 stores, a consultant who works in the industry said. [Snip] Meanwhile, the illicit market continues to thrive, with thousands of unlicensed shops. While the state has issued 460 retail licenses to nonprofits and people displaced by the war on drugs under its CAURD program, it’s been difficult for most licensees to find real...

United Parcel Service said Tuesday that it plans to cut about 12,000 jobs this year, a move that the package-delivery giant said would result in $1 billion in savings. Most of the cuts will be to full-time and part-time management positions and contract workers, and executives said they don’t expect these jobs to return when parcel volumes return. UPS has around 85,000 workers in management. [Snip] The job cuts were unveiled after the company said its revenue declined in the last quarter of 2023 as volumes in both its domestic and international businesses dropped.

Conservative talk show hosts, FEMA are fighting carmakers, tech industries in lobbying battle over drive-time radioA motley crew of AM radio advocates, including conservative talk show hosts like Hugh Hewitt and federal emergency officials, are lobbying Congress to stop carmakers from dropping the old medium from new vehicles. Tesla, Volvo, and BMW are among the companies that have already stopped providing AM tuners in some models. Last year Ford said it would join them—until CEO Jim Farley reversed course “after speaking with policy leaders.” [Snip] Sens. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) and Ed Markey (D., Mass.) are leading the Senate effort,...

Longtime Apple board member Al Gore is retiring from the board, the company announced Thursday. The former U.S. vice president had been a board member since 2003, a witness of the company’s rise and transformation a few years after the return of co-founder Steve Jobs as chief executive. “For more than 20 years, Al has contributed an incredible amount to our work—from his unconditional support for protecting our users’ privacy, to his incomparable knowledge of environment and climate issues,” Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a statement. Retired Boeing company executive James Bell, who joined Apple’s board in 2015,...

John Kerry is stepping down as the president’s special envoy for climate this spring, according to two people familiar with the decision. The change comes weeks after Kerry, 80, played a key role during a climate conference in Dubai helping to forge a compromise among nearly 200 countries aimed at reducing fossil fuels. The White House didn’t immediately comment on Kerry’s decision. Kerry, whose departure will come as President Biden is intensifying his re-election campaign, is one of the few top officials to depart an administration that has had historically low turnover. Kerry has held the post for three years...

FDA’s decision could change the way Americans obtain prescription medicinesThe Food and Drug Administration has decided to allow the first state to import drugs from Canada, a milestone in efforts to reduce the cost of medicines that could change the way Americans fill prescriptions. The agency said Friday it would allow Florida to import prescription drugs from Canada. Several other states have filed similar requests with the agency. The approval opens the door to a new, lower-cost source of prescription drugs, beyond the retail and mail-order pharmacies—and the U.S. supply chain they are part of—that Americans have relied on for...

A French law has forced the fast-food giant to serve fries and sodas in washable containers; now it is fighting a wider rollout PARIS—A McDonald’s MCD -0.44%decrease; red down pointing triangle on a buzzy boulevard here offers a glimpse of what the future of serving fast food could look like. The burger giant doesn’t like what it sees. For those dining in, french fries are served in durable red containers, soda is dispensed into clear washable glasses and chicken nuggets come in hard plastic white bowls. When customers are finished eating, they are asked to drop the containers into a...