Hurricane

The hurricane forecast team at Colorado State University issued a slightly decreased storm forecast, calling now for 16 named storms and eight hurricanes — one less in each case from initial forecasts — and a slightly above-normal 2025 Atlantic basin hurricane season.

Delays in permits, labor shortages and rising rental costs stall recovery, leaving storm survivors in limbo as frustration builds.

The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration has said that in the next few days it will stop providing data from satellites that have been helping hurricane forecasters do their jobs for decades, citing “recent service changes” as the cause.

A new study by University of South Florida researchers shows warmer, lighter fresh water flowing into the Gulf in the path of Hurricane Idalia may have helped intensify it from a Category 1 to a Category 4 storm in one day.

South Florida TV forecaster John Morales said he was not confident he could predict the paths of storms this year, touching a nerve amid concerns about how federal cuts could affect hurricane season.

When hurricanes hit, we often measure the damage in downed power lines, flooded roads and wind-torn homes. But some of the most serious consequences are harder to see, especially for older adults who may struggle with mobility, chronic health problems and cognitive decline.

Floridians can receive a weekly benefit up to $275 if their employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to a major disaster.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts an above-normal hurricane season, with 13 to 19 named storms and 3 to 5 major hurricanes.

Senate Bill 180 includes some provisions to help storm-weary Floridians, but it also would weaken local efforts to build stronger structures after hurricanes — freezing any tougher rules for at least two years, potentially allowing developers to rebuild homes under the same codes that had failed to protect property.

As new buildings go up along the flood-prone Gulf coast at 15 to 20 feet off the ground, the future of Florida's infrastructure "looks high."

Accuracy will be crucial again in 2025, as meteorologists predict another active Atlantic hurricane season, yet cuts in staffing and threats to funding at NOAA are diminishing operations that forecasters rely on.

Ahead of the official start of hurricane season on June 1, officials at the National Hurricane Center are brushing off concerns over widespread cuts at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offices — and reminding people about the importance of readiness instead.