Hurricanes

Thursday's mass firings at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — including nearly two dozen on Virginia Key and more than 600 nationwide — could stall improvements to hurricane forecasting and delay seasonal outlooks. “ It's going to take years, years for NOAA to recover the trust of the next generation of brilliant environmental scientists," said a former administrator.

COMMENTARY It's a good bet Pre-Columbian peoples would have been smarter about modern hurricanes than Florida's climate change denier-in-chief is showing himself to be.

Forecasters say Helene has strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane — with sustained winds oer 130 mph — as it races toward northwest Florida. The enormous storm is expected to make landfall Thursday night.

The warm Gulf of Mexico will be prime fuel during the next 24 hours and not much wind shear to keep this system from intensifying.

Despite being a chain of coastal communities vulnerable to hurricanes, Monroe County was one of the last areas in Florida without an Emergency Operations Center. With just two full months left this hurricane season, local officials in the Florida Keys have finally cut the ribbon on a new EOC.

For children, hearing words like "disaster" or "explosive" when referring to storms can lead to hurricane anxiety — which can be portrayed in the form of physical and/or emotional symptoms. A Delray Beach clinical psychologist explains how you can help children cope with large storms.

The migrant farmworker community is one of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to natural disasters. Language barriers and immigration status are major hurdles to seeking emergency relief.

A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby north of Cuba on Saturday and was newly predicted to become a hurricane as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico on a collision course with Florida.

Hurricane Beryl weakened slightly to a category 3 early Monday, the National Hurricane Center said. On Sunday, Beryl was the first-ever Atlantic hurricane to reach a Category 4 level in June.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund is on pace to run dry by August. Without congressional action, that could leave Florida and other states staring at massive expenses and slower recovery efforts if a major storm hits.

Some reports estimate that 1 million Americans live full-time in RVs, with Florida one of the most popular spots owing to its lack of income tax and perceived ease of life.

The measure is aimed at educating buyers about the intensifying risks, although there are loopholes.