Floods

It's actually called Vibrio vulnificus, and a range of peer-reviewed academic papers are reporting the infectious and deadly bacteria is prevalent on Southwest Florida beaches due to climate change, warming oceans, and its endemic population. `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

A federal judge has rejected a request by Florida and other states for a preliminary injunction to block changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that have led to higher premiums for many property owners — though he ruled that a broader legal battle can continue.U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion, who is based in New Orleans, issued a 56-page ruling last week that pointed to potential problems if he issued an injunction against a risk-rating system that began taking effect in 2021 and was fully in place in April 2023.

A storm system should arrive to the state on Sunday. Multiple rounds of heavy rain could lead to local flash flooding. Isolated strong wind gusts and brief tornadoes are possible too.

Complaints of new development worsening flooding in surrounding areas are common across South Florida, and floodplain experts say it underlines a problem with perhaps the leading strategy for coping with flooding driven by climate change.

In the immediate aftermath of a storm, the race is on to clear roads, collect debris, restore power and deliver food and water. But the window to prevent mold from growing in your home is tight, as short as a day, until the inhabitants in that home are at risk of invasive mold diseases (IMD).

On the South Florida Roundup, we spoke about Florida's balancing act between building in vulnerable areas and protecting established developments. Will South Florida and the rest of the state see a shift in the wake of Ian?

A plume of moisture with tropical origins will arrive in Florida by the end of the week and could produce localized flooding.

As Tropical Storm Elsa passes along the coast of Southwest Florida, there are still feeder bands far from the center of the storm that is producing heavy rain over the region. Flood warnings are in effect over parts of Lee, Charlotte, and Sarasota counties. Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Greg Bueno urges motorists to drive cautiously on wet roadways.

For hundreds of thousands of people who live in South Florida, flood insurance is a fact of life – whether they have ever been flooded or not. It's...