Tropical Storm

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Helene and are not eligible for regular state or federal Reemployment Assistance benefits. Eligible Floridians whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Debby are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs.org .This and other information is available in this article.

North Carolina officials pledged to get more water and other supplies to flood-stricken areas by Monday after Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction across the U.S. Southeast and the death toll from the storm rose to nearly 100.At least 91 people across several states were killed. A North Carolina county that includes the mountain city of Asheville reported 30 people killed.

Massive rains from powerful Hurricane Helene left people stranded, without shelter and awaiting rescue Saturday, as the cleanup began from a tempest that killed at least 56 people — another Associated Press story is reporting as many as 100 — caused widespread destruction across the U.S. Southeast and left millions without power.“I’ve never seen so many people homeless as what I have right now,” said Janalea England, of Steinhatchee, Florida, a small river town along the state’s rural Big Bend, as she turned her commercial fish market into a storm donation site for friends and neighbors, many of whom couldn’t get insurance on their homes.Helene blew ashore in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday with winds of 140 mph (225 kph).

Emergency crews are rushing to rescue people trapped in flooded homes after Helene roared ashore as a powerful Category 4 hurricane in Florida, generating a massive storm surge and knocking out power to millions of customers. At least 25 people were reported dead in four states.

The potential for tropical storm and possibly higher force winds, storm surge and other aspects of a tropical disturbance currently moving through the Caribbean now as Hurricane Helene has prompted a number of Southwest Florida communities to issue various warnings.The U.S. Postal Service suspended mail delivery until further notice across a wide swatch of Southwest Florida, Saint Petersburg to Marco Island.Southwest Florida under a tornado watch until 6 a.m. Friday

With Tropical Storm Helene is predicted to make landfall in Florida on Thursday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is urging all vessel owners to secure their watercraft before the storm reaches the coast.FWC Southwest Region Public Information Officer Bradley Johnson highlighted the importance of moving any vessel, from kayak to fishing boat, away from tidal waters and increasing security measures to limit damages. He offered crucial tips for those who are unable to trailer their boat.

Potential Tropical Cyclone # 9 is expected to become Tropical Storm Helene by Tuesday. Impacts to Florida could arrive as early as Wednesday.

Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Sarasota and Manatee counties are in an area with 37 other Florida counties now considered for a state of emergency due to Potential Tropical Cyclone 9.That designation was made as part of an executive order issued Monday by Governor Ron DeSantis ahead of the storm.Meanwhile, across the state, counties are making auxiliary plans for the any effects from passage of the potential storm.

In an effort to send unified messaging, the National Weather Service is issuing a flood product that will assess the risk for the entire country over the next 7 days.

AccuWeather lowered storm total expectation but neither Colorado State nor the National Weather Service did, even after five weeks of only minor rumblings in the Atlantic hurricane season which typically peaks in less than two weeks