Florida climate risks: Heat, flooding and insurance changes
South Florida Florida climate risks: Heat, flooding and insurance changes
Florida faces increasingly complex climate threats, as seen in stories about extreme heat, flooding and contested insurance reforms.
In Miami, nearly half of native trees are threatened by heat stress, putting cherished oaks and sabal palms at risk and prompting debate over whether to plant more heat-tolerant species. Communities scramble for resilience, from grassroots campaigns providing water for outdoor workers to city programs like Miami Beach's Fight the Flood initiative, which helps residents adapt their homes.
On the coast, new research warns that over 23,000 people and 17,000 homes may face annual flooding by 2050, while FEMA pressures cities like Fort Myers Beach to rebuild higher or risk losing federal flood insurance.
Meanwhile, a secret study exposes how insurers shifted billions to affiliates even as lawmakers debated reforms and residents endured soaring premiums and tightening eligibility.
Jean Wilfred, 70, enjoys a bottle of water as the outreach team from the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust handed out bottles of water to individuals living on the street on Aug. 1, 2024, in Miami, Florida, during a period of sweltering heat. By Carl Juste
NO. 1: 'WE NEED WATER.' HOW SOUTH FLORIDA GROUPS ARE HELPING THOSE HARDEST HIT BY EXTREME HEAT
Miami-area nonprofits are helping those most vulnerable to the extreme heat South Florida is facing. | Published October 30, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mimi Whitefield
A damaged home caused by Hurricane Ian seen along Fort Myers Beach on Monday, October 3, 2022. By Al Diaz
NO. 2: FEMA TO FLORIDA CITIES HIT BY HURRICANES: REBUILD HIGHER OR LOSE YOUR FLOOD INSURANCE
Fort Myers Beach loses flood insurance discounts after a problematic rebuild from Hurricane Ian. | Published November 29, 2024 | Read Full Story by Alex Harris
Kenneth Feeley, UM biology professor and Director of the Gifford Arboretum Department of Biology, measures a tree on campus. His research found that more than half of Miami's trees will be stressed by rising temperatures. By Ashley Miznazi
NO. 3: ABOUT HALF OF MIAMI'S NATIVE TREES AT RISK FROM RISING TEMPS. WHAT SHOULD WE PLANT NOW?
'Unfortunately many trees will be lost and that's a consequence of modern climate change' | Published December 6, 2024 | Read Full Story by Ashley Miznazi
A damaged home caused by Hurricane Ian seen along Fort Myers Beach on Monday, October 3, 2022. By Al Diaz
NO. 4: SECRET STUDY FOUND FLORIDA INSURERS SENT BILLIONS TO AFFILIATES WHILE CRYING POOR
The 2022 study, which has never been made public, was released to the Herald/Times after a two-year wait for public records. | Published February 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Lawrence Mower
A light dusting of pollen is seen on the hood of a vehicle on April 1 in Dunedin. By Chris Urso
NO. 5: WHAT'S THE MIAMI ALLERGY FORECAST? JUST FOLLOW THE SNEEZING — AND THE WEATHER PATTERN
Take a look at what the medical experts are saying. | Published March 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante
A resident walks with her belongings through the flooded N 15th St in North Tampa, on Thursday, October 10, 2024, a day after Hurricane Milton crossed Florida's Gulf Coast. By Pedro Portal
NO. 6: FLORIDA MOST AT RISK OF 'SEVERE COASTAL FLOODING.' NEW RESEARCH SHOWS WHERE
'This is a level of exposure that's going to require a massive amount of planning and investment in coastal resilience.' | Published April 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Denise Hruby
Victor Corone, 66, pushes his wife Maria Diaz, 64, in a wheelchair through more than a foot of flood water on 84th street in Miami Beach on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Diaz had a doctor's appointment, and they had to ditch the car in the parking lot on Collins Ave and walk more than 20 minutes to get home. By Photograph by Al Diaz
NO. 7: HOW TO GET MONEY TO PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM FLOODING IN MIAMI BEACH
'We want to do incremental adaptation, you know, things that we can build upon over time, and things that are going to stand the test of time' | Published April 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ashley Miznazi
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Stay alert amid ongoing floods
Radar estimates suggest that Marshfield received between 5″ to 7″ of rainfall between Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon. This heavy rain led to major flooding in parts of Webster, Greene, Wright, Pulaski, and Laclede counties. The heavy rain led to multiple water rescues in Webster County, and some roads have been washed out due to the floodwaters. That's what already happened, and looking ahead reveals more rain and flooding likely on both Friday morning and Saturday morning. The Ozarks are saturated and any additional rain will easily lead to flood problems. Here are some flood safety tips to keep in mind during this very wet pattern. Turn Around, Don't DrownWe've all heard this one, but did you know that half of all flood-related fatalities involve a vehicle? There have been 42 flood deaths in the U.S. through April 2025. 29 of those 42 involved a vehicle. 42 of 77 flood deaths in 2023 involved a vehicle. The ratio was skewed a bit in 2024 thanks to Hurricane Helene's impacts in Appalachia. A total of 181 flood fatalities were reported in 2024 with 66 of those involving a vehicle. Flowing water creates pressure on an object such as a vehicle. The greater the water depth or the greater the coverage of the flowing water on an object, the greater the force on the object. A road surface also becomes slippery when wet, causing a vehicle to lose traction more easily. It takes less than a foot of slow-moving water to sweep a vehicle off the road, let alone stall out the engine in standing water. 6 inches of fast-moving water will sweep away most vehicles, including heavier SUVs and trucks. It's a good idea to check the MoDOT Traveller Information Map when flooding is a risk to see where roads may be impacted by flooding. Know Where to Go Know where to go in the event of a flood in your area. Where is the higher ground? What route should I take to get there? Can I help my neighbors? It's important to understand your flood risk before flooding occurs. Consult FEMA's flood risk map How to Prepare Some good items to keep around to help you be prepared for flooding are sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting, plastic trash bags, lumber, shovels, work boots, and gloves. It's also a good idea to contact your county emergency management agency to learn more about how to properly protect your home if you live in a flood-prone area. Greene County Flood Preparedness Guide Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
6 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump budget cuts spark new hurricane season fears: 'A bad miss'
Trump budget cuts spark new hurricane season fears: 'A bad miss' A Miami TV meteorologist asked viewers to call Congress about NOAA's budget, fearing it harms hurricane forecasting. He's not the only one worried. Show Caption Hide Caption NOAA, FEMA cuts will impact hurricane season, experts warn The Trump administration's budget cuts at NOAA and FEMA will have an adverse affect on how the U.S. responds to hurricanes, experts warn. Meteorologist John Morales, a 34-year veteran TV weatherman in Miami, has urged his viewers to call their elected officials in Washington D.C., saying he fears federal government cuts will jeopardize the accuracy of hurricane forecasts this summer. After playing a clip of an August 2019 forecast where he reassured viewers that even though Hurricane Dorian appeared bound for Florida's East Coast it would turn northward and skirt the state, Morales said: "Confidently I went on TV and told you it's going to turn; you don't need to worry, it's going to turn." "I'm here to tell you that I'm not sure I can do that this year, because of the cuts, the gutting, the sledgehammering attack on science in general," Morale told his viewers at WTVJ, an ABC affiliate. "The quality of the forecasts is being degraded." More than 550 people left the service this year through rounds of probationary firings, incentivized departures and retirement offers by the Trump administration. As a result, more than a dozen weather service offices have reduced or eliminated the daily collection of data via weather balloons, while others shut down their overnight shifts and are sharing forecast duties among other offices. Asked to respond to Morales' plea, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, parent agency of the weather service, including the National Hurricane Center, defended the center and said it's taking steps to fill some of the staffing gaps at weather service offices around the country. The hurricane center "has a sufficient number of forecasters to fill mission-critical operational shifts during the 2025 hurricane season," and remains dedicated to its mission, said Erica Grow Cei, a meteorologist and public affairs specialist with the weather service. Although earlier in the year the federal firings of probationary employees at NOAA included two flight directors and a flight engineer with the agency's hurricane hunters program in Lakeland, Florida, those positions were later restored, shortly after the White House learned of the cuts from the news media. At the weather service, NOAA is conducting short-term temporary duty assignments and has offered reassignment opportunities to try to move people around to the most understaffed offices. Cei said the service also will soon advertise a number of permanent, mission-critical field positions despite an ongoing hiring freeze to "further stabilize frontline operations." 'A missed forecast' possible James Franklin, a retired former branch chief for hurricane specialists at the hurricane center, said he doesn't think anybody knows yet what will happen with forecasts this summer. "A lot depends on what happens with the budget going forward," Franklin said. However, by reducing the amount of critical data gathered in balloon launches in places across the country, "you increase the chances that model forecasts are going to have a bad miss." "It doesn't matter whether the sites missed are in Miami, Key West or Des Moines, Iowa," he said. "The point is you could miss data in the Midwest" that helps forecast features in the atmosphere that help steer hurricanes around as they approach the U.S. When they pass through an area with less coverage from the equipment launched in the balloons, the forecast might change a little bit and get degraded, he said. Instead of accurately predicting a storm striking Florida, for example, the forecast could change and turn the storm "out to sea because of a missed forecast." Weather service staffing shortages Weather service staffing already was tight, even before the Trump administration's cuts, former NOAA staff members have said, but in some weather service offices, the vacancies have been dramatic. "NOAA is still critically understaffed," said Brian LaMarre, who recently retired as meteorologist-in-charge of the Ruskin/Tampa weather service office and founded the consulting business Inspire Weather. Among the 122 forecast offices, almost a third are without a meteorologist-in-charge, LaMarre said. "Now that hurricane season is here, a lot more people are starting to hear about the challenges." Nationwide, more than a third of the offices are considered "critically understaffed," with vacancy rates of 20% or more, USA TODAY previously reported. Morales said the weather service offices in Central and South Florida are 20-40% understaffed. "What you need to do is call your representatives and make sure these cuts are stopped," said Morales, one of a number of meteorologists worried the widespread staffing shortages. "Never have we faced the combustible mix of a lack of meteorological data and the less accurate forecasts that follow, with an elevated propensity for the rapidly intensifying hurricanes of the manmade climate change era," he wrote in a post on June 1, the opening day of the annual Atlantic hurricane season. He quoted a letter penned earlier this year by five former weather service directors who said they fear a "needless loss of life" from the cuts. What happened with Hurricane Dorian? After pummeling the Bahamas as a Category Five hurricane, with winds of more than 170 mph, Dorian skirted Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, stirring up rough surf and eroding beaches. It eventually made landfall over Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on September 6, 2019. Although most of its worst winds were to the east, Dorian raked the Outer Banks with wind gusts of over 100 mph, before returning to the Atlantic Ocean, the hurricane center reported. The hurricane made another landfall as a strong, post-tropical cyclone in Nova Scotia on September 7. Before and after: Incredible images reveal Hurricane Dorian's destruction in the Bahamas Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about hurricanes, violent weather and other environmental issues. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
WIRED
8 hours ago
- WIRED
How to Prepare for a Climate Disaster in Trump's America
Jun 5, 2025 5:30 AM Here's how to find reliable information and keep safe during the summer heat and hurricane season following the unprecedented cuts at federal agencies. A brush fire in Southern California. Photograph:Forecasters within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict this summer's hurricane season, which started June 1, will be 'above average' in terms of activity. NOAA's temperature outlook, meanwhile, also forecasts hotter-than-usual temperatures across the whole US this summer. But as climate change juices up severe storms and wildfires and makes heat waves even deadlier, cuts at all levels across the US federal government have thrown agencies tasked with preparing the country for disasters—and helping it recover—into chaos. These cuts are already having real impacts for Americans. As of mid-May, amid intense staffing losses at NOAA, four of the National Weather Service's 122 stations around the country no longer had enough personnel to keep an overnight shift going, while several other stations were considering stopping 24/7 forecasting operations. Historically, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers have gone door-to-door offering services to citizens in disaster areas, but as WIRED reported last month, the agency is discontinuing this practice this year. FEMA workers have told WIRED that they don't feel the agency is ready for disaster season. Being ready for a disaster has never been more important. WIRED spoke with experts to bring you a guide to how to prepare—and what to look out for. Listen to local authorities Regardless of what's unfolding at the federal level, local- and state-level emergency management departments or agencies are the ones who alert the public and lead the initial response before, during, and after a disaster. Many of these organizations offer text alert systems and post regular updates on social media. Local fire departments and police offices may also maintain social media pages or send out alerts in tandem with these agencies; law enforcement may also announce curfews or other rules during disasters. Follow any warnings from these agencies to shelter, evacuate, or take other actions to stay safe. If you're not sure where to start in terms of seeking information, FEMA maintains a searchable database of disaster resources by state, which includes state and local emergency management agencies. Calling 211 can also help connect you with service providers in your area. Local news organizations often amplify communications from emergency management officials. Local and state politicians—including governors' press offices—can also be a valuable source of information. Know what you need to shelter in place—and what you need to quickly evacuate The Red Cross recommends that people prepare a set of disaster supplies at home as well as a separate, smaller group of supplies in a bag to grab for a quick evacuation. At home, the organization recommends having two weeks' worth of shelf-stable food in case of an emergency. For adequate hydration, the CDC recommends a gallon of water per day for each member of the household for three days. (Don't forget food and water for your pets, too.) Take note of any medical needs in your household and try to keep a backup supply of medications on hand. Batteries, flashlights, a hand-crank or battery-powered radio, a first aid kit, and hygiene items should also make it into your home kit. In your go bag, FEMA recommends packing three days' worth of food and water, physical maps of local areas, a change of clothing, and copies of important documents. According to a checklist from the agency, these should include birth certificates, medical information, copies of your rental contract or home lease and insurance policies, car titles and registration, and banking information, sealed in a waterproof container or bag. Consider adding items specific to your climate or geographic setting (sunscreen for desert conditions or extra layers in colder areas) as well as items specific to your household needs (pet medications, diapers for a baby, etc.). Practice for emergencies 'Knowing your location first and what it could be at risk for is really going to help you prepare' for what could be coming, says Nicole Maul, a national spokesperson for the Red Cross. a FEMA-affiliated resource, currently maintains a list of hazards with safety pointers for each, while FEMA's National Risk Index allows you to see which hazards your county is most exposed to. Practicing emergency scenarios can mean anything from testing out a new hand-cranked radio, to mapping out different exit routes from your area in case main roads are impassable, to coordinating with friends and family about who to touch base with if something happens. Mariel Fonteyn, the director of US emergency response at the disaster-relief nonprofit Americares, recommends writing important phone numbers down on a piece of paper and preparing ahead of time for a scenario where communications might not work as usual. 'If networks are overwhelmed, phone calls won't go through, but text messages will eventually,' she says. 'Depending on what happens with the network, text messages outside of the damaged area tend to go through better. If you have family or a friend who lives in a different state, sometimes everybody messaging to that person will be better than trying to message to each other within the damaged area—if your family's kind of spread all over when a disaster occurs, have everyone know that you all message Grandma to let her know everything is OK.' In some cases, knowing how to safely handle emergency supplies and situations can be the difference between life or death. Fonteyn says that deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning are not uncommon following extended power outages, because of people improperly using generators they are unaccustomed to. 'If you have a generator, make sure that you fully know how to use it safely, and where to put it safely, so that it's not sending fumes into where you're staying,' she says. Never use them inside. Be prepared for how the political climate may affect federal responses after disasters After a disaster hits that's too big for a state to handle on its own, a governor can request a disaster declaration from the White House. This declaration enables FEMA to come to the affected area to coordinate recovery. The declaration also opens up a range of services for survivors, from federal money to help with grants to pay for temporary housing, legal assistance, repairs to homes, and relief from tax bills, as well as help for states to do everything from rebuilding infrastructure to restoring utilities like water and electricity. These declarations, however, can fall prey to political winds. In 2020, it was widely reported that President Donald Trump's personal conflict with Governor Jay Inslee of Washington prevented him from issuing a federal disaster declaration for the state in the wake of devastating wildfires in eastern Washington. Even political allies are now finding it difficult to secure aid: The White House initially denied a disaster declaration request from Arkansas in April following tornadoes and storms this spring, with Trump changing his mind only after a phone call with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. And with the agency seemingly in turmoil as it enters disaster season—including, as WIRED reported, canceling its strategic plan before it had another in place—it remains to be seen how effective its response will be for approved declarations. FEMA keeps an active list of approved presidential disaster declarations on its website, with links to federal resources for survivors and instructions on how to apply for aid. Keep relying on weather forecasts—but find a trusted source to help interpret them Cuts to NOAA are hitting hard at the National Weather Service, the bedrock of weather forecasting in the United States, which has lost 600 employees since the start of the year. The NWS was already short-staffed before the start of this year, says Alan Gerard, a former director at NOAA's National Severe Storms Lab who left the agency in March. Forcing other offices to stretch to cover monitoring for those with fewer staff, he says, raises the chances of 'human error.' 'If we get into a situation where we have a number of hurricanes or tropical storms threatening the same area, and you have an office that's already depleted with staffing, you're basically increasing the burden on that office,' he says. (In early June, NOAA announced that it would hire back 100 Weather Service employees across the country—an effort Gerard says will take months of precious time during this hurricane season to actually implement.) 'It's not a situation where people need to be panicked that all of a sudden a Category 5 hurricane is just gonna appear and we're not gonna have had any inkling of it,' Gerard says. 'It's more of a situation of, OK, we can't fly as many reconnaissance missions into these hurricanes as we ordinarily do.' Gerard says people should still have confidence in NOAA's systems and its dedicated staff: 'The National Hurricane Center should still be your primary source for hurricane information.' The NWS allows users to sign up for text message alerts. But finding a trusted local meteorologist or weather analyst can help people understand gaps in forecasting or unclear data, in case some forecasts are less comprehensive than they were in the past. Understand your insurance and keep your documentation in order Navigating insurance—especially home insurance—is a headache even in normal times, especially as insurance rates are skyrocketing across the country. Part of making sure that your home is properly insured ahead of a disaster is understanding what, exactly, that insurance covers—and what it doesn't. Flood insurance, for instance, is sold separately from private home insurance, in a federal program run out of FEMA. Usually, only homeowners situated in specific flood zones are required to buy it, even though other regions can be vulnerable: Most people hit by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina last year did not have flood insurance. Land movement insurance—insuring against events like mudslides and earthquates—is not included in most homeowner policies, while condo building insurance usually only covers damages to the exterior of the building, not inside your apartment. Fonteyn recommends keeping photos of the interior of your home—including any expensive items—on your phone to use with your insurance provider or with FEMA's assistance programs. 'A lot of times, insurance and FEMA are looking to restore things to pre-disaster condition,' she says. 'You want to be able to prove the pre-disaster condition was good.' Don't forget about the dangers of heat A study published last year found that heat-related deaths have more than doubled in the US over the past 25 years. Yet extreme heat events have not traditionally been treated as federal disasters, meaning FEMA does not come in to help. During a heat wave, it's best to connect with local emergency management departments for guidance. Both and the CDC currently maintain resource pages with tips on how to prepare for and stay safe during extreme heat events. The CDC resource, however, comes from the CDC's Climate and Health program, which was gutted as part of mass firings at the agency in April. (We've linked to the archived version in case this resource is removed.) Think about your emotional needs—and keep community in mind Fonteyn recommends including activities—knitting, card games, favorite books, toys for children—in go bags. The immediate aftermath of a disaster—especially if you have to stay in an emergency shelter or hotel—can be challenging mentally. 'The hurricane doesn't hit and then a month later everything is back to normal,' she says. 'It takes a lot of time and requires a lot of patience. Ultimately, having these even basic comfort items can go such a long way in protecting your mental health after a disaster, so that you're able to better focus on all of the other needs that you have.' The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) maintains a free helpline for those experiencing mental health crises—although recent cuts at the agency have impacted the helpline's staff. The Red Cross also has a helpline specifically for those recovering from disasters needing emotional support. Above all, experts say that the best disaster plans often start with preparing the community around you. 'Check in with your family, check in with your neighbors, because those'll be the folks who you'll want to stay connected with in the event of an emergency,' says Maul.
