Florida
Wet, windy Election Day in South Florida
MIAMI – South Florida is in for a wet and windy Election Day.
There will be scattered showers throughout the day, with some storms possible, due to increasing moisture unrelated to Tropical Storm Rafael. Rain bands from this system will begin to move in on Tuesday night.
A wind advisory has been issued through 1 a.m. Wednesday due to east winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 40 miles per hour.
Wednesday will be windy with off-and-on gusty heavy downpours moving in throughout the day as Rafael moves to our south and west into the Gulf of Mexico. Flooding will be possible.
Tuesday morning Rafael was strengthening as it moved near Jamaica with sustained winds of 60 miles per hour. it was moving to the northwest at 13 miles per hour.
A tropical storm watch continues for the lower and middle Keys as tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area within 48 hours. Rafael is expected to move near or over parts of the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night and be near or over western Cuba on Wednesday. It is forecast to intensify into a Category 1 Hurricane in the northwestern Caribbean Tuesday afternoon or evening.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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