Florida

Saharan dust shields hurricane development, but watch out for Florida heat Saturday

Published

1 year ago

July 20, 2024

Saharan dust shields hurricane development, but watch out for Florida heat Saturday

While the National Hurricane Center continued its confidence that there would be no tropical activity in Atlantic areas for the next week, Saharan dust and a few tropical waves were what forecasters watched Saturday.

The real impact for Florida on Saturday will come from the heat. The entire Florida peninsula can expect triple-digit heat indexes with some in Southwest Florida predicted for 110 degrees, and 106 as far north as Jacksonville. Heat advisories are in effect for seven South Florida counties.

A wave of Saharan dust is expected to arrive in South Florida Saturday morning and move north, arriving around Cape Canaveral by Sunday. The dust is expected to be thickest in South Florida, dissipating as it moves north.

➤ Track all active storms

Tropical moisture may increase Florida’s rain chances starting Monday, but, according to Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger, it won’t be anything organized. Saharan dust, high wind shear and other factors are expected to keep the tropics quiet for the days ahead.

The Hurricane Center is monitoring three tropical waves.

The peak of hurricane season runs from mid-August through mid-October. If your hurricane supplies are running low, or you haven’t started an emergency kit, Florida’s next sales tax holiday the end of August can help you save money.

Possible impact of tropical wave on Florida

A tropical wave is expected to approach the Florida peninsula Sunday, bringing downpours and gusty thunderstorms. A couple of waterspouts could occur, according to AccuWeather.

“As the tropical wave approaches and moves northwestward across the state from Sunday to Tuesday, an uptick in the showers and thunderstorms will occur with the potential for some to bring flooding downpours, strong wind gusts and even waterspouts near the beaches,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said.

The tropical wave is not forecast to develop into a tropical depression or a named tropical storm.

Florida weather radar: Track storms as they move across state

How long will tropics remain quiet?

The Saharan dust and winds are keeping the tropics quiet now, but forecasters say that will likely change.

“The favorable conditions that yielded Beryl are likely to return at some point in August, and that will probably yield an extended burst of hurricane activity,” said Dr. Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger.

“WeatherTiger’s real-time forecast remains for around twice the amount of storm activity in a normal hurricane season.”

The next storm of the season will be Debby.

Extreme heat continues across Florida. See weather watches, warnings

Portions of Southeast, South, Southwest Florida: Head index of 105-110 expected today.

Counties under a heat advisory include:

Glades
Hendry
Palm Beach County
Collier County
Broward County
Miami-Dade County
Monroe

What is NOAA tracking in Atlantic basin?

The National Hurricane Center said no tropical cyclone activity is expected over the next several days.

Elsewhere in the tropics, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring three tropical waves. Here’s the latest update from the NHC as of  8 a.m. July 20: 

Tropical wave 1: An eastern Atlantic wave was identified via satellite imagery. It’s producing some showers.
Tropical wave 2: In the central Caribbean, this wave is expected to move from the Windward Passage to northern Colombia and helping to induce scattered to numerous showers with embedded thunderstorms over Hispaniola and regional waters as well as across the Windward Passage and the waters between eastern Cuba and Jamaica. These storms may produce heavy downpours, lightning and gusty winds.
Tropical wave 3: Another tropical wave over the Yucatan Peninsula and Guatemala is moving westward and producing scattered showers and may produce gusty winds or stronger storms in parts of the region.

Who is likely to be impacted?

A tropical wave is expected to bring tropical moisture to Florida starting Sunday.

Forecasters urge all residents to continue monitoring the tropics and to always be prepared. That advice is particularly important for what is expected to be a very active hurricane season.

When is next Florida hurricane tax-free supplies holiday?

Save on hurricane supplies between Aug. 24 and Sept. 6. This will be the final tax-free holiday for 2024 when it comes to emergency supplies and it comes during the busiest period of the hurricane season.

Can’t afford a generator or weeks of food? Here are the basics you should have on hand.

Eligible items included in the tax-free holiday include:

A portable generator used to provide light or communications or preserve food in the event of a power outage with a sales price of $3,000 or less.
A tarp or other flexible waterproof sheeting with a sales price of $100 or less.
An item normally sold as, or generally advertised as, a ground anchor system or tie-down kit with a sales price of $100 or less.
A smoke detector or smoke alarm with a sales price of $70 or less.
A fire extinguisher with a sales price of $70 or less.
A carbon monoxide detector with a sales price of $70 or less.
A nonelectric food storage cooler with a sales price of $60 or less.
A portable power bank with a sales price of $60 or less.
A gas or diesel fuel tank with a sales price of $50 or less.
A portable self-powered radio, two-way radio, or weather-band radio with a sales price of $50 or less.
A package of AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries, with a sales price of $50 or less.
A portable self-powered light source (powered by battery, solar, hand-crank, or gas) with a sales price of $40 or less, including: flashlights, lanterns and candles.
Eligible light sources and radios qualify for the exemption, even if electrical cords are included in the purchase.
Reusable ice (ice packs) with a sales price of $20 or less.

➤ See full list of items, including pet and cleaning supplies, exempt from sales tax

When is the Atlantic hurricane season?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

When is the peak of hurricane season?

The peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.

National Hurricane Center map: What are forecasters watching now?

Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include:

Interactive map: Hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed near your city

Excessive rainfall forecast

What’s next?

We will continue to update our tropical weather coverage daily. Download your local site’s app to ensure you’re always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here.

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Florida

Officials withheld evidence on Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ funding, environmental groups say

Published

8 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Officials withheld evidence on Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ funding, environmental groups say

ORLANDO, Fla. — Federal and state officials withheld evidence that the Department of Homeland Security had agreed to reimburse Florida for some of the costs of constructing an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” according to environmental groups suing to shut down the facility.

The Everglades facility remains open, still holding detainees, because an appellate court in early September relied on arguments by Florida and the Trump administration that the state hadn’t yet applied for federal reimbursement, and therefore wasn’t required to follow federal environmental law.

The new evidence — emails and documents obtained through a public records request — shows that officials had discussed federal reimbursement in June, and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency confirmed in early August that it had received from state officials a grant application. Florida was notified in late September that FEMA had approved $608 million in federal funding to support the center’s construction and operation.

“We now know that the federal and state government had records confirming that they closely partnered on this facility from the beginning but failed to disclose them to the district court,” said Tania Galloni, one of the attorneys for the environmental groups.

An appellate panel in Atlanta put a temporary hold on a lower court judge’s ruling that would have closed the state-built facility. The new evidence should now be considered as the judges decide the facility’s permanent fate, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, said in court papers on Wednesday.

A federal judge in Miami in mid-August ordered the facility to wind down operations over two months because officials had failed to do a review of the detention center’s environmental impact according to federal law. That judge concluded that a reimbursement decision already had been made.

The Florida Department of Emergency Management, which led the efforts to build the Everglades facility, didn’t respond to an emailed inquiry on Thursday.

Florida has led other states in constructing facilities to support President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Besides the Everglades facility, which received its first detainees in July, Florida has opened an immigration detention center in northeast Florida and is looking at opening a third facility in the Florida Panhandle.

The environmental lawsuit is one of three federal court challenges to the Everglades facility. In the others, detainees said Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state have no authority to operate the center under federal law. They’re also seeking a ruling ensuring access to confidential communications with their attorneys.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social

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Florida

Florida lawmaker files hands-free driving bill ahead of 2026 legislative session

Published

20 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Florida lawmaker files hands-free driving bill ahead of 2026 legislative session

TALLAHASSEE – Florida lawmakers are once again trying to crack down on distracted driving, this time with a proposal that goes further than the state’s current law.

Senate Bill 1152, filed ahead of the upcoming legislative session, would make it illegal for drivers to hold a phone while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers could still use GPS, make phone calls, or use navigation apps, but only through hands-free technology such as Bluetooth or built-in vehicle systems.

That restriction would apply even when a vehicle is stopped at a red light or in traffic. The bill defines “handheld” use broadly, including holding a phone in one or both hands or bracing it against the body.

Supporters say Florida’s existing law, which primarily targets texting while driving, doesn’t fully address the many ways drivers use their phones behind the wheel and can be difficult for law enforcement to enforce consistently.

The bill also includes privacy protections. Law enforcement officers would not be allowed to search or confiscate a driver’s phone without a warrant.

State officials say distracted driving remains a serious and persistent problem across Florida.

By the numbers:

The most recent available data for a single year shows nearly 300 people were killed and more than 2,200 others suffered serious injuries in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024. A crash happens in Florida about every 44 seconds, and roughly one in seven crashes involves a distracted driver, according to state data.

Advocates point to other states with hands-free laws, saying those states have seen declines in deadly crashes after similar measures were adopted.

READ: Trump calls for ban on Wall Street buying single-family homes, citing affordability concerns

What’s next:

The bill will be taken up during the 2026 legislative session, which begins Tuesday, Jan. 13. It must pass committee hearings and full votes in both chambers before going to the governor.

If approved, the law would take effect Oct. 1, 2026.

The Source: This story is based on the filed text of Senate Bill 1152 and data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

FloridaPolitics

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Florida

Penn State OG TJ Stranahan commits to Florida Gators

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Penn State OG TJ Stranahan commits to Florida Gators

Former Penn State interior offensive lineman TJ Shanahan committed to the Florida Gators on Tuesday, Jan. 6, reuniting him with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein in Gainesville.

Trautwein’s connection with Shanahan loomed large in his recruitment. The only visit Shanahan took was to Gainesville on Saturday, and Trautwein recruited him out of high school before he moved from Florida to Texas. The hometown angle also plays a factor here. His family lives outside of Tampa, and his cousin, Jon Halapio, played at Florida from 2009 to 2013 before being drafted in the sixth round.

247Sports does not have a transfer portal grade for Shanahan, but On3 ranks him at No. 341 overall and No. 25 among interior offensive linemen in the portal. He has two years of eligibility remaining with hopes of becoming a full-time starter at Florida.

TJ Shanahan’s college career

A consensus four-star recruit and the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the 2023 recruiting class, Shanahan chose Texas A&M after visiting several SEC programs. He appeared in three games as a true freshman before redshirting. He became a regular in the Aggies’ offensive line rotation in 2024, playing in 10 total games. He spent time at center and left guard, starting four of five games at the latter position.

He entered the transfer portal following coaching changes at Texas A&M, ultimately landing at Penn State. He played in all 13 games for the Nittany Lions, making five starts while jumping between both guard positions. Injuries kept him from playing a bigger role at the end of the regular season, but he played nearly 80 snaps at right guard in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Pro Football Focus gave him a 63.5 overall grade on offense, a 75.1 pass-blocking grade and a 59.2 run-blocking grade in 2025.

Florida’s interior offensive line room

Florida’s interior offensive line returns starting left guard Knijeah Harris and backup guards Roderick Kearney and Tavaris Dice Jr. Assuming Harris stays at left guard, Shanhan is a strong possibility at right guard for Florida next season. Kearney and Dice could provide depth at both positions, or the former could transition to center in hopes of replacing All-American starter Jake Slaughter.

Florida is losing several interior linemen to graduation and the transfer portal. Along with Slaughter, Damieon George Jr. and Kamryn Waites have exhausted their eligibility. Noel Portnjagin and Marcus Mascoll are in the portal. Redshirt freshman Jason Zandamela is staying and received high praise from Slaughter.

Florida is expected to land Georgia Tech lineman Harrison Moore, which would reload the stable with plenty of room for competition at all three positions.

Florida 2026 transfer portal additions

Shanahan is the 10th official transfer portal addition of the 2026 cycle for Florida.

On offense, Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo, Cincinnati running back Evan Pryor, Georgia Tech wide receiver Bailey Stockton, Wake Forest receiver Micah Mays Jr., and James Madison tight end Lacota Dippre have committed. On defense, Florida has earned commitments from Baylor defensive lineman DK Kalu and Baylor safety DJ Coleman. The Gators are also adding a pair of special teamers from Tulane, kicker Patrick Durkin and punter Alec Clark.

Florida is also expected to land Georgia Tech interior offensive lineman Harrison Moore, who is on an official visit (Jan. 6).

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

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