Back-to-back hurricanes will lead to higher property insurance premiums for Floridians

Roof Damage Pompano Beach Vero Beach

Storms are one of the multiple factors in increasing insurance bills By: Jackie Callaway Posted at 2:18 PM, Nov 11, 2022 and last updated 2:18 PM, Nov 11, 2022 Florida’s insurance industry was crumbling long before Hurricanes Ian and Nicole hammered the state. About 10 insurance carriers either collapsed or pulled back coverage in recent […]

New Florida law, Lee County guidelines handcuff mold mitigation businesses

New Florida law, Lee County guidelines handcuff mold mitigation businesses

Mold mitigation businesses have deployed trucks that are inundating Southwest Florida roads. Hundreds of them have descended upon the area to clean up properties after Hurricane Ian wrecked the coastal areas Sept. 28.   One of the truck drivers made a 5,200-mile round trip from his home in Carlsbad, California, looking for new business opportunities. He […]

After Ian, Florida’s waterways could remain polluted for months

Pompano Beach Fort Lauderdale Coconut Creek

In the weeks since Ian pulled away from the Sunshine State, city workers and concerned citizens filed hundreds of pollution reports to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection By Kasha Patel and  Steven Mufson   November 2, 2022 at 7:00 a.m. EDT Flooded campers are seen at the Peace River Campground in the aftermath of […]

Governor Ron DeSantis Issues Updates on Hurricane Ian Recovery

Wind damage south Florida storm cleanup

On October 17, 2022, in News Releases, by Staff TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis visited Toledo Blade Elementary in North Port on the first day back in session following Hurricane Ian. While there, the Governor announced over $200 million in awards through the School Recognition Program to 1,400 schools across the state that have demonstrated […]

What to expect when processing insurance claims after a hurricane or flood

Pompano Beach Water Damage Mold Fire Cleanup restoration

One expert says the first thing people should do after their property sustains storm damage is to contact their insurance company to get the claims process started. By Angeli Gabriel Source FOX Weather Contact your insurer to get the claims process started following Hurricane Ian As Florida residents impacted by Hurricane Ian begin to assess […]

Broward County residents clean up after Hurricane Ian’s outer bands spawned tornadoes

ROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Broward County residents spent their Wednesday and Thursday mornings cleaning up damage from one of several tornadoes that hit Broward County Tuesday night, spawned by the outer rain bands of Hurricane Ian. In interviews with Local 10 News, residents recounted the unforgettable moment the twister moved through their area. Rob Harvey […]

Caribbean Tropical Storm Likely To Form And Could Be Gulf Hurricane Threat Next Week

weather.com meteorologists Published: September 21, 2022 A new tropical storm is likely to form in the Caribbean Sea and may become a hurricane threat for the western Caribbean and Gulf Coast next week, including Florida. T​his latest system is in addition to Hurricane Fiona in the western Atlantic and Tropical Storm Gaston in the central Atlantic. W​e are still in the very early stage of tracking this latest disturbance. There are aspects of the forecast in which we have more confidence, while others remain uncertain, which is typical for tropical forecasting this far out in time. L​et's break down the key questions. W​here Is It Right Now? T​his tropical disturbance, called Invest 98L, is a cluster of thunderstorms a few hundred miles east of the Windward Islands, denoted by the "X" in the graphic below. An invest is an area that the NHC is watching closely using advanced computer models and other resources, including the Hurricane Hunters, for possible development. Article imagePossible NHC Development Area(s) W​hat Are The Concerns The Next Few Days? S​ome forecast models suggest a tropical depression or storm could form as soon as the next few days as it tracks into the eastern Caribbean Sea. However, I​nvest 98L will have to battle some wind shear generated by Hurricane Fiona, as well as some dry air. That could delay its tropical development for a short time. Regardless of whether or not that happens, heavy rain and gusty winds are the main threats in the Windward Islands from this disturbance Wednesday into Thursday. S​ome flash flooding and landslides are possible, particularly in higher terrain. Article imageCurrent Wind Shear, Satellite and NHC Development Area W​hat Are The Caribbean Threats? The majority of computer forecast models suggest Invest 98L should be at least a tropical storm by this weekend over the central Caribbean Sea once the aforementioned wind shear and dry air relaxes. F​or now, most forecast models keep the track of this system south of Fiona-ravaged Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, though some outer bands of showers are possible Friday into the weekend. I​t might then move through parts of the western Caribbean early next week, possibly as a hurricane. I​nterests in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Hispaniola, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Cuba and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula should monitor the forecast for this system. An ample supply of warm, deep water in the western Caribbean Sea is in place. It's just one factor expected to contribute to the system's strengthening this weekend into early next week, as The Weather Channel hurricane expert Rick Knabb noted on Tuesday. Article imageOcean Heat Content W​hat Is The U.S. Gulf Coast Threat? Unlike what we've seen with hurricanes Earl and Fiona, this system's forecast steering winds make it a significant threat to the mainland U.S. later next week. T​he majority of computer forecast models curl the system – probably at hurricane strength – northward into the Gulf of Mexico around the middle of next week. However, a few models take a sharper northeastward turn not into the Gulf, but rather off the Southeast coast. The bottom line is that it's far too soon to determine exactly where this future system may track later next week. F​or now, all interests near and along the Gulf and Southeast U.S. coasts, including Florida, should monitor the forecast and make sure hurricane plans are in place, in case they are needed.

weather.com meteorologists Published: September 21, 2022 A new tropical storm is likely to form in the Caribbean Sea and may become a hurricane threat for the western Caribbean and Gulf Coast next week, including Florida. T​his latest system is in addition to Hurricane Fiona in the western Atlantic and Tropical Storm Gaston in the central […]

Fight over Florida’s property insurance law headed to court

Mold Remediation Palm Beach Broward Miami-Date

Author: CBS MIAMI TEAM Published: September 11, 2022 9:29 AM EDT Credit: CBS News (CBS MIAMI) Contractors have launched an appeal in a legal battle about part of a new Florida property-insurance law that restricted attorney fees in disputes about claims. The Restoration Association of Florida and Air Quality Assessors, LLC, an Orlando firm that […]

Bradenton Home Destroyed By Fire As Live Ammo Explodes Inside: Report

Live ammunition went off inside a Bradenton home as it was destroyed by a fire Thursday morning, reports said. Tiffany Razzano's profile picture Tiffany Razzano, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge Posted Fri, Sep 9, 2022 at 10:45 am ET Live ammunition went off inside a Bradenton home as it was destroyed by a fire Thursday morning, reports said. Live ammunition went off inside a Bradenton home as it was destroyed by a fire Thursday morning, reports said. (Shutterstock) BRADENTON, FL — A Bradenton home in the 800 block of 65th Street NW was destroyed by a fire Thursday morning, according to multiple reports. As firefighters battled the blaze, which started just before 10 a.m., they heard live ammunition, set off by the fire, exploding inside the home, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported. “It’s not every day we have a 7,000-square-foot structure fire with live ammunition. It’s very dangerous,” West Manatee Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski told the Bradenton Herald. Manatee County Code Enforcement Officer Nick Riffe told ABC 7 that when the ammunition went off, officials moved bystanders away from the scene. “My initial thought was to get these individuals away from the fire and get them in a safe location,” he said. “It was very loud. You think of a fireplace. You hear the popping and cracking. There’s debris that’s falling. It’s a very loud situation.” Find out what's happening in Bradentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch. Two contractors were working in the home on a refrigeration unit and the homeowner were in the house when the fire broke out, according to reports. One person was treated on the scene, while a second person, a welder working at the home, was brought to Blake Medical Center for treatment, reports said. At least eight fire engines and about 20 firefighters were on the scene to put out the fire, reports said. Numerous agencies, including West Manatee Fire Rescue, Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue, Southern Manatee Fire Rescue, the Bradenton Fire Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Manatee County Code Enforcement and Manatee County EMS responded to the blaze. The home belongs to Stephen Dye, the legal counsel for the Manatee County School Board,

Live ammunition went off inside a Bradenton home as it was destroyed by a fire Thursday morning, reports said. Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff Posted Fri, Sep 9, 2022 at 10:45 am ET Live ammunition went off inside a Bradenton home as it was destroyed by a fire Thursday morning, reports said. (Shutterstock) BRADENTON, FL — […]