(Reuters) — Hurricane Erin, churning north in the Atlantic hundreds of miles offshore, is expected to trigger a dangerous storm surge and tropical storm conditions on Wednesday along North Carolina’s Outer Banks and other stretches of the U.S. East Coast.
The National Hurricane Center warned that roads in the low-lying barrier islands may become impassable, with waves as high as 20 feet crashing ashore. The heavy surf is likely to result in significant beach erosion, it said in its 8 a.m. EDT update.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, freeing up state money and manpower to help during the storm and its aftermath.
Tropical storm and storm-surge warnings are in place for other parts of the North Carolina coastline.
Earlier in the week, the coastal counties of Dare and Hyde — which encompass most of the Outer Banks — ordered residents and tourists to evacuate the vulnerable Ocracoke and Hatteras islands, whose populations swell during the summer months.
Local media reported that ferries took more than 2,220 people off Ocracoke, with the final sailing scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Ferries to Hatteras will keep operating as long as conditions allow, ABC News affiliate WCTI reported.
But Chris Styron, manager of the Pony Island Inn on Ocracoke, is ignoring the evacuation orders and staying to watch over the 50-room hotel.
&#8220;We&#8217;re used to storms like this,&#8221; Styron said. &#8220;I&#8217;m born and raised here. We&#8217;re not really worried — it&#8217;s so far offshore.&#8221;
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The eye of Erin, rated as a Category 2 storm with sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h), was expected to move midway between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda on Wednesday and Thursday as it traveled northward, the NHC said. That trajectory will keep the worst of its winds offshore.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 265 miles (426 km) from the storm’s center, with hurricane-force winds extending for 90 miles.
Even so, the NHC warned beachgoers along most of the East Coast to stay out of the water because of &#8220;life-threatening surf and rip currents.&#8221;
Along the New Jersey shore, swimming and other water activities were prohibited on beaches from Cape May north to Sandy Hook, with high surf and rip current warnings in effect into Friday, the NWS said. Coastal flooding is expected to peak during high tide on Thursday.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams ordered all city public beaches — including Coney Island and Brighton Beach — to close on Wednesday and Thursday.
Fortunately, temperatures in New York were expected to be seasonably cool on Wednesday and Thursday, with highs only reaching 70°F, well below the average of 82°F.
Erin, the fifth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic season and the first to attain hurricane status, had strengthened to a Category 5 storm. The last Atlantic storm to reach that intensity was Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Frank McGurty and Mark Porter)

Hurricane Erin

Hurricane Erin Threatens North Carolina’s Outer Banks With Storm Surge

Hurricane

North Carolina

Severe Weather

Tropical Storm Erin intensified to become the first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, with Caribbean residents bracing for what forecasters warn could become a dangerous Category 3 storm as early as Sunday.
The National Hurricane Center confirmed Hurricane Erin reached sustained winds of 75 mph Friday morning, with the storm currently located approximately 460 miles east of the nearest Caribbean islands, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/hurricanes/tropical-storm-erin-expected-strengthen-first-atlantic-hurricane-2025-rcna225175" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NBC News reported</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hurricane <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Erin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Erin</a> Advisory 17: Erin Becomes the First Hurricane of the 2025 Season. Expected to Pass Near Or North of the Leeward Islands On Saturday. <a href="https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb">https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb</a>
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1956367281778253889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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According to the <a href="https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2025-08-14-tropical-storm-hurricane-erin-caribbean">Weather Channel</a>, next week, &#8220;Erin is expected to pass between North Carolina and Bermuda,&#8221; with several northern Caribbean islands likely impacted, and forecasters are noting there remains some uncertainty regarding the hurricane&#8217;s impact on the U.S. East Coast.
&#8220;Erin is turning toward the west-northwest as it strengthens. This path will take Erin toward progressively warmer waters, which, in tandem with low wind shear, should allow Erin to become a major hurricane this weekend as it makes a close brush, or travels just north of the Caribbean islands,&#8221; The Weather Channel added.
Given its current trajectory through warm water in the open ocean, the National Hurricane Center projects Hurricane Erin reaching Category 4 status as early as next week.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
JUST IN: Erin has been upgraded to a Category 1 Hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
It is the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season.
Erin is forecast to become a Major Hurricane late weekend/early next week, topping out as a Category 4. <a href="https://t.co/FeSdBfnHWd">pic.twitter.com/FeSdBfnHWd</a>
— MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MyRadarWX/status/1956367640659734666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for several Caribbean islands, including Anguilla, Barbuda, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten, meaning tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours, Fox Weather <a href="https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/prep-file-hurricane-erin-becomes-first-hurricane-2025-atlantic-season">reported</a>.
The system is forecast to dump between two and four inches of rain in its early stages, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to six inches, potentially triggering flash/urban flooding, landslides, and mudslides across the northernmost Leeward Islands, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and southern and eastern Puerto Rico, per NBC.
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The disturbance that eventually became Hurricane Erin caused significant destruction in the African Cabo Verde islands earlier this week. Images from the island of São Vicente showed extensive flooding with muddy water rushing through streets and damaging homes, killing multiple people, per Fox Weather.
Emergency management officials in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are urging residents to review hurricane plans and secure emergency supplies despite forecasts showing the storm&#8217;s center remaining offshore.

National Hurricane Center Monitors Tropical Storm Erin

First 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Barrels Toward Caribbean, Forecasters Warn Of Rapid Intensification

Natural Disaster

Puerto Rico

U.S.

Multiple <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fema" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FEMA</a> officials attended a ritzy climate conference in the Middle East last month, where they pushed climate activism and complained about white women in leadership, as the agency faced criticism over its response to devastating hurricanes and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skipping over</a> of homes with Trump flags in Florida. 
From around November 14 to November 20, FEMA’s Victoria Salinas and Samantha Medlock attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The pair pushed climate activism at the conference and said there were too many white women in relief work. During the conference, participants proposed a <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/11/12/animal-protein-overconsumption-un-climate-confab-attendees-urge-countries-to-implement-tax-on-meat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tax on meat</a>, and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/11/23/cop29-un-climate-conference-news-resolutions-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a deal that would make countries like the United States pay developing countries $300 billion per year. 
Salinas is a Biden-Harris appointee serving as the senior official performing the duties of deputy administrator for FEMA, while Medlock serves as Assistant Administrator for Resilience Strategy. It is unclear how much it cost taxpayers to send the two FEMA employees over 6,000 miles across the globe to attend a climate conference.
The trip came a month after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mayorkas-claim-that-fema-was-tremendously-prepared-haunts-biden-harris-admin-after-hurricane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that FEMA may run out of emergency funds amid its ongoing response to the devastation of Hurricane Helene. To <a href="https://www.wbtv.com/2024/12/09/fema-extends-north-carolina-hotel-room-stays-helene-survivors-what-know/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">date</a>, nearly 5,000 people in Western North Carolina are without homes and forced to stay in hotels due to the torrential flooding that destroyed homes and killed over 200 people across the southeast. 
Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) told The Daily Wire that FEMA should not be diverting resources away from disaster relief.
“FEMA sent its employees to Azerbaijan for the United Nations’ climate change conference — during the height of the Hurricane Helene response,” Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) told The Daily Wire. “Diverting attention and resources from the needs of the American People — during a crisis, no less — to focus on the globalists’ climate change agenda is the perfect depiction of our government under the Biden Administration for the last four years.”
Perry, the chair of the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, asked FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about the cost of the trip as she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whos-lying-top-republican-not-satisfied-with-fema-answers-on-trump-home-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was grilled</a> on November 19 over guidance from a FEMA employee in Lake Placid, Florida, for relief workers to “avoid homes advertising Trump.”
Criswell maintained during her testimony that the guidance was an isolated incident, and punted many of the questions from Republican lawmakers to the status of an ongoing investigation. Since her testimony, whistleblowers in Georgia and North Carolina have alleged that FEMA employees discriminated against Trump supporters.
The embattled director&#8217;s testimony took place as Medlock and Salinas pushed Biden administration policies in Baku. After being given an extended deadline, FEMA asked whether they could wait to comment until after publication.
A <a href="https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/U.S.-Center-Schedule-241120-Clean.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">schedule</a> posted by the State Department indicates that FEMA hosted several panels at the conference. Both <a href="https://archive.ph/214Ue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Salinas</a> and <a href="https://archive.ph/8uz5R" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Medlock</a> were interviewed by the State Department’s Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues during their time at the conference. 
On November 14, Medlock was on a <a href="https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/U.S.-Center-Schedule-241120-Clean.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">panel</a> called “Resilience at Scale: A New Paradigm for U.S. Government Infrastructure Investments.” According to the State Department, this panel was meant to show how the United States was a “leader in building a more climate resilient and sustainable world.” 
During that panel, Medlock <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THkBPPaKuak&amp;list=PL8GloD-FU2Ch-6cBNPte6mwOmVcGbfy2q&amp;index=15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talked</a> about how FEMA was focused on helping local leaders &#8220;prepare for the impacts of the climate crisis that we know can no longer be avoided.&#8221; She also discussed how the agency had pushed &#8220;low carbon materials and net zero policy.&#8221;
The next day, Salinas spoke on a panel called “With Equality and Resilience for All: Women Influencing Climate Action,” <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stategwi_bonus-with-equality-and-resilience-for-all-activity-7265379003845206016-_4bT/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a recording of the event posted by the State Department. The point of this session was to <a href="https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/U.S.-Center-Schedule-241114.pdf">teach participants</a> to “discover how gender-responsive climate action creates more resilient communities for all.” 
“Not all impacts of the climate crisis are felt equally,” the State Department wrote. “Women and girls, in all their diversity, experience unique livelihood, education, health, and safety challenges associated with natural disasters and resource scarcity.” 
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During the event, “Love is Blind” television personality Taylor Krause talked virtually about“female political leaders being especially effective in effectuating climate policy” and how “family planning and reproductive rights have a dramatic impact.” 
On the panel, Salinas talked about how the number of women in FEMA had “grown by the thousands” and said that it was great that it was now “led by a woman.” Salinas pointed to herself as a woman in charge of 2,000 employees as a sign of progress and said that it was necessary to “get more women into decision-making roles.”
<div id="attachment_843245" style="width: 2164px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-843245" class="size-full wp-image-843245" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-12-at-11.12.52-AM.png" alt="" width="2154" height="977" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-12-at-11.12.52-AM.png 2154w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-12-at-11.12.52-AM-300x136.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-12-at-11.12.52-AM-1024x464.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-12-at-11.12.52-AM-768x348.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-12-at-11.12.52-AM-1536x697.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-12-at-11.12.52-AM-2048x929.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2154px) 100vw, 2154px" />Salinas speaks during a panel at COP29.</div>
She also complained about the number of white women in leadership at FEMA, referring to that as a “new challenge.” 
“So at FEMA, our leadership team may be 50% women, but it&#8217;s predominantly white women. And that’s OK, but it&#8217;s not good enough. Right? Because the people we serve in the United States, the intersection of identities &#8230; We know that to be a woman, but to be a woman of color, to be a woman of color with a disability, it goes on and on, leads to so many different experiences and different challenges.” 
That same day Salinas <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrYL9p1IVYE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> on a panel hosted by the America Is All In coalition alongside leftist Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. America Is All In is a <a href="https://www.americaisallin.com/who-we-are" target="_blank" rel="noopener">group</a> that partners with groups like Bloomberg Philanthropies and the United States Climate Alliance to work “alongside the federal government to develop a national climate strategy that meets the urgency of the climate crisis” and scale “climate action around the country.” 
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During the panel discussion, Salinas praised President Joe Biden’s “Inflation Reduction Act” and infrastructure bill, both of which dumped tens of billions of dollars into green energy companies and projects.
Salinas also appeared to criticize local leaders who made requests for FEMA projects without considering climate-friendly materials. 
”We fund what is demanded,” she said. “People oftentimes may not know that they should be envisioning the project with low embodied carbon materials and that the government would fund it.” 
Salinas also praised the Biden administration’s Justice40 <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initiative,</a> which stipulates that at least 40% of certain federal benefits go to “disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.”
On November 19, FEMA helped organize a <a href="https://www.state.gov/climate-crisis/u-s-center-at-cop29-daily-schedule/">panel</a> to “showcase” how the federal government had addressed “climate change” and “inequity.” Medlock participated in another panel on “climate resilience” on November 20, according to the State Department schedule. 
Other things pushed at the conference include a push from the True Animal Protein Price Coalition for COP29 attendees to issue a <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/11/12/animal-protein-overconsumption-un-climate-confab-attendees-urge-countries-to-implement-tax-on-meat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> encouraging the transition &#8220;away from animal protein overconsumption according to national or global dietary guidelines by implementing greenhouse gas emission pricing mechanisms in agri-food systems.&#8221;
COP29 also <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/11/15/al-gore-rant-un-climate-summit-cop29/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">featured</a> a lecture from Al Gore saying that he presses his &#8220;own buttons these days.&#8221;

Medlock

Top FEMA Officials Flew To Ritzy Climate Conference In Middle East Amid Hurricane Controversy

Climate Change

FEMA

Middle East

United Nations

The House Homeland Security Committee plans to interview a second FEMA employee about a former supervisor&#8217;s instruction for relief workers to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-fema-fires-official-who-told-hurricane-relief-workers-to-skip-trump-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skip homes</a> in Florida displaying Trump flags or signs, according to a letter first shared with The Daily Wire. 
Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-TN) sent the <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/2024-12-05-Green-et-al-to-Hershey-re-Transcribed-Interview_Redacted.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> Thursday afternoon to Chad Hershey, the supervisor of  former FEMA employee Marn&#8217;i Washington, who ordered workers in Lake Placid to “avoid homes advertising Trump.” The request to Hershey comes <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lawmakers-to-question-fired-fema-supervisor-over-guidance-to-skip-trump-supporters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one day</a> after the committee interviewed Washington, who issued the Trump home guidance both verbally and in a text message. 
“The Committee seeks to uncover the complete nature and extent of FEMA’s misconduct in withholding federal assistance from Americans based on political affiliation,” Green wrote. “Your observations and experience as Ms. Washington’s Task Force Lead for the Disaster Survival Assistance Task Force are vital to the Committee’s investigation.”
The letter was also signed by Reps. Dan Bishop (R-NC) and Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY). 
Citing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs">reports</a> from The Daily Wire, Green wrote that Hershey should schedule a transcribed interview with the committee by December 9. Green indicated that the committee wanted to ask Hershey about comments she made in interviews after she was fired over the guidance, saying that he had directed her to issue the guidance. 
“In an interview following her termination, Ms. Washington claimed that her instructions to FEMA workers were not exceptional, but rather that you, as her direct supervisor, instructed her to avoid homes that had signs bearing support for President-elect Donald J. Trump to avoid ‘community trends of political hostility,’” Green wrote. 
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When first contacted by The Daily Wire, Hershey said that he was “aware” of the situation with the Trump guidance, and that it was being looked into. 
“We are aware of it and we are taking proper action in this situation currently,” Hershey said last month, adding that “we are taking action at this moment regarding the situation that you’re talking about.” 
Whistleblowers told The Daily Wire that at least 20 homes were skipped due to the guidance. Those homes have since been visited by relief workers, according to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. 
Since the first story broke, other whistleblowers have alleged FEMA misconduct toward Trump supporters in Georgia and North Carolina.

Michigan Holds Its Primary Election

EXCLUSIVE: Homeland Security To Interview Second FEMA Employee About Trump Guidance

Department of Homeland Security

Donald Trump

Florida

Mark Green

Hurricane Rafael was upgraded to &#8220;major&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hurricane</a> status as it approached the western coast of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cuba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cuba</a> in the Caribbean on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Data showed the storm with 115 miles per hour sustained maximum winds, which put it in the Category 3 range on the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/mfl/saffirsimpson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale</a>. Such a storm is considered a &#8220;major&#8221; hurricane with the potential to cause &#8220;devastating damage.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
2pm EST update on Category 3 Hurricane <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rafael?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rafael</a> as it closes in on western <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cuba?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cuba</a> 
See <a href="https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ">https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ</a> for more information <a href="https://t.co/eLWOAGz4L6">pic.twitter.com/eLWOAGz4L6</a>
&mdash; National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1854237480553533759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In the immediate future, Rafael was expected to bring &#8220;life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds, and flash flooding to portions of western Cuba,&#8221; NHC <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/061755.shtml?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a 1 p.m. ET bulletin. The agency said some strengthening was likely to happen before landfall over western Cuba in the afternoon.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
Just a couple of weeks ago, Cuba got <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8elzx8dg7zo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit by Hurricane Oscar</a> as the island nation was grappling with a massive power outage.
NHC said Rafael is expected to weaken over Cuba before emerging into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane. Weather impacts in the forecast for the southeastern United States include tropical storm conditions in parts of the lower and middle <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> Keys into Wednesday evening.
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Here are the 10 AM EST Wednesday Key Messages for Hurricane <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rafael?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rafael</a>. Life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds, and flash flooding expected in portions of western Cuba. Follow the latest at <a href="https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ">https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/dg9rxQIgfD">pic.twitter.com/dg9rxQIgfD</a>
&mdash; National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1854179556942631043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Overall, rainfall in the Keys — an island chain extending southwest from the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula — was expected to total between one to three inches. NHC also warned of storm surge in the Dry Tortugas and lower Florida Keys, as well as the potential for tornadoes in the Keys and southwestern Florida mainland.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/NOAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NOAA</a>&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOESEast?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOESEast</a> satellite is continuing to monitor Hurricane <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rafael?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rafael</a> this morning, which is strengthening in the Caribbean Sea.
Latest advisories and updates: <a href="https://t.co/ScLdyBaJZb">https://t.co/ScLdyBaJZb</a> <a href="https://t.co/VTLcGGfVDX">pic.twitter.com/VTLcGGfVDX</a>
&mdash; NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) <a href="https://twitter.com/NOAASatellites/status/1854146793082442171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Hurricane Rafael continues to intensify as it approaches western Cuba. Squalls will continue to pivot through the #FloridaKeys through tonight,&#8221; the National Weather Service <a href="https://x.com/NWSKeyWest/status/1854178465907667210" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emphasized</a> in a post to X. &#8220;The best chance for tropical storm force winds will be this evening and overnight, especially in the Lower &amp; Middle Keys.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hurricane Rafael continues to intensify as it approaches western Cuba. Squalls will continue to pivot through the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FloridaKeys?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FloridaKeys</a> through tonight. The best chance for tropical storm force winds will be this evening and overnight, especially in the Lower &amp; Middle Keys. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FLwx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KeyWest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KeyWest</a> <a href="https://t.co/dl3Epo8j1y">pic.twitter.com/dl3Epo8j1y</a>
&mdash; NWS Key West (@NWSKeyWest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSKeyWest/status/1854178465907667210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The hurricane was expected to head farther west into the Gulf during the week and into the weekend, but NHC <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?start#contents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cautioned</a> on Wednesday that it was &#8220;too soon to determine what, if any, impacts Rafael could bring to portions of the western Gulf Coast. Residents in this area should regularly monitor updates to the forecast.&#8221;
A couple of major hurricanes slammed into the southeastern United States this year.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/remnants-of-hurricane-helene-continue-to-wreak-havoc-on-southeastern-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Helene</a> wreaked havoc in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia in late September. And <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane-milton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Milton</a> barreled through central Florida in October. Between the storms this hurricane season, the U.S. death toll is in the hundreds and the cost of the damage is estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars.

Hurricane Rafael approaches Cuba

Rafael Becomes Major Hurricane In The Caribbean

Cuba

Weather

World

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/first-responders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">First responders</a> have been hard at work helping people and animals with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane-milton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Milton</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-hurricane-milton-makes-landfall-over-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slamming</a> into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> as a &#8220;major&#8221; Category 3 hurricane late on Wednesday.
Milton swept through the central part of the state, unleashing heavy rain, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hurricane-milton-bears-down-on-florida-unleashes-tornadoes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tornadoes</a>, and storm surge. At least 10 deaths have been <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/milton-forecast-hurricane-tracker/?id=114553995" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> &#8212; and millions of customers lost power.
All the while, rescue efforts have been underway. Here are just a few, now that the hurricane has passed:
One striking <a href="https://x.com/USCGSoutheast/status/1844466002584842667" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> posted to social media showed what the U.S. Coast Guard said was a helicopter crew saving a man holding onto a cooler about 30 miles off Longboat Key.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Breaking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Breaking</a> An <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a> Air Station Miami 65 helicopter crew rescued a man clinging to a cooler approximately 30 mi. off Longboat Key. 
The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care. 
Sector St. Pete lost communications w/ the man at approx. 6:45 p.m., Wed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAR</a> <a href="https://t.co/64wSHuRAeH">pic.twitter.com/64wSHuRAeH</a>
&mdash; USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) <a href="https://twitter.com/USCGSoutheast/status/1844466002584842667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Coast Guard District 7, which shared the video, said the man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care.
In a <a href="https://x.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844401938953084999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> posted by the Hillsborough County Sheriff&#8217;s Office on Thursday, a boat crew can be seen rescuing a 14-year-old boy clutching onto a fence in floodwaters.
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Sheriff Chad Chronister and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/teamHCSO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#teamHCSO</a>&#39;s Marine Unit rescued a 14-year-old boy who was submerged in floodwaters and floating on debris following Hurricane Milton. <a href="https://t.co/mOInO7ZM0j">pic.twitter.com/mOInO7ZM0j</a>
&mdash; HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844401938953084999?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister <a href="https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/14-year-old-found-floating-on-fence-in-tampa-floodwaters-after-hurricane-milton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told WFLA</a> the boy stayed at a friend&#8217;s house after evacuating from the hurricane, and got stuck walking back home when it passed.
&#8220;It was literally out of a castaway movie, him laying on top of a fence, waving us,&#8221; Chronister said. &#8220;Out of breath, gasping for air as we pulled him up.&#8221;
Another <a href="https://x.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844373543523410054" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> from the Hillsborough County Sheriff&#8217;s Office showed the rescue of 135 residents from the Great American Assisted Living facility in Tampa.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/teamHCSO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#teamHCSO</a> rescued over 135 residents from the Great American Assisted Living facility in Tampa. We&#39;re thankful to be able to get all of these people to safety. <a href="https://t.co/LGq2aOWh9q">pic.twitter.com/LGq2aOWh9q</a>
&mdash; HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844373543523410054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The Florida Highway Patrol shared a <a href="https://x.com/FHPTampa/status/1844036069219574083" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> on Wednesday of troopers saving a dog tied to a pole with water up to its waist along I-75.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
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FHP Troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd this morning. Do NOT do this to your pets please… <a href="https://t.co/8cZJOfkJL2">pic.twitter.com/8cZJOfkJL2</a>
&mdash; FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) <a href="https://twitter.com/FHPTampa/status/1844036069219574083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Responding to that post, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1844058578438717589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thanked</a> the Florida Highway Patrol and delivered a warning to anyone who brings harm to pets.
&#8220;It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm. FL will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable,&#8221; DeSantis said.
With a follow-up post, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shared an update along with a photo appearing to show the dog in good spirits.
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Update: The dog rescued by <a href="https://twitter.com/FHPTampa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FHPTampa</a> is safe and receiving care. Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health. <a href="https://t.co/cut1jv7cBe">pic.twitter.com/cut1jv7cBe</a>
&mdash; FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLHSMV/status/1844085214131155027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The dog rescued by @FHPTampa is safe and receiving care. Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health,&#8221; it said.

Officials perform water rescues in Clearwater after Hurricane Milton

SEE IT: Scenes From Breathtaking Rescues After Hurricane Milton Hits Florida

First Responders

Hurricane Milton

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a> has pledged $5 million to help <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane">relief efforts</a> following the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/natural-disaster">devastation</a> caused by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.
The 34-year-old recording artist, who was just named the world’s wealthiest female musician with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion, made the large donation to the non-profit organization Feeding America.
This was confirmed on the group&#8217;s official Instagram page. A message from Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fonteno said, &#8220;We&#8217;re incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift for her generous $5 million donation to Hurricane Helene and Milton relief efforts. This contribution will help communities rebuild and recover, providing essential food, clean water and supplies to people affected by these devastating storms.”
The statement continued, “Together, we can make a real impact in supporting families as they navigate the challenges ahead. Thank you, Taylor, for standing with us in the movement to end hunger and for helping communities in need.&#8221;
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The caption thanked Swift &#8220;for standing with us and the movement to end hunger and helping communities in need in the wake of #HurricaneHelene and #HurricaneMilton.” 
“Together, we can make a real impact in supporting families as they navigate the challenges ahead,&#8221; the caption concluded.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
Swift has donated large amounts to charities and people in need before. In December 2023, she pledged $1 million toward natural disaster relief after damaging storms caused damage in Tennessee. The “Blank Space” singer also gave $100,000 to the family of a 44-year-old woman who was killed at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade last February.
Hurricane Milton made landfall over the central west coast of Florida on Wednesday evening, bringing with it powerful winds, torrential rain, and damaging storm surge, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-hurricane-milton-makes-landfall-over-florida">reported</a>. The state had already been hit by Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago, and cleanup efforts were ongoing when the latest storm hit.
The National Hurricane Center announced that the storm’s eye made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key in Sarasota County at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Hurricane Helene hit Florida as a “major” Category 4 hurricane late last month. The storm traveled across Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia, contributing to the deaths of at least 227 people. Entire towns were destroyed, and millions lost power, cell phone service, and running water.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Donates $5M To Hurricane Relief Efforts

Celebrities

Hurricane Helene

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane-milton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Milton</a> made landfall over the central west coast of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> on Wednesday evening, bringing with it powerful winds, torrential rain, and storm surge to a state that endured another strong hurricane less than two weeks ago.
The National Hurricane Center <a href="https://x.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1844174788178202880" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that doppler radar data indicated the storm&#8217;s eye made landfall as a <a href="https://www.weather.gov/mfl/saffirsimpson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Category 3</a> hurricane near Siesta Key in Sarasota County — located between Tampa Bay and Fort Myers — at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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830pm EDT Oct 9th: Doppler radar data indicates that the eye of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hurricane?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hurricane</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Milton?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Milton</a> has made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County on the west coast of Florida.
Max sustained winds at landfall are estimated at 120 mph.
Landfall TCU: <a href="https://t.co/YUc7mT6LuJ">https://t.co/YUc7mT6LuJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/fEODy4AvHJ">pic.twitter.com/fEODy4AvHJ</a>
&mdash; National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1844174788178202880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane">hurricane</a>&#8216;s outer bands already wreaked havoc across Florida earlier in the day with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hurricane-milton-bears-down-on-florida-unleashes-tornadoes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tornadoes</a>, flooding, and <a href="https://www.mysuncoast.com/2024/10/09/thousands-power-outages-reported-across-suncoast-hurricane-milton-prepares-make-landfall/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">power outages</a>. Residents in Florida and nearby states can expect the effects of the storm to last overnight and into Thursday.
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Violent tornado sent to me by my friend Jason Dolliver shot in Fort pierce near the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds. Video shot by Kayla Pollack. An absolutely horrible day for tornadoes. <a href="https://t.co/COp8lZfJw6">pic.twitter.com/COp8lZfJw6</a>
&mdash; Jim Cantore (@JimCantore) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimCantore/status/1844157131509071895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.floridadisaster.org/disaster-updates/Hurricanemilton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evacuation orders</a> had been issued to <a href="https://x.com/CNBC/status/1844034715386257509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">millions</a> of people across several Florida counties, and <a href="https://www.floridadisaster.org/shelter-status/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shelters</a> were opened in areas bracing for the brunt of the hurricane. Storm surge up to <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/212329.shtml?peakSurge#contents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12 or 13 feet</a> in some coastal areas could be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-give-stark-warning-to-florida-residents-who-refuse-to-evacuate-write-names-on-bodies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">particularly deadly</a>.
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Storm surge spills onto the bridge to Sanibel Island in Fort Myers, Florida, as Hurricane Milton starts to make landfall. <a href="https://t.co/Y9OSvzjXKr">pic.twitter.com/Y9OSvzjXKr</a>
&mdash; AccuWeather (@accuweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/accuweather/status/1844155300477272212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After landfall, Hurricane Milton is expected to quickly move across the Florida Peninsula on Thursday and head out over the Atlantic Ocean away from the United States, giving room for any rescue and relief efforts to get underway.
Florida got slammed by Milton less than two weeks after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/remnants-of-hurricane-helene-continue-to-wreak-havoc-on-southeastern-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Helene</a> made landfall as a Category 4 storm. Crews were still <a href="https://x.com/citybeautiful/status/1844036875331285341" target="_blank" rel="noopener">picking up debris</a> from Helene on Wednesday, prompting warnings about detritus <a href="https://x.com/ABCNewsLive/status/1843670830556819519" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flying around</a> when Milton hit.
Milton made landfall as a &#8220;major&#8221; hurricane, but it was higher up the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/mfl/saffirsimpson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale</a> at Category 5 at times earlier in the week as it swept across the Gulf of Mexico and <a href="https://apnews.com/video/hurricanes-and-typhoons-weather-hurricane-milton-5c4bd5ae9bc54ee9a18ca1cf7367955b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grazed</a> Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.
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Inside Hurricane Milton, <a href="https://twitter.com/saildrone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@saildrone</a> reported wave height of 28.12 feet and wind gusts as strong as 75.95 mph while 40 nautical miles from the center of the storm. This research represents a collaborative endeavor to better understand the role of the ocean in hurricanes. <a href="https://t.co/gmaUopPEWj">pic.twitter.com/gmaUopPEWj</a>
&mdash; NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab (@NOAA_AOML) <a href="https://twitter.com/NOAA_AOML/status/1844115360997654917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hurricane-milton-rapidly-intensifies-into-category-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a> a state of emergency, <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2024/10/07/governor-ron-desantis-suspends-tolls-to-assist-hurricane-milton-evacuations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> tolls to assist with evacuations, communicated with the public about what they should do to be ready for the storm, and <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2024/10/08/governor-ron-desantis-issues-updates-on-state-preparedness-efforts-for-hurricane-milton-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made other preparations</a>.
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As Hurricane Milton makes landfall near Sarasota county, now is the time to shelter in place. First responders are staged and ready to go, as soon as weather conditions allow. Search and rescue efforts will be well underway to save lives before dawn, and they will continue for as…
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1844171431112069381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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President Joe Biden, who approved an <a href="https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/hurricane/2024/10/07/hurricane-milton-president-biden-approves-emergency-declaration-florida/75558490007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emergency declaration</a> to unlock federal assistance for hurricane response efforts in Florida, has been in communication with DeSantis and said he told the governor he was <a href="https://x.com/CurtisHouck/status/1843679524627579034" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;doing a great job.&#8221;</a>
Stunning images of Hurricane Milton have been shared online over the past few days, including <a href="https://x.com/dominickmatthew/status/1844025627390992850" target="_blank" rel="noopener">from</a> NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, who is on the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endeavor docked to the International Space Station.
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Timelapse flying by Hurricane Milton today about 2 hours ago. Storm looks bigger but less symmetric than yesterday. 
1/2000 sec, f8, 14mm, ISO 500, 0.5 sec interval, 30fps <a href="https://t.co/XUjQEJPOGg">pic.twitter.com/XUjQEJPOGg</a>
&mdash; Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) <a href="https://twitter.com/dominickmatthew/status/1844025627390992850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The Waffle House Index, which is used to signal an imminent disaster, helped keep residents alert. In a post to X, Waffle House <a href="https://x.com/WaffleHouse/status/1844033324483764556" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it was closing restaurant locations around Tampa, Fort Myers, Orlando, Ocala, and Daytona in the afternoon on Wednesday.

Florida Residents Prepare For Hurricane Milton

‘Major’ Hurricane Milton Makes Landfall Over Florida

Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy hit back on Tuesday after Press Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/karine-jean-pierre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karine Jean-Pierre</a> — now pulling double duty as a senior advisor to President Joe Biden — referred to his question about hurricane aid as &#8220;misinformation.&#8221;
The official Fox News X account shared video of Doocy briefly explaining what had happened — and why he believed his question was a legitimate one.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/pdoocy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pdoocy</a> brought receipts to hit back against the White House’s “misinformation” claims against him. <a href="https://t.co/hM4Q5SldHj">pic.twitter.com/hM4Q5SldHj</a>
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1843822856939167840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Peter Doocy here outside the West Wing, where this week, one of my questions about foreign aid versus hurricane relief was called &#8216;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/excuse-me-peter-doocy-squares-off-with-kjp-over-fema-biden-harris-hurricane-response" target="_blank" rel="noopener">misinformation</a>,'&#8221; Doocy began, and then shared a clip of the exchange.
<blockquote>&#8220;President Biden is fond of saying, ‘Show me your budget, and I will tell you what you value.’ If he’s got money for people in Lebanon right now without Congress having to come back, what does it say about his values [if] there’s not enough money right now for people in North Carolina who need it?” Doocy asked.
“His values?” Jean-Pierre asked.
“That’s not misinformation,” Doocy said.
“No, it is,” Jean-Pierre objected. “Your whole premise of the question is misinformation, sir!”
&#8220;Excuse me?&#8221; Doocy shot back. &#8220;What part?&#8221;</blockquote>
The camera cut back to Doocy, who held up a piece of paper: &#8220;I&#8217;ve got the information right here. The vice president is posting on social media about $157 million in additional <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-trashed-for-sending-aid-to-lebanon-while-americans-are-still-missing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assistance to the people of Lebanon</a>. President Biden is posting about how the Small Business Administration&#8217;s disaster loan program is going to run out of funding if Congress does not come back.&#8221;
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&#8220;To a lot of people watching these briefings, a taxpayer dollar is a taxpayer dollar is a taxpayer dollar,&#8221; Doocy continued, noting that the average American isn&#8217;t going to care that the money going to Lebanon — or to fund the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jd-vance-unwinds-media-spin-on-fema-funding-for-illegals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resettlement of illegal migrants</a>, for that matter — was previously designated as such if Americans are suffering and the government does not appear to be moving heaven and earth to help them first.

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Peter Doocy Hits Back At KJP Over Hurricane Aid Dust-Up, And He’s Got Receipts

Karine Jean-Pierre

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Peter Doocy

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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane</a> Milton began to produce tornadoes in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> on Wednesday as the outer bands of the storm reached across the state ahead of an expected landfall overnight.
A pair of twisters crossed Interstate 75 in the Florida Everglades around 10 a.m. ET, moving north between Miles City and Andytown, <a href="https://x.com/accuweather/status/1844020967087145149" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> AccuWeather. Images of the tornados were posted to social media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🌪️🚨BREAKING: Two large tornadoes from Hurricane Milton crossed Interstate 75 in the Florida Everglades around 10 a.m. EDT, moving north between the towns of Miles City and Andytown. 
The tornado shown here was east of the first tornado and closer to Andytown. <a href="https://t.co/M65dpsvgWV">pic.twitter.com/M65dpsvgWV</a>
&mdash; AccuWeather (@accuweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/accuweather/status/1844020967087145149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The National Hurricane Center <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/091456.shtml?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a late-morning advisory that tornado supercells from Milton had begun to &#8220;sweep&#8221; across the southern Florida Peninsula.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
As bands from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Milton?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Milton</a> begin moving ashore, conditions will be favorable for tornado development across the central/southern Florida Peninsula, even far away from the expected landfall. Keep your alerts active on your phone and take immediate action if a warning is issued for your… <a href="https://t.co/k9MEZvO5Px">pic.twitter.com/k9MEZvO5Px</a>
&mdash; National Weather Service (@NWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/1844031535554462200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Milton has once again been downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane and is expected to drop further to Category 3 before making landfall somewhere between Tampa and Naples.
However, forecasters and local officials are warning that Milton will still be considered a &#8220;major&#8221; hurricane, <a href="https://www.weather.gov/mfl/saffirsimpson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">capable of</a> wreaking mass destruction, as its wind field grows in size.
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<a href="https://www.floridadisaster.org/disaster-updates/Hurricanemilton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evacuation orders</a> have been issued to <a href="https://x.com/CNBC/status/1844034715386257509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">millions</a> of people across several counties, and <a href="https://www.floridadisaster.org/shelter-status/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shelters</a> have been opened in areas expected to get the brunt of the storm.
&#8220;Now is the time to execute your hurricane preparedness plan,&#8221; Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1844035780072681822" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X on Wednesday morning, adding later, &#8220;Time is running out.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
As of this morning, Hurricane Milton is still a Category 4 storm. Even if it weakens before landfall, Milton will be a major hurricane with catastrophic impacts on our state. 
Now is the time to execute your hurricane preparedness plan. Heed evacuation warnings from your local… <a href="https://t.co/qGlJsT7uW6">pic.twitter.com/qGlJsT7uW6</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1844035780072681822?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Hurricane Milton is capable of unleashing heavy rain, strong winds, tornadoes, storm surge, and flooding, including in places across the state not in the direct path of the storm.
Storm surge could be particularly deadly for those <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-give-stark-warning-to-florida-residents-who-refuse-to-evacuate-write-names-on-bodies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insisting on staying put</a>. Some locations in the Tampa Bay area and farther south could have more than 10 feet of water rushing inland.
Calculating just where landfall will happen remains a tricky exercise, as the National Hurricane Center <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/091456.shtml?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it was &#8220;not possible&#8221; to predict about 12 hours out as&#8221;wobbles&#8221; may happen.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
11am EDT Wednesday- The Key Messages for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Milton?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Milton</a> are below. For more information on Milton, see <a href="https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ">https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ</a>, and for your local weather forecast, visit <a href="https://t.co/SiZo8oA90V">https://t.co/SiZo8oA90V</a>. <a href="https://t.co/8aLkZJzCxk">pic.twitter.com/8aLkZJzCxk</a>
&mdash; National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1844032080264761490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
After landfall, Hurricane Milton is expected to quickly move across the Florida Peninsula and head out over the Atlantic Ocean away from the United States.
Florida is bracing for Milton less than two weeks after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/remnants-of-hurricane-helene-continue-to-wreak-havoc-on-southeastern-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Helene</a> made landfall as a Category 4 storm, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/local/weather/helene-leaves-tampa-streets-under-water/2024/09/27/7ae3939c-60ce-43dc-817e-f70c1ed34fed_video.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">submerged</a> the Tampa Bay area, and caused havoc in other states.
Crews were still <a href="https://x.com/citybeautiful/status/1844036875331285341" target="_blank" rel="noopener">picking up debris</a> from Helene in places across Florida on Wednesday. People have been told to beware as debris could <a href="https://x.com/ABCNewsLive/status/1843670830556819519" target="_blank" rel="noopener">start flying around</a> with Milton approaching.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/CityofTampa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CityofTampa</a> still has crews out working hard to get debris picked up from Hurricane Helene before Hurricane <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Milton?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Milton</a> gets here tonight. Live coverage on <a href="https://twitter.com/weatherchannel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@weatherchannel</a> continues. <a href="https://twitter.com/JimCantore?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JimCantore</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mikebettes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mikebettes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertEltiempo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlbertEltiempo</a> <a href="https://t.co/XTwImm1Zxc">pic.twitter.com/XTwImm1Zxc</a>
&mdash; Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/CharlesPeekWX/status/1844007100550410326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
Stunning images of Milton have been shared online, including <a href="https://x.com/dominickmatthew/status/1844025627390992850" target="_blank" rel="noopener">from</a> NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, who is on the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endeavor docked to the International Space Station.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Timelapse flying by Hurricane Milton today about 2 hours ago. Storm looks bigger but less symmetric than yesterday. 
1/2000 sec, f8, 14mm, ISO 500, 0.5 sec interval, 30fps <a href="https://t.co/XUjQEJPOGg">pic.twitter.com/XUjQEJPOGg</a>
&mdash; Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) <a href="https://twitter.com/dominickmatthew/status/1844025627390992850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Timelapse flying by Hurricane Milton today about 2 hours ago. Storm looks bigger but less symmetric than yesterday,&#8221; Dominick said in one post to X on Wednesday morning.
And don&#8217;t forget the so-called Waffle House Index used to signal an imminent disaster. The restaurant chain <a href="https://x.com/WaffleHouse/status/1844033324483764556" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> locations were closing around Tampa, Fort Myers, Orlando, Ocala, and Daytona.

Waves crash along St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg

Hurricane Milton Bears Down On Florida, Unleashes Tornadoes

CNN contributor Scott Jennings received little pushback and some agreement when he took Vice President Kamala Harris to task for politicizing Hurricane Milton with her attack on Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.
Harris this week called DeSantis &#8220;selfish&#8221; for allegedly not returning her call about the coming hurricane, though, notably, DeSantis says he didn&#8217;t know Harris called him, and &#8220;has no role&#8221; in his efforts to prepare for the hurricane.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Reporter: There are reports that DeSantis is ignoring your calls..
Kamala Harris: Playing political games at this moment…It&#8217;s utterly irresponsible and it is selfish and it is about political gamesmanship instead of doing the job that you took an oath to do <a href="https://t.co/lySDD98xO9">pic.twitter.com/lySDD98xO9</a>
— Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1843403803707744581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
&#8220;She&#8217;s attacking the governor of a state that&#8217;s about to get lashed with one of the most historic hurricanes we&#8217;ve ever seen,&#8221; Jennings <a href="https://x.com/ScottJenningsKY/status/1843520746745966832">said Tuesday</a> on CNN. &#8220;Is she crazy?&#8221;
&#8220;She was talking broadly about the politicization of the storms,&#8221; CNN correspondent Abby Philip incorrectly interjected.
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&#8220;I think she was talking about Ron DeSantis,&#8221; Jennings continued. &#8220;He did not ignore her call, and, in fact, according to what I&#8217;ve read tonight, he&#8217;s actually spoken to the President of the United States.&#8221;
&#8220;He did speak with President Biden,&#8221; Philip confirmed.
Another CNN panelist said Jennings was right: &#8220;Yeah, I hate to agree with Scott on anything, but I agree in this case.&#8221;
&#8220;There&#8217;s too much disinformation, misinformation, or things that are not factual swirling around about the hurricane. I actually think the facts are bad enough,&#8221; Jennings continued. &#8220;When the storm came ashore, Biden was at the beach, Harris was raising money, and that was on September 26. On September 27, we had devastation in North Carolina. It wasn&#8217;t until October the second that the president mobilized the military. And it wasn&#8217;t until the fifth that they mobilized search-and-rescue out of the military.&#8221;
&#8220;There is a conversation to be had here about spending priorities and also about presidential decision-making,&#8221; Jennings added. Philip agreed with Jennings on spending priorities.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kamala Harris going after Ron DeSantis in regard to Hurricane Milton is probably the biggest unforced error she has made this entire campaign.
Just watch this takedown by <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottJenningsKY</a> last night on CNN. <a href="https://t.co/kLBy57gMCL">pic.twitter.com/kLBy57gMCL</a>
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrageDustin/status/1843635863852564881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
Notably, President Joe Biden undermined Harris&#8217; narrative on Tuesday when he told the press that he was working well with DeSantis, whom he said was doing a &#8220;great job.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Holy crap, Joe Biden just said Ron DeSantis has his direct number, is doing a great job on hurricane response, directly undercutting Kamala. Biden hates her. Not hiding it now: <a href="https://t.co/Bm95Nh75Iq">pic.twitter.com/Bm95Nh75Iq</a>
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/1843692185994309766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
DeSantis, too, has called out Harris, emphasizing that she&#8217;s never helped with any hurricane preparations and that President Biden has approved all that he&#8217;s asked for.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ron DeSantis just took Kamala Harris to the cleaners this morning on Fox News.
Absolutely brutal takedown. <a href="https://t.co/PNE3OVaNj7">pic.twitter.com/PNE3OVaNj7</a>
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrageDustin/status/1843637411659567232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-knifes-kamala-for-trying-to-lead-hurricane-response-desantis-doing-a-great-job">Biden Knifes Kamala For Trying To Lead Hurricane Response: DeSantis ‘Doing A Great Job’</a>

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Even CNN Panel Agrees Kamala Made Big Mistake Attacking DeSantis

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Joe Biden

Kamala Harris

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The National Hurricane Center warned <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Floridians</a> Wednesday morning that an “extremely life-threatening” storm surge is headed their way as Hurricane Milton moves toward the Sunshine State.  
The Center told residents to comply with evacuation orders from local officials as dangerous winds, torrential rain, and catastrophic flooding is expected to be brought by Milton. Milton will be the second hurricane to hit the region in less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall on September 26. 
“A large area of destructive storm surge, with highest inundations of 10 ft or greater, is expected along a portion of the west-central coast of the Florida Peninsula,” the Center said in an <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?start#contents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">early morning advisory</a>. “If you are in the Storm Surge Warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation, and you should evacuate as soon as possible if ordered by local officials.”
Officials also warned that Milton, a category four hurricane as of Wednesday morning, will bring “devastating hurricane-force winds” along parts of Florida’s west coast, where a hurricane warning is in effect. The prediction center <a href="https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0690.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a tornado watch for portions of central and South Florida, as well as the coastal waters region from 8:15 a.m. Wednesday morning until the evening. 
“Milton is forecast to remain a hurricane while it crosses the Florida Peninsula and life-threatening hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, are expected to spread inland across the peninsula,” the center said. “Preparations to protect life and property, including being ready for long-duration power outages, should be rushed to completion.”
“Rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches, with localized totals up to 18 inches, are expected across central to northern portions of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday.  This rainfall brings the risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding, along with moderate to major river flooding,” the National Hurricane <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/091147.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a separate bulletin. 
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
Officials project that Milton will move through the eastern Gulf of Mexico Wednesday before hitting the west-central coast of Florida later in the night or early Thursday morning before moving off the east coast of Florida to the western Atlantic Ocean Thursday afternoon. 
Milton has had sustained winds of 155 miles per hour with faster gusts and is expected “to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane” when it hits Florida.
The storm comes as disaster relief efforts are still being made for Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread damage across the Southeastern United States. At least 230 people were killed across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee because of the Helene.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-knifes-kamala-for-trying-to-lead-hurricane-response-desantis-doing-a-great-job">Biden Knifes Kamala For Trying To Lead Hurricane Response: DeSantis &#8216;Doing A Great Job&#8217;</a>

NAPLES :Florida Residents Prepare For Hurricane Milton

Officials Warn Of ‘Extremely Life-Threatening’ Storm Surge As Floridians Brace For Milton

National Weather Service

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