More than 60 House Democrats have signed on to a letter urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to "immediately" call Congress back into session to pass funding addressing Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Why it matters: The Democrats fear the intense storm season will strain emergency agencies' budgets to their breaking point before lawmakers' scheduled return to Washington next month.
Hurricane Milton is expected to be a "dangerous major hurricane" when it reaches Florida's west-central coast Wednesday night as the storm remains on track for a potentially calamitous landfall near or just south of Tampa Bay.
Threat level: The storm track is looking likely to slip just south of Tampa Bay to a point between there and Sarasota. Where the peak surge hits will cause widespread, potentially "catastrophic" destruction, the National Weather Service warned.
Global renewable power generation — real output, not just capacity! — should pass coal in 2025, the International Energy Agency's new outlook finds.
Why it matters: It's testament to the rapid rise (see above), led by solar, that could see renewables provide nearly half of global power generation by 2030.
The White House and the EPA will tap $2.6 billion from President Biden's signature infrastructure law to replace every lead drinking water pipe in the country within a decade as part of a newly unveiled EPA rule.
Why it matters: The toxic effects of lead in drinking water became national news during the Flint, Michigan crisis, but the EPA estimates that up to 9 million homes and businesses across the country still get their water through lead pipes.
Updating to iOS 18 ahead of Hurricane Milton, could help iPhone users stay in touch with friends and family via satellite messaging when there is no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
Why it matters: Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall on Wednesday and threatens to impact highly populated areas of the Florida coast.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warned Tuesday that falsehoods related to hurricanes are significantly impeding their response efforts, and putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida and others pick up the pieces from Hurricane Helene.
Why it matters: Amid one ongoing natural disaster, and with another on the horizon, the federal agency took time from preparation and response efforts to caution the public about rampant misinformation.
Florida, Louisiana and Texas residents have received the lion's share of FEMA direct assistance since 2015, per newly gathered data.
Why it matters: The numbers illustrate Americans' urgent financial needs in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters, and reflect the toll of storms like 2017's Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
More help is now needed in the wake of Hurricane Helene, and more still is likely to be needed after Hurricane Milton, now bearing down on Florida's western coast.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued a dire warning to residents considering ignoring evacuation orders as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida.
Threat level: "I can say without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you're going to die," Castor told CNN on Monday evening.
Evacuationsare under wayin the Tampa Bay area and other parts of Florida's Gulf Coast as Hurricane Milton "explosively" intensified ahead of its approach to the state's Gulf Coast Wednesday.
Threat level: The storm poses a dire scenario of a potential direct hit on Tampa Bay from the west-southwest. That would push an unprecedented 10- to 15-foot storm surge into Tampa and other locations along and to the south of where the eye crosses the coast.
Emergency responders gameplan for worst-case scenarios, but rarely see one like this roar to life: A Category 4 hurricane is bearing down on Florida, while resources are strained responding to another devastating hurricane in the same region.
Why it matters: Hurricane Milton frightens authorities and experts because it strengthened so rapidly, threatens heavily populated areas and is hitting so close to Hurricane Helene.
Climate change could drive up demand for drugs to treat asthma, kidney disease and Alzheimer's and add to supply chain disruptions that can jeopardize patient care, according to new RAND estimates.
Why it matters: While a growing body of research has established a link between extreme weather and poor health, there's a knowledge gap around how climate change could affect supplies of common medicines.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vice President Kamala Harris accused each other of playing "political games" over reports that he wouldn't take the Democratic presidential candidate's calls on Hurricane Helene, which he denies.
Why it matters: The state is now staring down the threat of the "extremely dangerous" Hurricane Milton this week as officials respond to the aftermath of Helene, which struck nearly two weeks ago.
The big picture: A slew ofconspiracy theories rapidly spread online in the wake of the storm — which left more than 200 people dead across six states — about aid to hard-hit communities and employees on the ground.
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