A roundup of news items related to climate change and other environmental issues in Florida:
The 2023 hurricane season is over but provides warnings for next year | Tampa Bay Times
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season began with competing forces: record-hot sea surface temperatures and a recently settled El Niño, a weather phenomenon that typically hampers storm activity.
Nothing quite like it had occurred before in recorded weather history. The rare combination made the season unpredictable: While El Niño’s wind shear often stunts hurricane formation and can lead to a quieter season, forecasters knew warmer water could be powerful jet fuel for storms.
Ultimately, the season, which ended Thursday, produced 20 named storms — the fourth most since meteorologists started keeping track. Yet just one hurricane, Idalia, made landfall in the United States.
Senate committee investigating Florida’s state-backed home insurance company as private insurers flee | CNN
The U.S. Senate Budget Committee is launching an investigation into whether Florida’s state-backed home and property insurance company has enough money in the bank to withstand future disasters, as scientists warn warming oceans and sea-level rise are making storms more destructive.
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. exists as a so-called insurer of last resort – if owners cannot convince a private insurance company to cover their property, Citizens will step in. It insures about 1.3 million policyholders in the state, who typically pay more money for a policy that covers less.
But as coastlines disappear and storms get wetter and more dangerous, risk is through the roof for many of the properties Citizens insures, putting intense financial pressure on the state-backed company. During a March press conference, Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said, “I think most people know Citizens has not been solvent.”
Scientists race to save Florida orange juice, citrus industry | WKMG Orlando
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A small insect that carries a powerful disease is threatening the future of your cold morning glass of Florida orange juice.
Researchers blame citrus greening disease for a nearly 80% drop in Florida’s citrus production since 2005.
Records show it dropped 60% between 2022 and 2023 alone.
If you have any news items of note that you think we should include in our next roundup, please email The Invading Sea Editor Nathan Crabbe at ncrabbe@fau.edu. Sign up for The Invading Sea newsletter by visiting here.
