Hurricanes

Hurricane Rafael strengthened into a Category 3 storm Wednesday morning just hours before it was forecast to make landfall in Western Cuba.

Tropical Storm Rafael is chugging past western Jamaica and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it heads toward Cuba.

The Environmental Voter Project says more than 130,000 first-time voters, who prioritize climate change, have already cast ballots. Combined with the impacts of extreme weather and climate change, they could decide this election. National climate reporter Chase Cain shows us where climate voters could have the most influence.

The Small Business Administration loan program is a key source of federal aid for those impacted by the storms, but the aid won’t be available until mid-November at the earliest.

A Southwest Airlines pilot who flew over 100 animals to safety from areas affected by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene took his duty a step further and gave one of the rescues a new family.

The pilot was part of a volunteer mission to transport more than 100 animals out of areas impacted by Hurricane Milton.

Gov. Ron DeSantis says the dog who was rescued from a fence post by a state trooper ahead of Hurricane Milton is safe. The owner of the dog has been identified and charged with animal cruelty.

“I want to caution that this is not a definitive count, because the task force is continuing its work,” Cooper said. “The number will continue to fluctuate as more reports come in and others are resolved.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told those spreading misinformation about Hurricane Helene relief efforts to “stop it” Tuesday. He warned that the interference threatened the safety of first responders and victims from the storm.

An armed North Carolina man was arrested after it was reported that he had made comments about “possibly harming FEMA employees” involved in hurricane relief efforts in the state, authorities said.

NBC6’s Niko Clemmons is live from Tampa with a look at the situation.

Several communities across the Tampa Bay area are still underwater after Hurricane Milton. Many families are still in the dark and gas is hard to come by.

Two days after Milton makes landfall, those in Fort Myers Beach are still trying to move forward. On Friday, cars were able to pass through Fort Myers Beach, assessing the damage and destruction.

In the aftermath of hurricanes, Floridians are now dealing with lies about another storm coming.

Hundreds of Palm Beach County storm victims are busy assessing the damage and starting the rebuilding process after an F3-level tornado rampaged through Wellington, the Loxahatchee area, and Palm Beach Gardens.

As Florida begins to recover from Hurricane Milton, there are plenty of ways to help those impacted by the devastating storm.

In the aftermath of hurricanes, Floridians are now dealing with lies about another storm coming. It’s disinformation that could chip away at people’s nerves, already frayed by two hurricanes in two weeks.

Back-to-back hurricanes that brought death and devastation to parts of the South were made worse by a wide range of false and misleading information, some of which still circulates even though they have been conclusively proven false.

Access to Fort Myers Beach is back open, and NBC6’s Sophia Hernandez got a firsthand look at the conditions there.

Massive cleanup is underway in Fort Pierce after a tornado wreaked havoc on multiple neighborhoods.