Hurricane Season Forecast Shrinks Again

Colorado State University researchers cut their Atlantic hurricane outlook again on Wednesday, now calling for 11 named storms, five hurricanes, and two major hurricanes, down from 13 storms and six hurricanes in April.

A strong El Niño expected during the season’s peak is the main driver, churning up wind shear that tears developing storms apart. The update matches the federal outlook, which gives a 55% chance of a below-normal season.

Forecasters still urge preparation, warning it only takes one landfall to make it a bad season. An average year produces 14 named storms and seven hurricanes.

World Cup Kicks Off, Miami Hosts 7

The FIFA World Cup kicks off today as host Mexico meets South Africa in Mexico City, opening a 39-day, 104-match tournament across 16 North American cities, including Miami.

Hard Rock Stadium hosts seven matches, beginning Monday with Saudi Arabia against Uruguay and building to a July 11 quarterfinal and the July 18 third-place match. Brazil, Portugal, and Colombia all play in Miami Gardens.

South Florida starts celebrating today with a free beachfront watch party and concert headlined by Carlos Vives, ahead of the FIFA Fan Festival opening Saturday at Bayfront Park. The U.S. opens Friday night against Paraguay.

Orlando Named Best Staycation City

Orlando is America’s best city for a staycation, according to a new national ranking of 182 U.S. cities that measured recreation, food and entertainment, and rest and relaxation.

The City Beautiful earned the crown with its wealth of amusement parks, water parks, nightlife, and festivals, plus the most ice cream shops per capita in the nation. plus the nation’s most ice cream shops per capita.

Tampa cracked the top 10 at No. 8, followed by Fort Lauderdale (No. 23) and Miami (No. 31).

Not every Florida city fared as well: Hialeah landed at No. 176 out of 182. See the full rankings.

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➤ Collier County: Road signs directing drivers to Alligator Alcatraz have been stolen repeatedly and replaced by FDOT, prompting residents to question the cost and necessity of reinstalling them. (See Sign) 

➤  Miami: Federal prosecutors charged two people in a scheme that allegedly stole and sold Medicare patient information from more than 6,000 people, fueling health care fraud across South Florida. (More)

➤ Manatee County: Deputies arrested three Miami-area residents accused of using fake IDs to steal and resell Home Depot rental equipment in a statewide scheme involving at least 55 items valued at more than $52,000. (More) 

➤ Fort Lauderdale: An audit found employees used city credit cards for Panthers tickets, gifts, and other prohibited purchases, while weak oversight failed to prevent $20,000 in fraudulent charges. (More)

➤ Lee County: A worker fell into a hole while sandblasting a barge near San Carlos Island, prompting a multiagency rescue Wednesday that freed him from entrapment and sent him to a hospital. (More)

➤ Brooksville: Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded Pasco-Hernando State College a $3 million grant to launch an aviation maintenance program at Brooksville-Tampa Regional Airport, expanding workforce training for high-demand aerospace careers. (More)

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➤ The Florida High School Athletic Association unanimously approved Open Division playoffs for football and 10 other sports starting this upcoming school year. The top eight teams will compete in a separate bracket, a move designed to prevent powerhouse programs from dominating smaller classifications. (More)

➤FSU baseball landed a commitment from FAMU transfer Jackson McKenzie, the Rattlers’ home run leader. He is the first transfer portal commitment for the Seminoles this offseason. (More) 

➤ Miami Marlins reliever Anthony Bender throws a sweeper that ranks as the most effective pitch in baseball this season, according to Statcast’s run value metric. The pitch generates nearly 20 inches of break and has held opposing hitters to a .096 batting average. (More)

➤ MotoGP will hold its 2027 preseason launch event in Miami in an attempt to grow motorcycle racing in the American market. The company is also exploring the possibility of staging a future race at the Miami International Autodrome, which currently hosts Formula 1. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | MLB | Soccer | WNBA

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➤ Waldorf Astoria Residences St. Petersburg has surpassed $200 million in sales ahead of a planned groundbreaking later this year for the 50-story luxury condominium tower, which is expected to become the city’s tallest building. (More) 

➤ Developers secured a $67.5 million construction loan for Cora Merrick Park, a 13-story mixed-use condominium project in Coral Gables that will include 74 residences, retail space, and wellness-focused amenities. (More) 

➤ Tallahassee city commissioners on Wednesday held a public hearing on a proposed 474-acre southside development that could bring 1,406 housing units while prompting environmental concerns from some residents. (More) 

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➤ Miami will showcase 11 large jaguar sculptures by Brazilian artists during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the public art exhibit culminating in an auction benefiting jaguar conservation. (See Jaguar)

➤ Biologists removed a record 8,080 pounds of invasive Burmese pythons and 4,100 eggs during the 2025-26 breeding season, surpassing last year’s total by nearly 2,000 pounds. (See Pythons)

➤ Southeast Florida Honor Flight celebrated the birthdays of World War II veterans Levant Bender, 100, and Richard Rossi, 102, during an event last week, featuring swing music and fellow veterans. (More)

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Should FDOT keep replacing the stolen Alligator Alcatraz signs?

1. Yes, drivers need them
2. Yes, but add a tracking chip
3. No, everyone uses GPS
4. No, it’s not worth the cost
5. Other

Have you ever been to a Jumbo Shrimp baseball game?

1. No: 81%
2. Not yet!: 10%
3. Yes: 9%

In what Florida city can you find the iconic Hortense Clock?

Show me the answer