Active Storms in Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

(August 31, 2016) – Florida officials issued the first hurricane watch in four years for the west coast of the state today as Tropical Storm Hermine strengthened and continued its slow churn toward the state. Coastal residents have been evacuated, schools and colleges are closed Thursday and Friday, and officials have opened shelters for evacuees. Residents of Hawaii’s Big Island rushed preparations to completion this afternoon as a weakening Hurricane Madeline closed in, the first of two tropical systems pushing toward the state. The National Hurricane Center warned that the storm will pass “dangerously close” to the Big Island tonight.