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Last updated at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. The giant hurricane was plowing through the Bahamas that Friday morning. Nassau reported winds increasing through the morning and into the early afternoon. But the last word from the Bahamian capital came at 1:00 PM. During the critical afternoon and evening hours, as the storm drove closer to Miami, the communications link was lost. Forecasters in Washington were blind. They knew the storm was powerful, but they didn't know if it was continuing toward Florida or veering to the north. HURRICANE SWELLS REVEAL FORGOTTEN HISTORY BENEATH ICONIC CALIFORNIA BEACH A look at the models on Sept. 17, 1926 at 8 a.m.  (Bryan Norcross / FOX Weather)After the fact, these maps show the 1926 estimates of where the hurricane tracked. Notice they simply drew a big LOW. They had no way to know exactly where the center was. The modern estimate is that at 8:00 AM, winds on the right side of the circulation were sustained at 145 mph, and that the storm would maintain that strength up to landfall the next morning south of Miami. A look at the models on Sept. 17, 1926 at 8 apm.

The area is still vulnerable to flash floods. The NPS said there was another flash flood Wednesday afternoon along Bright Angel Creek and the Colorado River and the North Rim Campground. THE TAKEWAYHuman remains were found in the Grand Canyon on Monday, two weeks after deadly flash flooding. Carrie Smith, wife of missing hiker Tim Smith, confirmed that the remains were her husband's. Monsoon storms triggered sudden and intense flash floods in the Bright Angel Creek area on Aug. 29. GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — The wife of the last person missing after intense flooding struck the Grand Canyon last month has identified his body. Carrie Smith said on social media that the body of her husband Tim was recovered Monday. The bodies of two others who were apparently on the same hiking trip, 46-year-old John Guisti and 42-year-old Brent Rosenkranz, both of Granbury, Texas, were recovered several days after the initial monsoon-fueled floods in the Grand Canyon on Aug. 29. HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERThe National Parks Service (NPS) said they found human remains near the Crystal Rapid on the Colorado River within the Grand Canyon on Monday.

An earthquake was recorded near Nelson, B. C. on Thursday morning. Light shaking was felt in nearby communities including Cranbrook and Creston, but there were no reports of damage or injury expected. DON'T MISS: Earthquakes are a risk in Canada. Here’s how to stay safeThe 3.7-magnitude earthquake, initially rated as 4.0 by Earthquakes Canada, was later downgraded. It occurred at 5:31 a.m. PDT at a depth of five kilometres, approximately 13 km east-northeast of Harrop/Procter, B. C. This follows a 3.8-magnitude earthquake that hit south of Ucluelet early Tuesday this week. B. C. is prone to earthquakes, a reminder to be preparedAlthough neither earthquake caused damage or triggered a tsunami threat, it highlights the importance of emergency preparedness for British Columbians. The Pacific Coast is the most earthquake-prone region of Canada, and seismologists with the Geological Survey of Canada record and locate more than 1,000 earthquakes in Western Canada each year. Content continues belowWhile technological advances make it easier to detect the size or location of a potential earthquake, it's still unclear when the next big one will arrive. How to prepare ahead of time?

Summer monsoon dumps on Alamorosa at sunset(Getty Images)Three people — two adults and one child — have been killed by flooding in northwest New Mexico, and flash flooding could bring more life-threatening conditions to the Southwest on Thursday. Police received a report overnight of people being washed away near Newcomb, New Mexico, according to local media reports. The three bodies were later recovered, and they appeared to have drowned, police said. Little additional information about how the victims drowned was immediately available. The area remains under a flood watch. More flash flooding expectedFlood watches have expired for Arizona but are still in place for New Mexico, Utah and Colorado Thursday. More rain expected to continue across the Southwest into the weekend. Drivers, hikers and adventurers should say out of creek beds, canyons, dry slots and arroyos, even if they're dry and it is not raining in the area. Floodwaters can rise rapidly and reception of warnings can be spotty.(MORE: Why the Grand Canyon can see flash flooding in minutes, not hours)Get More of Our News on GoogleSet The Weather Company as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.

An overhead, close-up view of McGetchin crater that was taken on December 5, 2025, by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's Narrow-Angle Camera. The image covers an area that three-fourths of a mile wide.(NASA Goddard/Intuitive Machines/Robert Wagner)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Scientists have discovered a crater on the moon that's bigger than the Roman Colosseum and is the result of a powerful impact two years ago that initially went undetected. The steep-sided hole — about 728 feet across and up to 141 feet deep — is the solar system’s biggest known impact crater carved out in recent times. Such a large-scale event is estimated to occur only once every 132 years, researchers said, making this a treasure trove of information as NASA prepares to build a base for astronauts on the moon.(MORE: NASA spots the new moon crater left by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket)“This event constitutes a statistically rare, effectively once-in-a-lifetime observation,” the scientists wrote in one of two studies appearing on the subject Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.

THE TAKEAWAY:Invest 98L is being monitored for tropical development in the open Atlantic.98L now has medium odds of development over the next seven days. The Atlantic hurricane season is off to its quietest start on record, dating to the beginning of the satellite era (1960). Storms in the open Atlantic which are being monitored by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) for tropical development have become slightly better organized, the NHC said. This comes as the Atlantic hurricane season is off to its quietest start on record, dating to the beginning of the satellite era (1966), with just 5 named storms and no hurricanes thus far. WHAT IS AN INVEST DURING HURRICANE SEASON? Area To Watch in the Atlantic(FOX Weather) The NHC designated this area to watch for tropical development as Invest 98L Tuesday morning. The hurricane center is now giving 98L medium odds of development over the next two days, a few hundred miles east of Bermuda. Unlike the typical tropical disturbances that emerge off the coast of Africa this time of year, this area is located in the subtropical Atlantic. The subtropical Atlantic lies outside the Main Development Region, or MDR — the primary hurricane belt.

Summary:Pacific Ocean surface waters are two degrees warmer than normalThis is the highest temperature ever observed on this dateThe Pacific Ocean surface temperature is very close to the all-time record set in November 2015SEE ALSO: A strange shift is happening in Antarctica, but it's not all badAt full speedEl Niño has just crossed a threshold rarely reached. The climate phenomenon, already classified as strong for several months, has officially evolved into a "super" El Niño--a status reflecting the exceptional scale of this event. Declared back in June, El Niño has intensified at a rapid pace, and it has not yet reached its full potential. Figures confirming the scale of the phenomenonIn the El Niño 3.4 region, the key sector of the tropical Pacific used to measure the strength of an El Niño event, the sea-surface temperature anomaly reached +2.0°C on Sept. 14, a level corresponding to the threshold for a super El Niño. Farther east, in the El Niño 1+2 region near the coast of South America, the anomaly climbs as high as +3.7°C.

Hurricane Ivan caused more than $20 billion in damage when it crashed through the Caribbean and into the northern Gulf Coast in the middle of Sept. 2004. Winds as strong as 195 km/h pushed a tremendous storm surge into Alabama and Florida. High winds knocked out power to millions of homes. And the storm’s remnants went on to produce the worst tornado outbreak ever observed during a landfalling tropical system. DON'T MISS: Tropical tornadoes are a hidden danger in landfalling stormsA very favourable Atlantic turned the 2004 season ferocious, producing fifteen named storms, nine hurricanes, and six storms that grew to Category 3 intensity or stronger. Five of those hurricanes struck the United States within a six-week window, including Charley, Frances, Gaston, Ivan, and Jeanne. Ivan proved one of the most destructive storms of the group. The storm existed for a whopping 22.5 days and reportedly tracked more than 10,000 kilometres from the eastern Atlantic to the U. S. Content continues belowThe powerful hurricane grew into a scale-topping Category 5 three separate times as it traversed the Caribbean, bringing devastating winds and 700+ mm of flooding rains to Jamaica.

2026 fire season on track to be biggest in a decadeWe’re not even out of summer, and the 2026 wildfire season is already on track to break records for the entire year. It's set to be the most destructive wildfire season in more than a decade when it comes to total area burned. What that meansAs of this week, there have already been more wildfires across the U. S., burning more square miles, than at this same point during the last 10 years. About 13,200 square miles have gone up in smoke so far this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. That’s an area roughly the size of Maryland and Rhode Island combined. For context, all of 2024 saw nearly 14,000 square miles burn nationwide. This year is already dangerously close to surpassing that total, and fire season is likely to stretch well into the fall.(MORE: What actually protects you from wildfire smoke)Get More of Our News on GoogleSet The Weather Company as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value. The amount of land burned this year alone is about 50% above the 10-year average and nearly double what had burned by this point last year.

Health officials in several parts of the U. S. are warning residents about a rise in deaths linked to flesh-eating bacteria, as the nationwide death toll reaches double digits and infections climb in some states. So far this year, Florida has reported four deaths from 21 cases, while Louisiana has reported six deaths from 17 cases. BURMESE PYTHON POPULATION BOOMS NEAR POPULAR FLORIDA TOURIST AREA, PROMPTING HIGHER CONSERVATION PRESENCEVibrio vulnificus is a rare bacteria that naturally occurs in warm saltwater and brackish water. People with open wounds or broken skin can become infected through direct contact with contaminated water. This Scanning Electron Micrograph Sem Depicts A Grouping Of Vibrio Vulnificus Bacteria  (BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images / Getty Images)According to the Florida Department of Health, most people, however, contract vibriosis by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters. In some cases, Vibrio vulnificus can cause severe and life-threatening infections.

Prediction markets at Kalshi are expecting a 74% chance that Miami receives over 9 inches of rain by the end of September. FLORIDA – The Sunshine State is in the spotlight for nasty weather and heavy rain all week long as tropical moisture surges across the state. Tropical downpours will move across Florida throughout the week, as a massive high-pressure heat dome over the Eastern U. S. helps drive gusty easterly winds across the state. This strong onshore flow will produce slow-moving rain showers and thunderstorms, with precipitation rates exceeding 1 to 2 inches per hour. WHAT IS A HEAT DOME AND HOW CAN IT AFFECT YOU DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS? The nasty weather shows no signs of slowing down, with severe storms and persistent rainfall expected through the weekend in Florida. FILE - People wear rain covers as they walk in the park during heavy rain in Miami Beach, Florida, on April 12, 2023. (Getty Images)Popular cities such as Miami could see 2 to 3 inches of rain through Sunday, as the wet weather began on Wednesday, according to the FOX Forecast Center.

This comes as new video surfaces of the 18-year-old allegedly shooting fireworks out of a moving truck before the start of the fire, which scorched over 10,000 acres and resulted in one death. THE TAKEAWAYPolice have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the Chelan Hills Fire. The wildfire resulted in one death. The Chelan Hills Fire caused over $6 million in damage. DOUGLAS COUNTY, Wash. – Police arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the Chelan Hills Fire, which ignited in Washington early this summer on July 4. At mid-afternoon on July 4, firefighters responded to the Chelan Hills Fire within 30 minutes of being dispatched as the flames quickly spread. SEE IT: LIGHTNING TRIGGERS MASSIVE TANK EXPLOSION IN OKLAHOMAThe Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced they have developed probable cause to arrest the primary suspect in connection with the fire, 18-year-old Michael Yakimov, on Sept. 3. This comes as new video surfaces of Yakimov allegedly shooting fireworks out of a moving truck before the start of the fire, which spread across over 10,000 acres and resulted in one death.

THE TAKEAWAYNorbert becomes post-tropical; could still bring rain to Hawaii later this week. Dry air brings a brief pause to the hyperactive hurricane season across the Pacific. A disturbance in the Gulf of California is enhancing monsoon thunderstorms across the Desert Southwest. More tropical moisture is headed to Hawaii from the remnants of Tropical Depression Norbert as dry air brings a brief pause to a hyperactive Pacific hurricane season that's been supercharged by El Niño. However, long-range forecasts show that tropical development may be possibly closer to the Mexican coast some time over the next seven to 13 days. Hawaii, which rarely sees tropical activity, has already felt impacts from three tropical systems this season, including destruction across parts of Kaua'i after a direct hit from Hurricane Lowell last week. HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERExpected rainfall(FOX Weather) Norbert became a remnant area of low pressure on Tuesday. Norbert's remnants could arrive in the vicinity of Hawaii between Thursday and Friday, bringing a widespread 1 to 2 inches of rain, with localized pockets of 2 to 3 inches of rainfall.

To understand how this monumental El Niño will shape our winter, NOAA has a network of instruments in the Pacific.

FOX Weather is your Hurricane HQ. (FOX Weather / FOX Weather)Last update at 10:00 a.m. on Sep. 16, 2026September 16, 1926The weather map had the South Florida newspapers flummoxed. A 40-mph tropical storm had been drifting offshore of Miami. Its fringes produced gusty winds along the coast and about 2 inches of rain. Meanwhile, a monster hurricane was north of Puerto Rico and on a track aimed at South Florida. But nobody yet understood the threat. GET THE LATEST FROM FOX WEATHER HURRICANE SPECIALIST BRYAN NORCROSS Weather map on Sep. 16, 1926. (Bryan Norcross / FOX Weather)Through the morning, the weather deteriorated on Turk Island, now called Grand Turk, at the southern end of the Bahamian chain. Through the afternoon and into the evening, the storm ripped and roared, causing massive flooding and widespread devastation. The modern estimate is that the hurricane had reached Category 4 strength with 145 mph winds when it hit the Turks and Caicos Islands. BRYAN NORCROSS: MIDDLE-OF-THE-ATLANTIC DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE AND LOOKING BACK 100 YEARS AGO TODAYBy that afternoon, the U. S. Weather Bureau in Washington had gotten word of the storm’s assault on Turk Island.

The inaugural Ocean Way music festival was scheduled for September 26-27, with performances by The Killers and Olivia Dean. Hurricane Marie swell reveals hidden history beneath The Wedge Hurricane Marie sent massive swells crashing into Newport Beach's legendary surf break, The Wedge, producing the towering waves the spot is famous for. But the hurricane-driven surf also unearthed a piece of California history, exposing long-buried wooden pilings believed to date back to the construction of the jetty that helped create the world-famous wave. THE TAKEAWAYOcean Way music festival was scheduled for September 26-27. The festival was canceled due to significant beach erosion from Hurricane Marie. Dangerous surf led to dozens of homes being evacuated as it damaged boardwalks. LOS ANGELES – A beachfront music festival in Santa Monica has been canceled due to the impacts of Hurricane Marie. The inaugural Ocean Way music festival was scheduled for September 26-27, with performances by The Killers, Olivia Dean, Jack White and Sublime.

STOCK PHOTO - A woman stands on the well-known flyover bridge with Mount Fuji in the background.(Getty Images)One prefecture in Japan is warning local and international climbers that it plans to start billing people who require a helicopter rescue after attempting to climb Mount Fuji during the off-season. The iconic mountain is shared by Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, and both announced plans this week aimed at preventing off-season accidents and deterring unprepared climbers. Starting in September 2027, Yamanashi plans to charge climbers for chopper rescues, but both regions are making it mandatory for hikers to submit climbing plans in advance. Authorities would then recommend changes to things like routes or equipment.(MORE: Why this place has the best fall foliage)Climbers who don't submit plans or ignore recommended changes would then be charged a fee if they need to be rescued by helicopter. “I want people to think about those who have to go and rescue them. This is a matter of common sense. Please spare a thought for those who are called out to carry out rescues at the risk of their own lives, and for the worry that this causes their families,” said Yamanashi Gov.

Atlantic tropical development odds sink back to low The Atlantic quiet streak could continue as tropical development odds sink back to low. FOX Weather Meteorologists Craig Herrera and Britta Merwin break down the current outlooks and the disturbance's complicated future: THE TAKEAWAY:An area to watch is being monitored in the subtropical Atlantic. The area to watch has low odds of development over the next seven days. There is no threat to the U. S. at this time, but Bermuda should continue to monitor the area for potential developments. An area to watch is being monitored in the Atlantic. Unlike the typical tropical disturbances that emerge off the coast of Africa this time of year, this area is located in the subtropical Atlantic. The subtropical Atlantic lies outside the Main Development Region, or MDR — the primary hurricane belt. That unusual location is part of what makes this area to watch so interesting. Area To Watch in the Atlantic(FOX Weather) Later this week, it could move into a brief window of more favorable conditions, though odds remain low for development over the next seven days.