Florida News That Impacts You – October 18th, 2023
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- For the 2nd consecutive day temperatures have reached the 50’s overnight in South Florida – with lows once again in the mid-to upper 50’s throughout the Palm Beach Beaches. Temperatures are expected to rise a bit to seasonal norms later this morning.
- A disturbance in the southern mid-Atlantic is expected to develop into a tropical cyclone on the approach to the Lesser Antilles over the next couple of days. It’s then likely to break towards the north and away from the Eastern US.
- A new study of Florida’s property insurance market found premiums are unlikely to drop anytime soon but also that there aren’t additional reforms which could further help Florida’s property insurance market following two years of legislative actions aimed at doing so. According to the independent risk management firm Karen Clark and Co., high construction costs will continue to keep Florida’s property insurance premiums high even while reforms to curb litigation abuse are proving effective.
- Florida Fish and Wildlife announced a South Florida initiative to remove abandoned vessels in waterways called “Operation Clean Sweep”. Working with local governments, FWC aims to expedite the removal of derelict vessels from waterways. The agency has already removed 737 vessels from Florida’s waterways this year – which is higher than the average annual total of around 600. They’ve also stated there are 900 additional open investigations into potentially abandoned vessels.
- Gas prices are another three cents lower today. Statewide the average price for regular unleaded is $3.29 per gallon – 13 cents lower than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.50 per gallon, which is the 10th highest price in the state. Oil prices have continued to rise in recent days and are 7% higher since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war.