What is storm surge, and what contributes to the deadly hurricane hazard?
CBSN
One of the most dangerous and deadly hazards of a hurricane is the storm surge. As Hurricane Ian hits Florida's west coast, FEMA warned that it's expected to cause "life-threatening storm surge and widespread flooding."
Parts of the coast could see storm surge of up to 18 feet, according to Ken Graham, the director of the National Weather Service. The National Hurricane Center considers three feet of storm surge to be life-threatening.
"We have to talk about the water," Graham said in a briefing Wednesday. "Ninety percent of your fatalities in these tropical systems comes from the water," he added, noting that figure includes deaths from storm surge and rainfall flooding.
President Biden on Monday signed into law a defense bill that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China's growing power and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion despite his objections to language stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children in military families.
It's Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus is suiting up for his annual voyage from the North Pole to households around the world. In keeping with decades of tradition, the North American Aerospace Command, or NORAD, will once again track Santa's journey to deliver gifts to children before Christmas 2024, using an official map that's updated consistently to show where he is right now.
An anti-money laundering law called the Corporate Transparency Act, or CTA, appears to have been given new life after an appeals court on Monday determined its rules can be enforced as the case proceeds. The law requires small business owners to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, by Jan. 1, or potentially pay fines of up to $10,000.