Currently — August 29, 2023: Idalia approaches landfall near Tampa Bay

The weather, currently.

Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to make landfall early Wednesday morning as a major hurricane, just north of the Tampa Bay metro area.

For context, the Tampa Bay region has been incredibly lucky over the past 75 years, so even a glancing blow from a major hurricane could produce a record-setting coastal flood.

Idalia will be tracking over record-warm ocean waters in the Gulf of Mexico, made warmer due to the burning of fossil fuels — which is part of why it's expected to be a major hurricane at landfall in Florida on Wednesday.

Every time there’s a hurricane disaster, this needs to be said, so I’ll say it again now: Climate change is making hurricanes worse.

Sea level is rising, making storm surge worse. Ocean temperatures are rising, making rapid intensification more likely. The air is warmer, which means it can hold more water vapor and rain harder.

Climate change is making hurricanes worse.

—Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

Currently is looking for weather newsletter writers! 🌤️ ⛈️ 🌈

Must be located in one of these places:

-Austin, TX

-Queens, NYC

-New Jersey (metro NYC)

-Long Island

Here are some specifics on what this role would entail:

- An original ~100 word daily descriptive post about what the next day will look and feel like in your city, written five days per week, Sunday - Thursday — due by 5pm ET.

- You'd be supported by our team of meteorologists for help during high-stress weather situations, like accurately describing a complex forecast before extreme weather hits.

- It's OK for you to do this using a pen name or pseudonym if you'd like to.

- $350/month pay + which will switch to a 50% revenue share of your city's paid subscriptions once the newsletter revenue reaches $700/month.

The ideal weather posts are short, but full of personality. Think of it as your daily public weather diary, letting a good friend know what to expect during her day tomorrow. The hope is that you'll feel inspired and safe enough to bring your full self to these short posts, and to your community. Here's an example of our daily NYC newsletter and our daily Portland newsletter.

To apply, send Eric an email and a short description of your favorite weather day! Thank you 🙂 [email protected]

Currently has begun to partner with other likeminded newsletters to help the growth of independent climate media — we receive financial support for each new subscriber we can recruit, so check them out!