WOW! Check out this Mako shark stranded along the shore this week in Pensacola Beach, Florida. Thankfully beachgoers got this big fella back into the Gulf, well done guys! 🦈 Credit: Tina Fey
CAN YOU IMAGINE? 😳 The sun will set today in Barrow, Alaska (now Utqiaġvik) and won't rise again until January 23rd. That's 65 days with NO SUN!
@WINKNews
HOW AMAZING IS THIS?! 🙌
Check out the massive cavalry of linemen & women that just moved into Cape Coral to help restore power after
#Ian
. Credit:
@WINKNews
viewer Joan H
#Florida
man spotted boating with a half semi-truck, half pontoon recently in Big Pine Key. Doesn't get more Florida than that. Credit: Michael Yatsuk
@WINKNews
*FALLING IGUANAS* possible this weekend in Southwest Florida as the coldest air of the season moves in Sunday morning. We have a pretty sizable iguana population from Sanibel to Cape Coral to Naples. Locally, lows will dip into the 40s, wind chills in the 30s by sunrise. 🥶🦎…
SNOW IN HAWAII! ❄️🌴 It's a winter wonderland right now at the summits of the Big Island with 5" of new snow on the ground today along with subfreezing temps! Credit: Mauna Kea Weather Center
#Hawaii
#Snow
@stormhour
RARE FLORIDA FLAMINGOS! 🦩🌴
They continue to pop-up along the Gulf, including here in Treasure Island. They were brought in from Cuba on the back-end of Hurricane
#Idalia
. Be on the lookout this weekend if you're going to the beach, might be lucky enough to see a few! Credit:…
WOW! Check out all the amazing shells up and down the Southwest Florida coast after Hurricane
#Idalia
. Be on the lookout this holiday weekend! 🏝️🐚
@WINKNews
Storm surge got into our WINK studios in Fort Myers, flooded the entire first floor. Lost power and was unable to continue broadcasting on tv/radio. No timetable on return to air.
#Ian
was the strongest hurricane in Southwest Florida history. Widespread destruction heading home.
AMAZING! Hurricane
#Ian
search & rescue operations from Sanibel to Fort Myers Beach. Thank you for helping our community! Credit:
@tyboe123
🙏👏
@WINKNews
FLORIDA GATOR VS METAL FENCE 🐊😳
Check out this big guy bend the bars and plow right through it this week in Placida. He eventually got through according to the
@WINKNews
viewer who shot the video. Only in
#Florida
!
@GatorsDaily
HOW CRAZY IS THIS?! 🤯🌧️
Just 100 miles was a difference in *7 feet of rainfall* this year between Naples (30.48") and Fort Lauderdale (113.61"). A simple drive along Alligator Alley separated the
#1
driest year on record with the
#1
wettest year on record!
@NWSMiami
@winknews
…
Death Valley could tie or break the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth this weekend. Highest reliable reading at the site is 130° F on August 16, 2020 and July 9, 2021. Back in 1913, there was an observation of 134 °F in
#DeathValley
, but that in recent years has been…
HOW COOL IS THIS?! 🤯
Rare "roll cloud" spotted in Florida this week, pictured here in the Tampa Bay area. These tube-shaped clouds roll because of a difference in speed and direction of the wind with altitude.
@WINKNews
@stormhour
GOOD NEWS! Southwest Florida's favorite eagles Harriet and M15 survived Hurricane
#Ian
, pictured here already rebuilding their original nest in North Fort Myers! ❤️🦅
@WINKNews
@SWFLEagleCAM
Florida water temps as hot as 95 - 97° between the Everglades and the Keys this week, according to multiple sensors roughly 5 feet deep. Horrible for the coral reefs in the area.
@WINKNews
#IDALIA
UPDATE 🌀 New 18z consensus models, historically better performing, have shifted 75 miles east compared to those same models 24 hours ago. Now this could still shift back west (windshield wiper effect) or it could continue east. Look for trends and consistency. I'll be…
Water temp of 98° F recorded today in Florida at the southern tip of Everglades National Park. The observation was in roughly 5 ft deep of water. One of the hottest readings I've ever seen along our coast.
@WINKNews
#LEE
MODELS 🌀 I want to reaffirm my message for Florida this will stay well east. I hope that will lower any anxiety and worry you might have about the storm. Models have been consistently away from Florida and have not changed...all 82 possibilities below. Even NHC noted in…
MEANWHILE IN FLORIDA 🐻🐻
Two bears were caught on camera playing and having the time of their lives in front of a Naples home on Saturday morning. Credit:
@WINKNews
viewers Lou & Nancy V.
AMAZING! Look at all the teamwork getting power restored recently along Sanibel-Captiva Road. Thank you for helping our Southwest Florida community! Credit:
@WINKNews
viewer Terry G. 💪
#BREAKING
🌀 Tropical Depression
#13
has formed in the Atlantic as of 11 am Tuesday. It's expected to become a powerful storm this week, with the NHC calling for a Category 4 Major Hurricane in their first cone. Here are my thoughts and the latest as of Tuesday:
INTENSITY: With…
GATOR INSIDE FLORIDA HOME! 🐊😳
This big guy in Venice got inside by pushing through a front screen door, into the kitchen, while she was in the living room. Only in Florida! Credit: Mary Hollenback
@WINKNews
NEW
#LEE
MODELS 🌀 As of Thursday afternoon, all 82 possibilities (ensemble members) from the European & American models consistently keep the hurricane well east of Florida. This is not our storm this time around thankfully. We will still see larger waves along the East Coast…
Rare sight over Florida today! Not a single cloud across the entire state on satellite as the "Sunshine State" finally lives up to its nickname during this gloomy winter. ☀️🌴
@WINKNews
FLORIDA BEAR FAMILY! 🐻 Busy mama spotted looking after her adorable *five* cubs east of Naples in Golden Gate Estates from a
@WINKNews
viewer. Kudos to her!
#BREAKING
🌀 Hurricane Lee has jumped from 80 mph to now 105 mph in just 6 hours as rapid intensification has started. NHC calling for a Category 5 over open water by the weekend. Models continue to thankfully keep this well away from Florida, but should be monitored from the…
TROPICAL STORM
#ELSA
🌀⛈ Here’s how it looked in Southwest Florida today as outer bands produced a fast-moving shelf cloud. Credit:
@WINKNews
viewer Marlene Musano
@stormhour
@spann
HOW CRAZY IS THIS?! 🌪️🤯
Rare *four* waterspouts close together on Saturday evening offshore of Sanibel, Florida. That's the most at one time I've seen for our area in a long time. Credit:
@WINKNews
viewer Blane Garrett
@spann
@StephanieAbrams
@JimCantore
@StormHour
Rare picture of a bald eagle and heron together in this incredible image recently at Lakes Park in Fort Myers, Florida! Credit:
@WINKNews
viewer Filat M.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: Hurricane
#Idalia
is now parallel to us and 150 miles off the coast as of 6 PM. *That is the closest it will get to us.* I want to reaffirm that we're in the clear from a direct impact, that has not changed and will not change. I hope that will calm any…
#BREAKING
🌀 Hurricane
#Lee
strengthens to a Category 5, first of 2023. Lee has rapidly strengthened from 80 mph early this morning to 160 mph now in just 18 hours. NHC has new peak intensity at 180 mph. Models have not changed for Florida, still keep it well east. I have the…
I don't get why some feel the need to "call" where they think
#Lee
is going so early? I've already seen "fish storm" and "not going to hit the US East Coast & Canada." Have storms like Charley, Rita, Irma, Florence and Ian over the years not taught some of us the occasional…
WOW! Amazing shot of the massive convoy of power companies, first responders and valuable resources that just went across the
#Sanibel
Causeway today. New date for residents to drive to Sanibel is ahead of schedule, now October 21st. Well done! 💪 Credit:
@MyFDOT
Friendly reminder to some already hyping the 12z European Model with Hurricane
#Lee
into New England. That's one deterministic model run. The European Model has 51 ensemble members (possibilities). What you saw is the purple line below on the far left. Now look at the black line…
#IDALIA
UPDATE 🌀 As of 11 AM Monday, Hurricane and Storm Surge Warnings have been issued for portions of the Florida West Coast, including Tampa Bay. A Major Hurricane is possible at landfall Wednesday morning between St Marks to Tampa Bay. Highest probability is closer to Cedar…
Fort Myers Beach at Shuckers / the Cottage. Don't give up Southwest Florida, stay strong. We WILL rebuild our community back to what we know & love. 🇺🇸
@WINKNews
#BREAKING
🌀 Tropical Depression # 10 forms with the first cone showing the potential of a Florida hurricane Tuesday into Wednesday of next week. Next name is
#Idalia
. Unfortunately today the system stayed east, spent more time over very warm Caribbean water with low shear and…
TROPICAL UPDATE 🌀 I've unfortunately already seen from some in Southwest Florida that
#Idalia
"will not be a problem for us." Yes, model majority is landfall in the Big Bend, but Southwest Florida is *NOT* in the clear yet even though we're not in the cone. Please don't let your…
Well, this is a new one. Large tent spotted randomly floating high in the sky above Iona here in Southwest Florida on Tuesday. Likely launched up by a surface whirlwind. Credit:
@WINKNews
viewer Amanda N.
@spann
@NWSTampaBay
@StormHour
WOW! Check out the hundreds of Florida manatees in this incredible aerial shot this week from Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River! Credit:
@citrusbocc
WOW! Mother Nature going absolutely nuts off the Southwest Florida coast right now. 4,000 lightning strikes with this storm in just 15 minutes. Check out the lightning density and tight clustering of strikes in the bottom image. ⚡️
@WINKNews
@stormhour
BUNDLE UP FLORIDA! 🥶
Coldest air of the season for many by Sunday morning with wind chills in the teens for the Panhandle, 30s in Southwest Florida. Brrr!
@WINKNews
Reason
#87347
to not venture out in flood waters unless your life depends on it. This rattlesnake was spotted by the Hernando County Sheriff Office as Hurricane
#Idalia
went by.
@WINKNews
HOW AMAZING IS THIS?! 👏🏻🔌 Look at all the linemen and women ready to get our power back on in Southwest Florida! Staging area at the Collier County Fairgrounds. Thank you for helping our community!
@WINKNews
@CollierSheriff
CAN YOU IMAGINE? 😳🧛♂️ The sun will set today in Barrow, Alaska (now
#Utqia
ġvik) and won't rise again until January 23rd. That's 65 days with NO SUN!
@WINKNews
PERSONAL NEWS: I was involved in a serious car accident recently after work on my way to see my wife Elizabeth and son Jack. While heading home, turning lane traffic formed a long stopped line of cars in the fast lane. A car in front of me saw it and quickly got over, but…
FLORIDA LIGHTNING! ⚡️ Check out this powerful bolt *explode* a neighbor's yard over the weekend in Sebring. Wow! Credit: Rod Murphy
@winknews
@StormHour
⚡️ FLORIDA LIGHTNING! ⚡️
Towering storm at night below the stars as a shelf cloud approaches Pine Island recently. Wow! Credit:
@WINKNews
viewer Michele M.
@spann
@StormHour
I've never seen this before! Southwest
#Florida
dolphin spotted throwing a fish into the air and playing with his food multiple times along Fort Myers Beach! Credit: Adventures in Paradise Cruises 🐬
SW FLORIDA GREEN FLASH! ☀️✨Can only be seen for a second or two during perfect conditions. Fort Myers Beach at sunset Friday! Credit: Scott Novello
#swfl
@spann
@JimCantore
@StormHour
FLORIDA TORNADO 🌪️
Waterspout pushed onshore today in Fort Lauderdale by the Plunge Beach Resort...hurling sand and umbrellas into the air before weakening. Credit: Jennifer S.
@WINKNews
@NWSMiami
@spann
FLORIDA LIGHTNING! ⚡ Watch this close strike today on camera from Madeira Beach. When thunder roars, go indoors! Credit: Brittany Labonte
@WINKNews
@stormhour
@spann
#Idalia
is now over 300 miles away, but just had a surge almost hit 3 ft this afternoon in Fort Myers. Combo of hurricane + full moon are elevating tides. Highest this morning was 3.4 ft. This is the
@WINKNews
parking lot (not threatening the building, we’re fine).
@stormhour
EXCITING NEWS! She said YES!! 💍
Last night I asked on our special anniversary and she made me the happiest guy in the world! She is the love my life and the one I want to spend forever with. I love you Elizabeth!
EYE OF HURRICANE
#IAN
🌀
One of the rarest shots you’ll ever see in Southwest Florida. The sun coming out in the eye of a near Category 5 hurricane. Note the stadium effect and curvature of the eye from this
@WINKNews
viewer’s home in Cape Coral.
@iCyclone
@spann
@JimCantore
160° difference in how it *feels* today across the country. Elk Park, Montana, had a wind chill of -74° F this morning, while Miami was in the 80s this afternoon. 🥶🥵
@WINKNews
WINK News is back on the air after storm surge from Hurricane
#Ian
flooded our entire studio in Fort Myers. Here is your 7-Day Forecast this week. Stay strong Southwest Florida, love you all. ❤️💪🏻
#IDALIA
UPDATE 🌀 New 00z consensus models are in this evening showing they have shifted 30 miles west today. 36 hours from landfall, the highest probability remains in the Big Bend and within the NHC Forecast Cone. Remember greatest impacts will be near and east of the center in…
#IDALIA
UPDATE 🌀 New 5 PM cone is in with now the potential for at least a Category 2 to approach Florida Tuesday into Wednesday.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: Now under a *Tropical Storm Watch* and *Storm Surge Watch*. Hurricane Watch in effect for Englewood, including Tampa Bay, to the…
TROPICAL UPDATE 🌀 The American Model 24 hours ago had a weak rainmaker across Florida. Now they've flipped and joined the other models showing tropical development. Current run puts a Category 1 Hurricane in the Florida Panhandle, but considering the model's inconsistency,…
⚠️ LIFE UPDATE! ⚠️ I’m honored to announce that I’ve been promoted to Chief Meteorologist at
@WINKNews
here in Southwest Florida. I will be moving to evenings where you can watch my weathercasts on WINK at 5, 6, and 11 PM!
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA : I wanted to continue to reaffirm that this will not be our storm. The eyewall, the worst part of the storm, will be up the coast and away from our area. Models have not drastically changed since my morning update (they've actually shifted west the past 24…
NEW: Rare earthquake near Florida occurred 100 miles east of Cape Canaveral last night at 10:48 PM. It was at a depth of 6 miles with light shaking felt in Brevard County. Did you feel it?
@WINKNews
WELCOME TO THE WORLD! 💙👶🏻
Jackson “Jack” Thomas Devitt was born on May 10th at 6 pounds, 11 ounces. He’s a happy and healthy little guy who enjoys cuddling on Mom and Dad. We love you so much Jack!