LOCAL EDITION — Fort Myers, Southwest Florida

Climate isn't a debate here. It's the water temperature this afternoon.

Where Lake Okeechobee meets the Gulf — and where warming water, algae and sea level land on the same coastline. We publish what the instruments say — updated continuously, sourced to the agency that recorded it.

Today's local brief

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Automatically generated from live public data — not written reporting. Sources listed below each section.

Today's climate stories

Three or more stories every day, curated from climate and energy newsrooms and delivered in the ClimateNews Daily Signal.

Climate Change Is Bringing Dengue Fever to the High HimalayasThe warming of Nepal’s mountains is dramatically transforming some of the grandest landscapes on Earth, leading melting glaciers to collapse, thawing permafrostGlobal Science Panel Hits Roadblocks Ahead of COP31 Climate SummitAs global climate negotiators and government officials convene for the annual United Nations climate summit, the scientific organization they rely on to guide tWhat’s the point? Ten years after the Paris treaty, are climate talks getting anywhere?Its key temperature goal has been missed but experts say the agreement is still proving a vital moral compass for progressIt was a curious way of conducting negGlobal Campaign Seeks to Curb Emissions of World’s Most Potent Greenhouse GasThe German government has launched an international initiative to curb emissions of sulfur hexafluoride, an exceptionally potent greenhouse gas that it says hasMost Europeans want action to tackle climate crisis but not at any cost, poll showsYouGov survey finds support for tree planting and emissions taxes but opposition to air travel and fuel leviesEurope live – latest updatesEuropeans believe humaThe midterms show that Latinos could be a powerhouse force on climateLatino voters are concerned about climate change – and among the most confident in their ability to create political change.
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Right now in Fort Myers

Live readings from NOAA's Fort Myers station and state lab sampling. These are the numbers that decide whether the water is pleasant, profitable or dangerous this week.

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Sources: NOAA Tides & Currents station 8725520 · Florida DEP Algal Bloom Sampling · live spill map at EcoBoard.com · current conditions for the whole coast at EarthPortal.com

Active warnings

National Weather Service alerts currently in effect for Southwest Florida.

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Source: NOAA National Weather Service

Why we report this locally

Because the costs are local, measurable and already here — in emergency rooms, in tourism receipts and on the end of a leash.

Economic
$2.7B
Tourism losses from the 2018 red tide statewide — about $1.27B of it in Southwest Florida.
UCF Rosen College study, via SCCF
Economic
$5.3B
What a single harmful algal bloom could cost Lee County in lost recreation and quality of life.
Greene Economics, via The Invading Sea
Health
ER visits
Peer-reviewed research documents increased emergency room admissions for respiratory illness during Florida red tides.
Kirkpatrick et al., Harmful Algae (NIH)
Health
Pets
Dogs drink while swimming and ingest more grooming algae off their fur. Some cyanotoxins act within minutes. Keep pets out of blooms.
Live toxin results at EcoBoard.com

Get the local climate brief

A short email when the measurements change in a way that matters — water warm enough to drive blooms, toxins detected nearby, sea level or severe weather events. Free, and you can stop anytime.