Currently in NYC — August 29 2023: Dreary, humid, and rainy

The weather, currently.

A dreary day is in the cards for us on Tuesday. We’ve got an area of low pressure nearby which spells cloudy skies with the chance of showers. The humidity increases and all that moisture in the air, even when it’s not raining, will make the day feel damp. Our temperature is still below average with a high of 77°F. The evening and overnight look to be the wettest so if you’re heading to the US Open, check for any schedule adjustments before you leave.

Bike Forecast:

5 out of 10

— Stacy Blundell

What you need to know, 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.

The fires in Maui have struck at the heart of Hawaiian heritage, and if you’d like to support survivors, here are good places to start:

The fires burned through the capital town of the Kingdom of Hawaii, the ancestral and present home to native Hawaiians on their original unceded lands. One of the buildings destroyed was the Na ‘Aikane o Maui cultural center, a gathering place for the Hawaiian community to organize and celebrate.

If you’d like to help the community rebuild and restore the cultural center, a fund has been established that is accepting donations — specify “donation for Na ‘Aikane” on this Venmo link.