The Latest Breaking News from the Gulf Coast

Hurricane Isaias could nudge fuel prices higher if Gulf of Mexico refineries lose power

Hurricane Isaias is forecast to miss the oil industry’s biggest hubs along the Gulf Coast

The Independent UK · Oct 9

Hurricane Isaias reaches Category 3 strength: Why storm surge, not just hurricane-force winds, is the biggest threat

Hurricane Isaias has intensified into a Category 3 storm with winds reaching up to 120 mph as it approaches the Gulf Coast. Evacuation orders are being issued for vulnerable areas in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, emphasizing the threat of storm surge and flooding. Shelters are opening across the region to…

The Economic Times · Oct 9

Hurricane Isaías Ties a 121-Year Record — And It's About to Slam Pensacola as a Category 2 Storm

Category 2 Hurricane Isaías, the record-late first storm of 2026, targets Pensacola with evacuation orders, an airport shutdown, and up to 7 feet of storm surge.

Latin Times · Oct 8

In 2021, Alabama started turning discarded Christmas trees into sand dunes: How old festive trees are now helping protect Gulf Coast beaches

Christmas trees that were once the focal point of holiday celebrations are now playing a vital role in rebuilding sand dunes along Alabama's Gulf Coast. This inventive project repurposes discarded trees to trap wind-blown sand and encourage dune formation. To strengthen these new habitats, local volunteers then plant thousands of…

The Economic Times · Aug 24

In 2018, researchers tested wild-looking dogs on a Texas island: Their DNA preserved genes from the red wolf, declared extinct in the wild 38 years earlier

Recent studies have revealed that the canids in Texas possess genetic remnants of the long-extinct red wolves. These findings indicate a fascinating hybridization mix of coyote and red wolf lineage, occurring decades after the species' disappearance from the wild. The persistence of their genetic material through generations showcases the intricate…

The Times of India · Aug 20

CDC Says a Tropical Bacterium Occurs Naturally in Gulf Coast Soil, and U.S. Cases Are Being Missed

CDC says the bacterium causing melioidosis occurs naturally in the Gulf Coast region, meaning Americans can be infected without traveling abroad.

Medical Daily · Aug 14

A Soil Bacterium Now Established on the Gulf Coast Is Behaving Differently Than Its Southeast Asian Relatives

New CDC laboratory work found that Western Hemisphere and African strains of the melioidosis bacterium differ sharply in virulence in mice.

Medical Daily · Aug 13

Across America's three coasts, 84% of wetlands are slowly submerging; only 16% are rising fast enough to keep pace with the sea

As sea levels continue to rise at an alarming rate, coastal wetlands are facing unprecedented inundation. A staggering eighty-four percent of these essential ecosystems are currently experiencing loss on a national scale. The Gulf Coast wetlands are bearing the brunt of this crisis, largely due to human impact. Still, there’s…

The Times of India · Aug 5

Around 1900, the US planted Chinese tallow across the Gulf Coast as a commercial oil crop; it later invaded southern forests and can be toxic to cattle

Chinese tallow trees, once valued for commercial oils, now pose an invasive threat. These fast-growing trees spread rapidly across southern United States forests and grasslands. Their dense growth outcompetes native vegetation and alters wildlife habitats significantly. Controlling these invasive species requires persistent, combined management strategies. Preventing new ornamental plantings remains…

The Times of India · Aug 3

Hurricane Fausto strengthens into a Category 2 storm ahead of Hawaii approach

Fausto has been churning in the Pacific while Tropical Storm Bertha moved along the Gulf Coast

The Independent UK · Jul 24