Florida Will See Drought-Relieving Rain This Week, But It Could Be Too Much For Some

Florida will see rounds of rain this week, bringing some much needed relief to parts of the drought-stricken state.

However, some places could see too much - too quickly, bringing a flood threat to millions.

Happening Now

Rainfall has spread across much of the Florida Peninsula and will continue through the next couple of days. Some of the rainbands could be intense and bring pockets of flooding.

Forecast Timing

The first round of rain moved through yesterday as a cold front stalled out over the state. Some parts of the state picked up 2 to 5 inches of rain Monday, particularly between Vero Beach and Daytona Beach.

Flood watches are in effect for much of the east coast of the peninsula through Tuesday night.

These locally heavy downpours will be enhanced by a pair upper level disturbances drifting over the state from the Gulf of Mexico as the stationary front hangs out.

This setup should remain in place through Thursday.

Fortunately, the majority of the rain will wrap up by Friday, so any weekend plans won’t be impacted.

How Much More Rain?

The highest totals are expected across the eastern coastline of Florida through Friday, where flood watches have been issued in the green areas in the graphic below, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Daytona Beach.

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Widespread additional amounts over 3 inches are expected generally from Daytona Beach and the Space Coast to near West Palm Beach. But should slow-moving storms move over the same areas, we could see isolated totals over 5 inches.

Some places could see rapid rain rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Rainfall this quick will not allow the soil to absorb it. As a result, flooding is possible, especially in urban areas.

Across the southern portion of the state, including Miami, an additional 1 to 3 inches are expected.

Lighter additional amounts are expected, in general, in the western Florida Peninsula, and little or no additional rain is expected in the western Florida Panhandle.

Much Needed Relief

Florida is in one of its worst droughts this century. The state is in the highest extreme drought, or a D3 of 4, in over the last 25 years, according to the US Drought Monitor. Note that in January 2000 and December 2011, there was a higher amount of the exceptional drought, or a D4 of 4.

Tallahassee, Florida, has only seen 6.66 inches of rainfall this year. Their average year-to-date for this time of year is more than double that at over 14 inches. Cities like Jacksonville, Orlando and Daytona Beach are all running well below average as well.

Drought-stricken soil doesn’t handle fast rainfall very well. It needs steady rain to be able to chip away at the drought. Should rain fall too quickly, it just leads to runoff and eventually flooding.

Here’s to hoping that the rainfall is widespread and that rates remain at levels where the soil can actually benefit from the rain.

Rob Shackelfordis a meteorologist and climate scientist at weather.com. He received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia studying meteorology and experimenting with alternative hurricane forecasting tools.

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April 10, 2026

Florida Will See Drought-Relieving Rain This Week, But It Could Be Too Much For Some

Florida will see rounds of rain this week, bringing some much needed relief to parts of the drought-stricken state. However, some ...

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Japanese town sours on the crowds coming to see cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji

FUJIYOSHIDA, Japan (AP) — The trouble started with a beautiful photo.

Japan Mount Fuji Cherry Blossom Woes

Social media was soon awash with the lovely view of Japan's snow-cappedMount Fujilooming over a red pagoda and the short-livedcherry blossomsthat herald the approach of spring.

Tourists wanting a similar shot soon packed this peaceful town at the foot of the mountain. The complaints were not far behind: chronic traffic jams; piles of litter; ill-mannered foreigners knocking on doors of private homes to borrow toilets; tourists relieving themselves in front yards.

It got so bad officials in Fujiyoshida announced in February that they were canceling this year’s annual cherry blossom festival, which started as a way to promote tourism a decade ago.

What locals are calling “tourism pollution” has illuminated a broader problem for Japan: As the country's economic malaise deepens, officials are eager for the economic boost of increased tourism, even as local communities find themselves entirely unprepared for what a small army of foreign visitors means for their communities.

10,000 tourists a day 'threaten residents' daily lives'

“This area is primarily an ordinary residential neighborhood, where balancing (tourism) with the safety of people's living environment has become difficult,” Masatoshi Hada, manager of the Fujiyoshida Economics and Environment Department, told The Associated Press. “We decided not to promote a festival that would invite more visitors.”

Even without the festival, foreign tourists packed the area on a sunny day in early April whencherry blossomsreached their prime. The narrow streets up to the popular Arakurayama Sengen Park were filled as the visitors lined up for a chance film the world-famous panoramic views.

In recent years, foreign tourists have exceeded 10,000 per day in the area, something that has “threatened residents’ daily lives,” the city said in a statement in February.

‘Tourism pollution’ across Japan

Overtourism has also been seen in other popular destinations in Japan, like Kyoto and Kamakura. In Kyoto, locals complain of tourists with large suitcases clogging city buses.

“Tourism pollution” comes as Japan confronts a rapidly growing population of foreign workers brought in as the country's population dwindles and ages. The combination has led toxenophobia, and Prime MinisterSanae Takaichi’s nationalistic government has proposed tougher rules on foreigners.

Even as it promises to address overtourism concerns, the government wants to boost the current level of 40 million inbound tourists to 60 million visitors by 2030.

Locals find the tourism ‘good but annoying’

Beginning April 1, at the start of the region’s cherry blossom season, Fujiyoshida increased its security guards and restricted entry of tour buses and vehicles into the scenic neighborhood, requiring visitors to reach the park on foot.

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On a recent day, security guard Hiroaki Nagayama gestured to passersby so they would stay out of busy areas. He asked tourists to throw cigarette butts in designated places and tried to help the lost.

“I’m struggling. I cannot communicate with them in Japanese. Some people buy food at stalls and leave litter behind,” Nagayama says. “I think what’s happening here is a typical example of overtourism.”

Sitting on a bench outside his house just a couple of blocks away, Hitoshi Mori, 93, says having many visitors is “good but annoying.”

“It’s too crowded outside so I can only get groceries once a week and stock up on food,” he says.

Tourists enjoy the view and culture, despite crowds

Tourists, meanwhile, seem delighted by the spectacular view, despite many signs popping up that order them to behave better. There are also hours-long lines to get to cherished scenic spots.

“It’s pretty (well) organized. When they let you come in, you have like five minutes to take as many pictures as you can, and it was amazing,” said Lisa Goerdert from Paris.

Vicky Tran, who came from Melbourne, Australia, with her family and friends, said they could not go all the way up to see the pagoda with Mount Fuji and the cherry blossoms, because it was too crowded. Still, she said she enjoyed the view and the neighborhood.

Overtourism dividing residents

The overtourism has opened divisions between residents who want quiet and those who have started businesses using their yards to operate toll parking or setting up new shops or food stalls.

In a nearby shopping arcade that once had many closed mom-and-pop shops, business has picked up after another viral social media shot showed Mount Fuji looming over the street.

Throngs of tourists stand in the street to take photos of Mount Fuji, often blocking traffic, with frustrated vehicles honking.

The sudden flood of visitors is a huge change “for people like us who are used to a quiet suburban lifestyle,” says Masami Nakamura, who runs a decades-old school uniform shop with her husband. “I only hope the tourists respect our rules and manners.”

The crowds are a big change even for those who are seeing increased business.

“I once almost hit a tourist who jumped into the street without looking,” said Kyoko Funakubo, a 60-year-old employee at a local hotel and a part-time vendor selling Fuji-themed souvenirs. “This place used to be almost abandoned, with many shuttered shops. But now, with many stores reopened or new shops that have opened, I feel good seeing this area come alive again.”

byAdministrator

in

April 09, 2026

Japanese town sours on the crowds coming to see cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji

FUJIYOSHIDA, Japan (AP) — The trouble started with a beautiful photo. Japan Mount Fuji Cherry Blossom Woes Social media was ...

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Oscars announce final 2 ceremony dates on ABC before moving broadcast to YouTube

The Academy has announced ceremony dates for the 99th and 100th Oscars.

Key Points

• Both telecasts mark the final time the Oscars will air on ABC until at least 2033.

• YouTube secured broadcast rights for the Academy Awards, with the streaming platform set to roll out its first event in 2029.
  

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revealed its final twoOscarsceremony dates set to air on ABC, before theAcademy Awards make a historic movefrom their longtime broadcast network to YouTube beginning in 2029.

Both the 99th and 100th Oscars ceremonies will be broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, with the 99th telecast airing on Sunday, March 14, 2027, followed by the 100th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 5, 2028. Each ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

The announcement comes months after the Academy confirmed the 100th ceremony would be the last to air on ABC for the foreseeable future, with the Oscars heading to the digital streaming platform starting with the 101st ceremony in 2029.

YouTube will be the Oscars' new home for at least the next four years, with the platform securing the rights to stream the ceremony until 2033.

The move ends a 76-year tradition, with the Oscars airing on network television since the 1953 NBC telecast. ABC signed a multi-year contract to broadcast the Oscars starting in 1976.

In a similar shakeup, theActor Awards(formerly known as the SAG Awards) made the jump from longtime broadcast partners TNT and TBS in 2023, when the show aired on Netflix's YouTube channel before moving again to Netflix's main streaming platforming starting in 2024.

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Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Other key dates for the 99th Oscars include a Dec. 15 shortlist announcement and a Jan. 21, 2027 nominations announcement for all of the main categories.

Hosted by returning emcee Conan O'Brien, the 2026 Oscars saw major stars like Sean Penn, Michael B. Jordan, Amy Madigan, and Jessie Buckley win acting awards, whileOne Battle After Anotherwon Best Picture over Ryan Coogler's horror hitSinners.

The 2026 ceremony also saw multiple former Rob Reiner collaborators unite on stage to pay tribute to the director and actor, who was found dead alongside his wife, Michele Reiner, in their California home in December.

The filmmaker'sStand by Meactor Corey Feldman, however, later toldEntertainment Weeklythat he was disappointed he wasn't included in the lineup, comparing the moment to a "family reunion I wasn't invited to."

Early likely contenders for the 2027 Oscars includeDenis Villeneuve'sDune: Part Three, Aaron Sorkin'sThe Social Reckoning, Alejandro González Iñárritu'sDigger, and Christopher Nolan'sThe Odyssey, among others.

ABC will broadcast the 99th Oscars on Sunday, March 14, 2027, followed by the 100th Oscars on Sunday, March 5, 2028.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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April 09, 2026

Oscars announce final 2 ceremony dates on ABC before moving broadcast to YouTube

The Academy has announced ceremony dates for the 99th and 100th Oscars. Key Points Both telecasts mark the final t...

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Audrey Hepburn’s Former LA Mansion Sells for $9.4 Million

The only thing better than breakfast atTiffany’s? Breakfast at Audrey Hepburn’s former Brentwood rental home—which hit the market last summer for the first time in 34 years. The price? $10.9 million. Now, a buyer (and presumably a fan of thesilver screen legend) purchased the Los Angeles hideaway for $9.4 million, a nearly 14 percent discount. Jennifer Montague and the Larson Burmester Group of Sotheby’s International Realty handled the sale.

The house was first owned by Mildred and Edwin Knopf, relatives of Alfred Knopf who owned the renownedpublishing house, in the early 1950s. That was before British actress Deborah Kerr and her husband, Peter Viertel, snagged it.Hepburnleased the house twice from Kerr while she was abroad shooting films. According to several Sotheby’s International Realty listing agents, Hepburn was there in the spring of 1950, during a screen test ofQuo Vadis(Hepburn was considered for the part of Lygia, but the role, in fact, went to Kerr), and again while preppingThe Children’s Hourthe next year (Hepburn played Karen Wright).

The 31,163-square-foot estate, tucked behind gates on one of Brentwood’s most coveted streets, still exudes the understated elegance Hepburn was known for. Manicured rose gardens frame the property, while a covered lanai—outfitted with a fireplace, built-in ceiling heaters, and views of the expansive front lawn—feels tailor-made for early mornings with croissants and coffee.

But it’s the house itself, built in 1939 by an unknown builder, that warrants such a hefty price tag. The 6,099-square-foot Georgian-style gem features five bedrooms, six-and-a-half baths, and a look that marries old-Hollywood grace with updated modernity. There's hand-painted Gracie wallpaper in the dining room, a conservatory fit for cocktail hour, and a chef’s kitchen with sun-soaked garden views.

Kitchen

The kitchen is a maximalist haven, with arched ceilings original to the house.

Living Room

The living room features a gorgeous fireplace and plentiful natural light.

Primary Bedroom

The upstairs primary suite boasts dual spa-like bathrooms, massive walk-in closets, and a balcony.

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Primary Bathroom

The primary bathroom is almost as large as most New York bedrooms.

Backyard Porch

A covered porch features a fireplace, built-in ceiling heaters, and views of the expansive front lawn.

Backyard

To the side of the porch, there's a small putting green.

Backyard

A modernized pool graces the house's backyard.

The upstairs primary suite is practically a home in itself, with dual spa-like bathrooms, massive walk-in closets, and a balcony that overlooks the estate’s verdant-green front lawn. Downstairs, there’s a family room and a guest suite perfect for your live-in help—or your very lucky in-laws. Oh, and did we mention the swimming pool and a small putting green in the backyard?

Sure, Tiffany’s has diamonds. But this house has Hepburn, history, and a front lawn fit for a film still.

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byAdministrator

in

April 09, 2026

Audrey Hepburn’s Former LA Mansion Sells for $9.4 Million

The only thing better than breakfast atTiffany’s? Breakfast at Audrey Hepburn’s former Brentwood rental home—which hit the market last ...

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Watch the Artemis II crew reenact the “Full House” opening credits: 'We are cracking up up here'

The Artemis II crew was apparently nostalgic for Earth on Sunday, as they did their own version of the opening credits of '80s TV comedyFull House.

They looked at paperwork only to look up and smile right on time, gave the camera a smile or a wave, even shared a laugh with others, with their name underneath, just like TV audiences of yesterday were used to seeing in a video shared by the official account of NASA. There was even a cameo by Rise, the zero-gravity indicator.

But in case anyone was confused, Commander Reid Wiseman explained.

"We were doing scenes from bad '80s sitcoms when they introduce the cast of characters," he said. "So that’s why we all did those, and we are cracking up up here.”

The video was given a cheeky caption.

"Everywhere you look, everywhere you go—there’s the Artemis II crew," it read. "These four astronauts are currently on their way to fly around the Moon in NASA's Orion capsule, which is roughly comparable to two minivans. You could say it's a full house!"

After all, commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency wanted to have some fun during their very serious mission of flying around the moon. Sunday marked the astronauts' fifth day of 10 total they are expected to spend on their journey.

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The originalFull Houseaired for eight seasons, from 1987 to 1995. The ABC sitcom, a cornerstone of its TGIF lineup, which also included shows such asFamily Matters,Step by Step, andBoy Meets World. Sequel seriesFuller House, which starred the grown-up Tanner women, ran for five seasons, from 2016 to 2020.

Starring the late Bob Saget, as well as Dave Coulier, John Stamos, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the comedy depicted a non-traditional family living under one roof.

Stamos, for one, appeared amused to have been included.

"Honestly?" hewrotein a repost. "If aliens make contact now, they're gonna think our entire civilization is just hugs, life lessons, and Uncle Jesse fixing everything in 22 minutes."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Official versions of the opening credit sequence featured Bure's D.J. Tanner talking on a landline, Sweetin's Stephanie dancing, and the family gathering at the kitchen table and at the park near their San Francisco home.

Officially titled "Everywhere You Look," the very catchy tune was co-written by Jesse Frederick and Bennett Salvay. The musicians also came up with the tracks for other sitcoms of the era, too, includingFamily MattersandPerfect Strangers, another TGIF title.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAdministrator

in

April 09, 2026

Watch the Artemis II crew reenact the “Full House” opening credits: 'We are cracking up up here'

The Artemis II crew was apparently nostalgic for Earth on Sunday, as they did their own version of the opening credits of '80s TV c...

Read More