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  • Tropical development happens closer to the U.S. in October

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    The peak of the 2025 hurricane season was nearly three weeks ago, and the tropics have responded, with three hurricanes — Gabrielle, Humberto and Imelda in just that time period. Two of those hurricanes even achieved Category 5 status, with winds of 155+ mph.

    With two more months left in the typical hurricane season, how does the month of October play out with storms? 

    What You Need To Know

    • Tropical activity slightly decreases in October

    • The development regions shift to the Caribbean and eastern U.S. coastlines

    • Track patterns change, and most systems track toward the northeast


    While activity decreases slightly in October, the month sees most of the storm formations closer to the U.S., particularly in the Gulf, Southeast Coast and Caribbean. These are locations where water temperatures remain well above the 79° threshold. 

    Most systems track toward the northeast, with it likely that many stay off the eastern coastlines. However, there have been landfalling systems in past October months.

    Milton

    Milton was one for the record books, even before ever making landfall. While it formed in the Bay of Campeche on Oct. 5, it quickly intensified into a hurricane. It underwent rapid intensification in the Gulf, going from a Category 3 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane with maximum winds of 180 mph in less than 24 hours. It ties Hurricane Rita for the most intense Atlantic hurricane ever.

    It made landfall near Siesta Key, Fla., as a Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 120 mph. Prior to landfall on Oct. 7, the outer rainbands spawned tornadoes in central and southern Florida. 126 tornado warnings were issued in Florida, the second most tornado warnings ever issued in one day, and the most ever in Florida or from a tropical system. 

    Parts of Hillsborough County saw flooding from hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton last year. Hillsborough County is hosting several meetings to gather information from residents and businesses about the flood impact of those storms. (Spectrum News)

    As Milton moved inland, heavy rain created a flash flood emergency north of the center of circulation, including the cities of St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater. St. Petersburg – Albert Whitted Airport reported 18.54 inches of rain from Milton. 

    Michael

    Michael first became a tropical storm on Oct. 7 and quickly intensified into a hurricane a day later. It then became a major hurricane on Oct. 9 as it moved through the warm waters of the Gulf.

    Michael made landfall near Panama City, Fla. on Oct. 10 as a Category 5 hurricane, making it the third-strongest landfalling hurricane in the U.S. on record and the strongest storm to strike the Florida Panhandle. 

    (Spectrum News)

    It destroyed many houses in the Florida Panhandle, and storm surge flooded the coast. Farms suffered, leading to a loss in cattle and crops, and Michael caused $4.7 billion in damage to the Tyndall Air Force Base. As Michael weakened, it moved further into the southeast, bringing wind damage and flooding to Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.

    It total, we saw $25 billion in damage from Michael, and around 60 deaths.

    Matthew

    Hurricane Matthew in 2016 was one of the deadliest storms ever to strike the Atlantic, causing a humanitarian crisis in Haiti. It intensified into a hurricane on Sept. 29 before exploding into a Category 5 storm 24 hours later., the first Category 5 hurricane since Hurricane Felix in 2007.

    Matthew made landfall in Haiti as a strong Category 4 storm on Oct. 4 and then in Cuba on Oct. 5.

    Propane tanks sit in floodwaters from Hurricane Matthew in Lumberton, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. People were ordered to evacuate, and officials warned that some communities could be cut off by washed out roads or bridge closures. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

    Forecasts took it close to the Florida and Georgia coastlines as a Category 3, but the center of the storm did not make landfall. The western side and the inner eyewall remained just offshore. Matthew weakened to a Category 2 hurricane late on Oct. 7 and then to a Category 1 hurricane by Oct. 8.

    It made landfall near McClellanville, S.C., making it the first hurricane to make landfall north of Florida in October since Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

    Sandy

    Developing in the Caribbean Sea on Oct. 22, Sandy made two landfalls before heading toward the U.S., one in Jamaica and one in eastern Cuba.

    It continued through the Atlantic, parallel to the East Coast, and made a northwest turn, slamming into the Northeast. Even though winds were only at 80 mph at landfall in New Jersey, Sandy was a large storm that brought intense flooding.

    Many cities in New Jersey flooded, and authorities had to evacuate towns. Sandy also flooded seven subway tunnels in NYC, the biggest disaster to happen to the subway system since it was built in the early 1900s.

    In West Virginia, rain turned to 3 feet of snow for some areas, leading to downed trees and hundreds of thousands of power outages.

    FILE – In this Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 file photo, an ambulance is stuck in over a foot of snow off of Highway 33 West near Belington, W.Va. Superstorm Sandy was the first time the National Hurricane Center ever listed snow or blizzard in its warnings. Three feet of snow fell in West Virginia. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

    Overall, Sandy became one of the deadliest cyclones to hit the Northeast, killing 160 people, and the fifth costliest storm in recorded history with $65 billion in damage.

    Wilma

    2005 had numerous notable storms, and one of those storms was Hurricane Wilma. Wilma developed on Oct. 17 in the Caribbean Sea, and intensified quickly into a Category 5 hurricane before weakening to a Category 4 before its first landfall on Cozumel, Mexico.

    Wilma had the lowest pressure ever recorded in a hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, going from 982 millibars to 882 millibars in just 24 hours. It then moved northeast, making its second landfall as a Category 3 hurricane at Cape Romano in southwestern Florida.

    Over 3 million people lost power, including 98% of Miami’s metro area, and Wilma destroyed or damaged tens of thousands of homes and cars in southern Florida. Water from the storm surge submerged 60% of Key West, leaving many homes uninhabitable.

    Homeowners cover their roofs in blue tarps to cover damage cause by Hurricane Wilma in Broward County, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005. Frustration mounted on the third day of recovery from Hurricane Wilma, with the scramble for gas, ice, food and water causing long lines and traffic snarls, which prompted renewed criticism of storm planning and response. Miami-Dade County’s mayor called the relief effort “flawed.” (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

    Wilma caused $19 billion in damage and killed 30 people.  

    After Wilma, a major hurricane didn’t strike the U.S. until Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and a hurricane did not strike Florida until Hurricane Hermine in 2016.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • Georgia’s Highest Court Sides With Slave Descendants Fighting to Protect Threatened Island Community

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    ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia‘s highest court on Tuesday sided with Black landowners in a fight over zoning changes that weakened long-standing protections for one of the South’s last Gullah-Geechee communities founded by freed slaves.

    The state Supreme Court unanimously reversed a lower court ruling that had stopped a referendum to consider repealing a revised zoning ordinance passed by McIntosh County officials two years ago. Residents of Sapelo Island opposed the zoning amendments that doubled the size of homes allowed in a tiny enclave called Hogg Hummock.

    Homeowners feared the change would result in one of the nation’s most historically and culturally unique Black communities facing unaffordable tax increases. Residents and their supporters last year submitted a petition with more than 2,300 signatures from registered voters seeking a referendum in the coastal county, which lies 60 miles (96 kilometers) south of Savannah.

    McIntosh County commissioners sued to stop the referendum and a lower court ruled that one would be illegal. The decision halted a vote on the zoning change with less than a week to go before Election Day. Hundreds of people had already cast early ballots in the referendum.

    The high court on Tuesday found that the lower court was wrong to conclude that the zoning ordinance was not subject to referendum procedures provided for in the Georgia Constitution’s Home Rule Provision.

    Supreme Court Justice John Ellington wrote in the opinion that “nothing in the text of the Zoning Provision in any way restricts a county electorate’s authority to seek repeal of a zoning ordinance.”

    McIntosh County attorney Ken Jarrard said in an email that the county commissioners are “obviously disappointed” by the order but respect the high court’s ruling.

    Jarrard had asserted during oral arguments at the Supreme Court in April that zoning powers are different from others entrusted to county governments by the state Constitution and, therefore, can’t be challenged by referendum.

    Philip Thompson, an attorney representing the Hogg Hummock residents, had argued that they have a constitutional right to a referendum on the zoning changes so that they can defend a place that’s “a cultural and historical treasure.”

    Roughly 30 to 50 Black residents live in Hogg Hummock, also known as Hog Hammock, a community of dirt roads and modest homes founded by their enslaved ancestors who worked the cotton plantation of Thomas Spalding.

    It’s among a dwindling number of small communities started by emancipated island slaves — known collectively as Gullah, or Geechee, in Georgia — scattered along the coast from North Carolina to Florida. Scholars say the island’s separation from the mainland caused the communities to retain much of their African heritage, from their unique dialect to skills and crafts such as cast-net fishing and weaving baskets.

    In 1996, Hogg Hummock earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of treasured U.S. historic sites. Residents depend on the local government in McIntosh County, where 65% of the 11,100 residents are white, to maintain protections that preserve the community.

    The state Supreme Court was not weighing whether Hogg Hummock deserves special protections. Instead, the justices had to consider technical questions about whether local zoning laws can be challenged by referendum and whether McIntosh County commissioners had a right to sue to stop the vote last October.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Sept. 2025

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    Associated Press

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  • Hurricane Humberto is quickly weakening

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    Hurricane Humberto continues to weaken quickly . It’s going to become post-tropical soon.

    Humberto formed on Wednesday, Sept. 24. It’s the eighth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Humberto is becoming disorganized as it battles strong wind shear

    • No direct impacts to the U.S. are expected

    • It’s bringing gusty winds and heavy rain to Bermuda


    Humberto is a Category 1 hurricane with maximum winds of 80 mph. It’s moving north-northwest at 18 mph across the western Atlantic. 

    It’s turning northeastward as it combats strong westerly wind shear, becoming more disorganized. It should weaken and turn post-tropical by Wednesday or Thursday.

    It’s not a threat to the U.S. other than rough surf and dangerous rip currents along the east coast. 


    The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict which areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside but near the cone should be on alert and make storm preparations.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Can two tropical systems collide? The Fujiwhara Effect explained

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    Hurricanes Imelda and Humberto are churning in the western Atlantic. As of Tuesday morning, they are located a little over 400 miles from one another.

    Initially, it could appear that the two storms will merge to generate a mega-hurricane, but this is not the case, due to the Fujiwhara Effect. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The Fujiwhara effect is when two storms orbit around a common point

    • It’s an unusual circumstance, especially among tropical systems

    • It usually takes place in the spacious Pacific Ocean, but can occur in any ocean


    So why does this happen? In short, the two low pressure systems rotate around a common center point. 

    What is the Fujiwhara Effect?

    Named for Sakuhei Fujiwhara, a Japanese meteorologist who first noticed storms’ interactions in the 1920s. He theorized that two storms could rotate around a common point and influence tracks of the storms. Fujiwhara was proven correct.

    In some instances these storms look like they are “dancing” with one another. 

    Bay News 9’s Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay says we should not be concerned about these storms colliding and forming a mega-hurricane. “In the Atlantic, if two tropical systems are close enough, they can ruin the environment for both, just like we are seeing right now with Humberto and Imelda. There just isn’t enough ocean space.”

    The smaller or weaker storm will usually circle around the bigger one, as the larger storm will eventually dominate or potentially even fully absorb the smaller system.

    Imelda, in this case, is the larger storm and is expected to fully absorb Humberto over the next day or so. Wind shear, or the change in wind speed and direction with height, is usually created from the interaction, killing one or both storms.

    2023 Atlantic Ocean Fujiwhara Effect

    Clay says this effect is rare and commonly occurs in the Pacific Ocean because it is the larger ocean, but it can happen in any ocean. 

    Nearly two years ago, a similar occurrence was taking place in the Atlantic Ocean, albeit with weaker storms. Tropical Storms Philippe and Tropical Storm Rina were both located east of the Leeward Islands. 

    They began to do the “dance” of the Fujiwhara Effect and eventually, the stronger storm – Philippe weakened Rina. 

    On Sept. 28, 2023, Tropical Storms Philippe and Rina east of the Leeward Islands, began the Fujiwhara Effect “dance.” (NOAA)

    For interests in the tropics, here is what we are currently tracking. 

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • Georgia’s 2026 Candidates Still Can’t Escape Fallout From Trump’s False 2020 Election Claims

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    ATLANTA (AP) — Fallout from the 2020 presidential election feels like it may never end in Georgia.

    Maybe more any other state, the decisions made after Democrat Joe Biden’s narrow win — and Donald Trump’s false claims of victory — still define politics in the Peach State.

    In Georgia, 2020 may guide the Republican choice for governor in 2026, influence the Democratic primary for governor, and resonate in the U.S. Senate race.

    Brad Raffensperger, the Republican secretary of state who rebuffed Trump’s efforts to overturn Biden’s Georgia victory is running for governor in 2026. Former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who also opposed Trump’s push, is seeking the governorship as a “proud Democrat.” The current lieutenant governor, Republican Burt Jones, wears his support of Trump’s 2020 cause as a badge of honor.

    And Georgia’s incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is seeking reelection, might not have won in January 2021 but for 2020’s chaotic fallout.

    “It’s all tied up in the staying power of one Donald Trump,” said Jay Morgan, former executive director of the Georgia Republican Party, explaining why ripples from 2020 still matter.

    Some Republicans fear showcasing those differences could repulse some voters. Buzz Brockaway, a former Republican state legislator, said there’s a chance “relitigating the 2020 election” will dominate some Georgia races. “If you’re a Republican, that’s bad news, because no one cares beyond a few activists,” he said.

    In a September Gallup poll, about one-quarter of U.S. adults named economic issues as the most important problem facing the country, while about 4% pointed to issues related to elections and democracy.


    A dispute that never dies

    Disputes over 2020 animate politics far beyond Georgia. In Michigan, state House Republicans in June proposed impeaching Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a 2026 candidate for governor, in part over claims she improperly backed Biden’s 2020 victory. In Arizona, a Republican legislator who questioned election administration in the state’s most populous county was elected in 2024 to oversee voting there. In Pennsylvania, lawsuits continue over a 2020 voting-by-mail law, and it could become a 2026 campaign theme because the GOP-endorsed challenger to Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro — state Treasurer Stacy Garrity — supports Trump’s call to eliminate mail voting.

    Supporting Trump’s false claim of a 2020 victory remains a Republican purity test. GOP primary foes are attacking both Louisiana U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s reelection bid and Tennessee U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s run for governor, arguing they didn’t back Trump to the hilt after the president’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

    But in Georgia, 2020 is a factor in every marquee race.

    Jones was already endorsed for governor by Trump before an August kickoff rally. There, allies proclaimed Jones the true GOP choice because Jones aided Trump’s efforts to overturn Biden’s win in Georgia. Jones was one of 16 Republicans who declared themselves as electors even though Biden had won, and Jones backed a call for a special session to declare Trump the winner. Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr, Jones’ top rivals for the Republican nomination, spurned Trump’s efforts.

    “In reality, these politicians are MAGA today because it benefits them, but they weren’t willing to be MAGA when it might cost them,” state Sen. Greg Dolezal told the pro-Jones crowd. ”In 2020, when President Trump needed allies, these politicians were silent.

    Last week, Jones’ campaign released an ad calling Carr and Raffensperger “Georgia’s team Never Trump,” saying only Jones “always supported” Trump.


    Some Republicans try to sidestep

    Other Republicans are finessing the divide, siding with Trump on current issues while sidestepping past differences. Raffensperger didn’t mention Trump once in his 2-minute announcement video for governor, instead focusing on his defense of Georgia’s voting system against Biden and two-time Georgia Democratic governor nominee Stacey Abrams. Raffensperger only indirectly alluded to the 2020 firestorm, saying “I’m prepared to make the tough decisions; I follow the law and the Constitution, and I’ll always do the right thing for Georgia, no matter what.”

    Like Raffensperger, Carr is voicing agreement with Trump’s policies, while emphasizing his own record fighting crime and recruiting jobs.

    Meanwhile, Duncan quit the Republican Party after years of criticizing Trump and is trying to forge a new identity as a Democrat. At a Black-owned Atlanta coffee shop this month, he campaigned under a mural of prominent Democrats, including Ossoff and one of Duncan’s Democratic opponents for governor, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Duncan sought to retool some of his old themes for his new party, including the importance of small businesses and technology, while trumpeting his record as a proven Trump opponent.

    “With regards to Donald Trump, whoever wins that Republican primary is going to have to take the keys out of their pocket for the state and hand them over to Donald Trump,” Duncan told The Associated Press.

    Republican Gov. Brian Kemp came under Trump’s fire after refusing his election-related demands in 2020 although he now maintains a a public peace with the president. But Kemp is trying to make former football coach Derek Dooley the Republican Senate nominee to challenge Ossoff with a variation of a strategy that Raffensperger and Carr are using. Dooley is asserting agreement with Trump, but promising to “put hardworking Georgians first.” His top opponents for the Republican nomination, U.S. Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter, leave not an inch of daylight between them and Trump.

    Democrats hope GOP divisions will drive independents to them in 2026. Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey said swing voters are turned off by kowtowing to Trump.

    “There is a toeing of the line, bending of the knee.” Bailey said. “Whether something is true or right depends on who said it, namely whether Trump said it.”

    But Morgan said there’s still a fervor for Trump propelling conservative voters.

    “2020 galvanized the base that allowed Donald Trump to be the nominee of the Republican Party once again,” Morgan said. “And that base is absolutely essential for anybody seeking a Republican nomination. And then beyond that, that base has to turn out for that candidate to win.”

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Sept. 2025

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    Associated Press

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  • Tropical Depression Nine expected to become a tropical storm soon

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    Tropical Depression Nine is moving toward the Bahamas and expected to become a tropical storm soon. The next name on the list is Imelda.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tropical Depression Nine is moving toward the Bahamas

    • It’s expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Imelda

    • It will bring impacts to the southeastern U.S. early next week


    Tropical Depression Nine has maximum winds of 35 mph. The storm is almost stationary, moving northwest at 2 mph toward the Bahamas. The depression this evening remains fairly disorganized, with convection mainly oriented in a north-south fashion with only a hint of banding on the northern side.

    It’s expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Imelda and then eventually into a hurricane as it heads north toward the southeastern coast. There is still above-average uncertainty in the details of the long-range forecast. It is notable to point out the system has been moving slower than anticipated over the last 12-24 hours, and this could have significant implications on its ultimate track.

    In general, models agree that the presence of Hurricane Humberto to the east will result in a weakening of steering currents, causing the system to slow down and meander near the southeast U.S. coast on Tuesday. The offical NHC track now favors a slower storm and a track that turns sharper to the east, keeping it farther away from the U.S. coast. Fewer models are showing a landfalling tropical cyclone.

    Even with a high degree of uncertainty, there is a threat of heavy rainfall early next week from portions of the east coast of Florida northward into the Carolinas, which could cause flash, urban, and river flooding.

    Tropical Depression 9 is expected to be at or near hurricane intensity when it is closest to the southeast U.S. coast early next week, where there is a risk of storm surge and wind impacts. Although it is too soon to be specific about track and intensity, residents should closely monitor the latest forecast updates and ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place.


    The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict which areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside but near the cone should be on alert and make storm preparations.

    Models show the system approaching the coast of Georgia and South Carolina and slowing down. It could make landfall or turn back out into the Atlantic before moving inland.


    Spaghetti models or plots show a series of individual computer forecast models together on one map. They are useful to give insight into whether multiple models are in agreement on the path of the storm but they do not address the storm’s forecast intensity, winds, flooding and storm surge potential or other data. Tap here for more details on how to best use these models.

    Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for the Bahamas. Tropical Storm Watches are in effect up Florida’s East Coast.


    The threat for significant rainfall and flash flooding is expected across parts of the Southeast throughout early next week regardless of where Tropical Depression Nine goes. 


    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 could impact the Southeast next week

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    Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 has formed in the western Atlantic near the Bahamas. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 has formed

    • It’s expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Imelda

    • It could make landfall along the southeastern coast next week


    It is a Potential Tropical Cyclone with maximum winds of 35 mph. It is moving northwest at 9 mph across the western Atlantic. 

    It’s expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Imelda and then eventually into a hurricane as it moves north toward the southeastern coast. It could make landfall anywhere from Georgia to the Carolinas early next week.

    The forecast for Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 still has a lot of uncertainty, as it should interact with Tropical Storm Humberto, making the long-term track and intensity forecast more difficult than usual. The entire southeastern U.S. coast should be monitoring it closely.


    The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict which areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside but near the cone should be on alert and make storm preparations.


    Spaghetti models or plots show a series of individual computer forecast models together on one map. They are useful to give insight into whether multiple models are in agreement on the path of the storm but they do not address the storm’s forecast intensity, winds, flooding and storm surge potential or other data. Tap here for more details on how to best use these models.

    Heavy rainfall and flooding is expected across parts of the Southeast throughout early next week. 


    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Gabrielle accelerates into the northern Atlantic

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    Hurricane Gabrielle is still a major hurricane as it pulls away from Bermuda. It rapidly intensified Monday, and remains a powerful storm.

    It formed Atlantic on Wednesday, Sept. 17. It’s the seventh named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gabrielle is moving away from Bermuda

    • It’s still a major hurricane

    • A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Azores


    Gabrielle is now a Category 3 hurricane with maximum winds of 115 mph. It is currently moving east-northeast at 25 mph over the open Atlantic. 

    Gabrielle will continue to move east out into the open waters of the Atlantic for the rest of the week as it transitions into a post-tropical cyclone. It will stay far enough from Bermuda to avoid any significant impacts, but it will bring large swells to Bermuda and the East Coast of the U.S.

    Vertical wind shear continues to slowly increase over the hurricane, and shear will increase further while Gabrielle moves over cooler ocean
    waters, and the latest guidance shows a slightly faster rate of weakening than earlier. The NHC intensity forecast follows suit, showing steady weakening through the next 2-3 days, though Gabrielle should still be a hurricane when it moves across the Azores late this week as a hurricane with Hurricane Warnings in effect.


    The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict which areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside but near the cone should be on alert and make storm preparations.


    Spaghetti models or plots show a series of individual computer forecast models together on one map. They are useful to give insight into whether multiple models are in agreement on the path of the storm but they do not address the storm’s forecast intensity, winds, flooding and storm surge potential or other data. Tap here for more details on how to best use these models.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Tropical Storm Humberto forms in the Atlantic

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    Tropical Storm Humberto has formed in the central Atlantic. It’s the eighth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Humberto has formed in the Atlantic

    • It’s a tropical storm with max winds of 40 mph

    • It’s expected to become a hurricane


    Humberto is a tropical storm with maximum winds of 40 mph. It is currently moving west-northwest at 15 mph toward the western Atlantic. 

    It’s expected to continue its track toward the northwest or west-northwest during the next couple of days, staying well north of the Leeward Islands. It is expected to strengthen into a hurricane over the weekend. 

    The forecast for Humberto still has a lot of uncertainty, as it could interact with another tropical wave near the Caribbean, making the long-term track and intensity forecast more difficult than usual. It’s not a threat to the U.S. at this time.


    The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict which areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside but near the cone should be on alert and make storm preparations.


    Spaghetti models or plots show a series of individual computer forecast models together on one map. They are useful to give insight into whether multiple models are in agreement on the path of the storm but they do not address the storm’s forecast intensity, winds, flooding and storm surge potential or other data. Tap here for more details on how to best use these models.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Fall officially arrives with the autumnal equinox

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    Fall has officially arrived. Summer has come to an end, meaning cooler and shorter days are on the horizon. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Fall begins Monday, Sept. 22

    • The 2025 autumnal equinox happens at 2:19 p.m. ET

    • The largest daily loss of daylight occurs in September



    The change in seasons occurs with the solstice or the equinox determined by the Earth’s tilt and orbit around the sun. 

    What is the equinox?

    The Earth is tilted at a 23.5-degree angle, and as it travels around the sun, the Earth’s axis is tilted toward or away from the sun.

    During the equinox, the Earth’s axis and its orbit line up, allowing the sun’s rays to shine directly on the equator. This means that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight.

    Meteorological Fall vs. Astronomical Fall

     

    The meteorological seasons are calendar-based, whereas the astronomical seasons rely on the Earh’s position to the sun. 

    Meteorological fall occurs from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30. The meteorological seasons are broken down evenly into 3-month periods based on temperature and weather cycles. 

    Astronomical fall typically starts between Sept. 21 and Sept. 23. This varies because of leap years, which can shift the start date by a day or two. 

    Why do we lose so much daylight?

    We have been slowly losing more and more daylight since the summer solstice in June, and will continue to lose more daylight until the winter solstice in December. The largest daily loss of daylight occurs in September, especially as the autumnal equinox approaches.

    The Earth’s 23.5-degree tilt is the main reason we see daylight changes throughout the year. Your latitude also plays a role as well.

    This time of year, the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun, leading to a decrease in daylight. Areas located closer to the equator will see less variation in daylight hours as opposed to areas located closer to the North Pole.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Ramel Carpenter

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  • When will you see the first freeze this fall?

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    Leaves are changing, and the first day of astronomical fall is next Monday, Sept. 22. Most of the country will begin to see cooler temperatures in the coming weeks, and some won’t have to wait long.

    Even though winter doesn’t begin until December, cold air and freezing temperatures arrive well before then for most of the U.S.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Northern Plains and Intermountain West usually dip down below freezing before September is over

    • Interior New England  and the Great Lakes also see freezing temperatures before most of the country

    • Cold air arrives in Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Desert Southwest last



    Winter arrives at the time time every year on the calendar, but not on your thermometer. Every year is different. The maps below give a good idea of when you can expect the first freeze where you live based on the 1991-2020 U.S. climate normals.

    The maps below show the ‘median,’ or average date of the first freeze. This is when you could expect the first freeze to arrive during a ‘normal’ year. The next one shows the ‘earliest 10%’ which shows a scenario of when colder air arrives early, about once every 10 years. And the last map shows the ‘latest 10%,’ so during a warm year when cold air arrives late.

    Northeast

    Most of the Northeast and New England see the first freeze before or during early fall, in September or early October. The mountains and high elevations across interior New England and the Adirondacks average freezing temperatures sometime in September, with the rest of the Northeast getting freezing cold sometime during October or early November.

    Midwest

    The Upper Midwest and Northern Plains also get in on the cold early. Around the Great Lakes and Dakotas, the first freeze typically arrives during September or early October. Further south the wait isn’t much longer. Freezing air usually arrives to the rest of the Midwest sometime before Halloween.

    Northwest

    There are many microclimates across the Northwest, so the arrival of cold air varies. Across the Rockies and Intermountain West, some areas experience cold year-round and as early as August and early September. The Pacific Northwest might not see freezing temperatures arrive until late October or November thanks to the maritime influence. 

    Southwest

    The Southwest has a variety of climates as well, so the temperatures differ greatly during the fall and winter. The Desert Southwest and coastal California don’t see the arrival of cold air until late in the season, sometimes not until December. Once you get into the high desert and Southern Plains, it arrives much earlier, around October or early November.

    Southeast

    If you live in the Southeast, it still gets cold, especially away from the large bodies of water. In the Appalachians and areas away from the Gulf and Atlantic coast, freezing temperatures usually begin before Thanksgiving in late October or early November. The Gulf Coast and Florida, however, wait much longer, with freezing temperatures not arriving until late November or December. In South and Central Florida and southern Texas, freezing temperatures may never even arrive.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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  • Hyundai to continue with $2.7 billion expansion of Georgia plant raided by ICE

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    Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday confirmed it is going forward with previously announced plans to expand its Georgia plant, just weeks after an immigration raid delayed the startup of an electric vehicle battery plant at the site.

    As part of a broader investment strategy, Hyundai said it would spend $2.7 billion to increase production capacity at the Ellabell site by 200,000 over the next three years, to a total of 500,000 vehicles a year.

    The company first announced the expansion in March at the grand opening of the plant west of Savannah, and had said in August that it would invest an additional $5 billion in the United States overall. But the raid, which included arrests of more than 300 South Korean citizens, led to questions about the wisdom of the Asian nation investing in the U.S.

    The company said it now plans to produce 10 models of electric and hybrid gas-electric vehicles in Georgia, up from the current two the plant has been assembling as it ramps up production. Hyundai says it’s still on track to expand production worldwide to 5.6 million vehicles a year by 2030. The automaker pledged that 60% of those vehicles will be electric or hybrid powered, targeting sales in South Korea, North America and Europe.

    Hyundai said that it plans to make more than 80% of vehicles sold in the United States domestically by 2030, with total domestic content increasing from 60% to 80%. For the first time, the vehicles would include a mid-sized pickup truck, a key vehicle class in the U.S. market. The company already makes the Santa Cruz model, a four-door compact pickup, that it started selling in 2021.

    Hyundai CEO José Muñoz has said the immigration raid will delay opening the battery plant by at least two to three months. Spokesperson Michael Stewart said Thursday that the facility will open in the first half of 2026.

    Both Hyundai executives and Georgia officials have been trying to calm the situation since the raid, which mushroomed into a diplomatic dispute between South Korea and the United States.

    Republican Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters Tuesday at a ceremony marking the groundbreaking of a Rivian Automotive electric vehicle plant that he remains confident Georgia’s business advantages would “win out” in terms of foreign investment. The raid may even wind up smoothing the way for South Korean employees to more easily obtain legal permission to help build and operate facilities in the United States, he said.

    “I’ve had good conversations with companies that are here doing business in Georgia, companies that are looking to do business here,” Kemp said. “And I’ve had good conversations with people in the White House about the visa issue.”

    Brent Stubbs, the chief administrative officer of the Ellabell site, wrote in an opinion piece published Wednesday in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the company is still committed to Georgia.

    “This situation doesn’t change our plans to continue expanding and localizing in the United States,” Stubbs wrote. “Our investments in America are part of a long-term strategic plan.”

    The $2.7 billion investment confirmed Thursday will go to expanding capacity at the plant and group affiliates, Stewart said. Hyundai and its onsite affiliates currently have 3,129 employees in Ellabell, he said.

    Hyundai and its joint-venture partner in the battery plant, LG Energy Solution, had previously announced $12.6 billion of investments at the Georgia site, with pledges to hire at least 8,500 workers by the end of 2031. State and local governments have promised $2.1 billion in tax breaks and other incentives.

    The boost at the Ellabell site is the biggest part Hyundai’s plan to raise production by 1.2 million vehicles a year worldwide. That includes another 250,000 vehicles out of Pune, India; and 200,000 more at Hyundai’s electric vehicle plant in Ulsan, South Korea. The automaker said it would also deliver parts for assembly into an additional 250,000 vehicles at plants in Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and North Africa.

    Hyundai underlined a previous announcement to deepen its investment in robotics and said that by 2027 it would launch extended-range electric vehicles with gasoline motors to extend the range of its electric batteries to more than 600 miles (960 kilometers).

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  • Tropical Storm Gabrielle forms in the Atlantic

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    Tropical Storm Gabrielle has formed in the central Atlantic. It’s the seventh named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gabrielle has formed in the central Atlantic

    • It’s expected to become a hurricane this weekend or early next week

    • It’s not a threat to the U.S. at this time


    Gabrielle has maximum winds of 45 mph and is currently moving north-northwest at 22 mph. It’s not expected to strengthen much in the next 48 hours as it moves through unfavorable conditions with strong upper-level winds keeping Gabrielle disorganized.

    This weekend, Gabrielle should enter a more favorable environment for strengthening, and it’s forecast to become a hurricane by this weekend or early next week.


    The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict which areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside but near the cone should be on alert and make storm preparations.

    Gabrielle is out in the central Atlantic, far from land. Although it’s moving north-northwestward, the motion is uncertain during the next several days until a better defined center forms. 

    As of now, it doesn’t look like a threat to the Caribbean or the U.S., but it could move near Bermuda next week.


    Spaghetti models or plots show a series of individual computer forecast models together on one map. They are useful to give insight into whether multiple models are in agreement on the path of the storm but they do not address the storm’s forecast intensity, winds, flooding and storm surge potential or other data. Tap here for more details on how to best use these models.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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  • When to expect the best fall foliage

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    Every fall, people travel far and wide to go ‘leaf-peeping.’ The goal is to catch the leaves at peak color to see all the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows that Mother Nature has to offer.

    Weather plays a primary role in knowing when and where to go.

    What You Need To Know

    • Weather plays a significant role in fall foliage


    • Heat and soil moisture determine foliage timing and intensity


    • Stressed trees will lose leaves earlier or later than normal


    Right place at the right time

    The first step of successful leaf-peeping is being at the right place at the right time. All other factors aside, this is the average time of the year around the U.S. that you can see peak fall colors according to Explore Fall.

    (Explore Fall)

    Aside from the Florida peninsula, the Gulf Coast and parts of the desert Southwest, most of the continental U.S. sees color change during fall.

    Weather’s role

    The weather determines whether the fall foliage comes out early, on time or late every year, but what role does it play?

    Heat and moisture are the biggest factors that influence fall foliage. The summer weather helps give an idea of when colors will pop, but the weather during September and October are the biggest influencers.

    Here is how soil moisture and air temperature affect fall foliage.

    Weather impacts on fall foliage

    (Explore Fall)

    A prolonged late-spring or severe summer drought that leads to dry soils in the fall not only affects the timing, but the quality of the colors. Drought and drier soil puts a higher stress on the trees, dulling down the colors and forcing them to lose their leaves sooner.

    Heavy rainfall and wet soils in the summer and fall can delay the colors’ arrival by a few days, or even weeks. The later arrival time can produce better fall colors.

    Colder and below-normal temperatures bring out fall colors early, while prolonged summer heat and above normal temperatures delay the colors.

    According to the USDA Forest Service, “a succession of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays.” In other words… typical fall weather.

    Current fall foliage

    Here is a map of the current fall foliage around the U.S.


    In some parts of the country, leaves have already started turning. The first areas to see color are typically further north and at higher elevations, including parts of the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains, the Mountain West and interior Northeast.

    Parts of New England are in a severe drought, with much of the mountain west under an extreme or exceptional drought, which could cause the trees to lose leaves early and mute the colors.

    7-Day foliage outlook

    Here is a look at Explore Fall’s 7-day foliage forecast and what the foliage is expected to look like in a week from now.


    You can submit your fall foliage photos here.

    Our team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • Weight-inclusive care company, knownwell, opens first Atlanta clinic

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    Located in Sandy Springs, this new location marks the company’s seventh opening in the last year, bringing its physical presence to 10 total clinics across the U.S., in addition to virtual care nationwide. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice

    knownwell, the first-of-its-kind weight-inclusive primary care and metabolic health company, officially unveiled the physical expansion of its care offering to the metro Atlanta area.

    Located in Sandy Springs, this new location marks the company’s seventh opening in the last year. It brings the company’s physical presence to 10 clinics across the U.S., in addition to virtual care nationwide. 

    Coming on the heels of knownwell’s most recent opening last month in Woburn, Massachusetts, the new Atlanta location will continue to advance the company’s mission to deliver care, free of bias and shame, for individuals affected by overweight or obesity. 

    The obesity crisis in America continues to worsen, with one in five U.S. adults experiencing obesity. Few options exist for those seeking a healthcare home.

    Offering comprehensive metabolic health services, including the prescription of GLP-1s, nutrition, and behavioral counseling, knownwell’s goal is not solely to help patients lose weight, but to provide a space where their health problems are not dismissed or written off because of their weight. 

    knownwell, the first-of-its-kind weight-inclusive primary care and metabolic health company, officially unveiled the physical expansion of its care offering to the metro Atlanta area. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice

    Having struggled with obesity since childhood, Brooke Boyarksy Pratt, CEO and co-founder of knownwell, says she is extremely passionate about bringing inclusive care to communities across the U.S.

    “Georgia has one of the highest obesity rates in America, yet few options for obesity-focused health services exist, leaving its residents underserved and without access to the comprehensive, compassionate care they deserve,” she said. “knownwell’s arrival in Atlanta is the next step in our nationwide expansion and continued goal to reach more lives across the U.S.”

    The importance of bringing the clinic to Atlanta, Pratt says, is for patients with overweight and obesity conditions who are looking for thoughtful, comprehensive health care.

    “We take Medicare, Medicaid, and other commercial insurance. We’re super accessible,” she said.

    Pratt also said many patients avoid care because of their size as well which another reason they wanted to expand to other markets.

    “We’ve made the clinic that’s literally and physically comfortable for patients, regardless of their body size,” she said. “There’s interesting research that suggests that it’s not just about the doctor, but also how they are treated by the front desk or in the billing department

    As for services, knownwell offers two primary things, which is inclusive primary care and specific metabolic care. The primary care, she describes, is thoughtful and accepts patients as they are and includes normal primary care such as physicals, preventive screenings, and virtual care.

    Metabolic care, she says, offers patients ways to lose weight, manage diabetes, and focusing on managing hypertension.

    “With those patients, we help them with those wellness goals,” she said.

    Atlanta Market Development Lead Clinician Ijeoma Azonobi says she is thrilled to bring the knownwell model of care to Atlanta, a model that puts the patients at the center, offering compassion, respect, and evidence-based treatment.

     “Our community deserves healthcare that makes them feel seen and supported, while addressing the full spectrum of their health needs, not just a number on the scale. I am excited to make that a reality here,” she said.

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    Isaiah Singleton

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  • What are B1-visas some had at Hyundai plant in Georgia?

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    The recent arrests of about 300 South Koreans at a Hyundai manufacturing plant in Georgia drew questions about the detainees’ immigration status. 

    When PolitiFact asked about their status, the Department of Homeland Security did not answer the question. Steven Schrank, a special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations in Georgia and Alabama, said at a Sept. 5 press conference that the arrested workers crossed the U.S. border illegally, violated or overstayed their visas, or had entered the United States under a visa waiver program that prohibited them from working.

    Immigration lawyer Charles Kuck told PolitiFact he is representing 12 of the detained people, some of whom are Korean. He said some of his clients entered the United States using either a business visa or the visa waiver program that South Korea participates in. These programs allow people to legally enter the country for a limited time and perform specific business activities. But people can’t work or be paid by U.S. companies while under these immigration statuses. 

    Kuck said his Korean clients had been in the United States for no more than 45 days, an allowable period of time under these programs.

    Kuck also told The Associated Press that the South Korean workers are engineers and specialized equipment installers who were helping set up or repair equipment at the joint plant for Hyundai and LG Energy Solution. The plant will manufacture electric vehicle batteries, which require machines that are not made in the United States, according to Kuck. Kuck added that it would take three to five years to train U.S. workers to install or repair the plant’s equipment, which is why workers have to travel from abroad to install or repair the plant’s equipment.

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    The Guardian reported Sept. 10 that it had obtained an Immigration and Customs Enforcement document that says at least one of the detained workers was in the United States on a B-1 visa. The ICE document said the worker “has not violated his visa.” When the Guardian asked DHS about that worker, a spokesperson said he was unauthorized to work.

    Immigration officials gave the detainees two options, accept deportation with a five-year reentry ban, or stand a monthslong trial while remaining in detention, according to Yonhap, a South Korean news agency. News reports said the South Korean government would fly the workers home. 

    A Korean Air charter plane taxis at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP)

    The plant is part of a 2022 agreement between Hyundai and the state of Georgia to build the company’s first U.S. factory dedicated to manufacturing batteries and electric vehicles. The immigration raid has stopped construction of the 2,900-acre EV battery plant that is expected to employ up to 8,500 people, CNN reported.

    South Korean leaders, including President Lee Jae Myung, have denounced the raid, calling it “unjust infringements on the activities of our people and businesses.” 

    What is a B-1 visa? 

    B visas allow people to temporarily visit the United States, and B-1 visas are for business purposes, such as  training U.S. workers in a special skill for a limited time. 

    The business activities permitted under a B-1 visa include consulting with business associates, attending conventions or conferences, and negotiating contracts.

    People seeking a B-1 visa must fill out an online application and attend an interview at a U.S. consulate abroad. Applicants must also have enough money to cover travel expenses and maintain a residence outside of the United States, to ensure they will return to their home countries. 

    Once granted, B-1 visas are typically good for ten years. B-1 visa holders can enter the United States multiple times during that period and they can stay in the country for up to six months at a time. In certain cases, their stay can be extended for up to one year.

    As with other visas, immigration agents at ports of entry — such as airports — decide whether a B-1 visa holder can enter the country and for how long.

    The State Department issued more than 31,000 B-1 visas and more than 6.4 million combined B-1/B-2 visas, for business and tourism, in fiscal year 2024, which ran from October 2023 through September 2024.

    Can people work while on B-1 visas?

    B-1 visa holders cannot work full-time jobs in the United States, and they cannot be paid by a U.S. company.

    However, certain business-related activities are allowed. Kuck said that work is limited to negotiating contracts, meeting with business associates and performing installations and services following a sale. 

    B-1 visa holders can also enter the United States “to install, service, or repair commercial or industrial equipment or machinery purchased from a company outside the United States or to train U.S. workers to perform such services,” according to a State Department manual about B visas. 

    People coming to the United States on a B-1 visa for those purposes must further have unique skills that are considered necessary for a company to fulfill a contract’s obligations. Visa holders can’t perform any assembly or construction work, for example, but they can supervise or train workers to do that work. 

    For years, South Korean companies have struggled to obtain U.S. work visas for the specialists they need in their high-tech plants. That’s why some people get B-1 visas or visa waivers, Park Tae-sung, vice chairman of Korea Battery Industry Association, told Reuters. The United States issues a finite number of work visas each year, and the process to obtain them can take months. 

    South Korea’s foreign ministry said it has told U.S. officials about difficulties its nationals face to get visas.

    “We emphasized to major U.S. figures that such visas are essential for the short-term stay of Korean professionals who are needed for the initial operation of factories and for training local staff when our companies expand to the U.S.,” the foreign ministry said in a statement to NBC News.

    What is the Visa Waiver Program and can people work while on it? 

    The Visa Waiver Program is similar to a B-1 visa, but fewer people are eligible for it, and a consulate interview is not required to obtain it. The program allows most citizens from 40 participating countries, including South Korea, to travel to the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa. 

    Eligible people must be approved via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, an online State Department program that collects biometric data, travel and other eligibility information. 

    Similarly to B-1 visas, people who entered the United States via this program are not allowed to work in the country. They are allowed to attend business meetings or consultations, attend conventions or conferences, and negotiate contracts, according to the State Department. 

    In fiscal year 2023, around 1.9 million people entered the United States under the program for business purposes, according to DHS data.

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  • U.S.-South Korea ties strained as 300 Koreans detained by ICE at Georgia Hyundai plant wait to fly home

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    More than 300 South Korean nationals detained by federal agents in a massive immigration raid last week on a Hyundai plant in Georgia for alleged visa violations were waiting Wednesday for a charter flight due to carry them back to their country.

    The South Korean workers were among some 475 people detained on Sept. 4 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at a still-under construction joint Hyundai-LG electric vehicle battery facility near Savannah. ICE said they were suspected of living and working in the U.S. illegally.

    South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the departure of the Air Korea charter flight, which had been expected on Wednesday, was delayed due to unspecified circumstances in the U.S., but it would not provide any further information. 

    A spokesperson for Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta told CBS News that the charter operation to transport the detainees had been canceled for Wednesday, subject to change. The spokesperson did not provide any information on the reason for the change in plans.

    Buses are seen behind razor wire at the Folkston ICE Processing Center, Sept. 9, 2025, in Folkston, Georgia. A chartered plane had been expected to depart from Atlanta for Seoul on Sept. 10 to repatriate hundreds of South Korean workers detained in a sweeping immigration raid, but the plan was delayed without explanation.

    ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP/Getty


    The raid and the detention of hundreds of South Koreans in an ICE facility has tested U.S.-South Korea ties that are important politically, militarily and economically. South Korea is the biggest foreign direct investor in the U.S. and the sixth biggest trading partner overall.

    President Lee Jae Myung, visiting the White House in July, pledged $350 billion in new U.S. investment to sweeten a trade-and-tariff deal with President Trump.

    “The sentiment is obviously very, very negative,” James Kim, Chairman and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Seoul, told CBS News. “In my office, I usually have my TV turned on to the news – and this is obviously covered from morning to evening constantly. But everyone who I speak to, they view America as its number-one partner here from South Korea. Yes, we’re going to have some challenging times.” 

    South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, was peppered with demands from angry lawmakers during a parliamentary session in Seoul on Sept. 8, before he departed for meetings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other U.S. officials. 

    Lawmaker Kim Joon-hyun demanded that Cho respond to the ICE raid by launching investigations into every U.S. national teaching English in South Korea who could be working illegally on a tourist visa. 

    “Are we giving our money, technology, and investment to the United States only to be treated like this?,” Kim asked.

    Federal authorities conduct an immigration enforcement operation at a Hyundai battery plant in Bryan County, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2025.

    Federal authorities conduct an immigration enforcement operation at a Hyundai battery plant in Bryan County, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2025.

    ATF


    Cho replied by saying he would try to negotiate with Rubio to increase the number of visas issued to highly skilled Korean nationals to work in specialty occupations in the U.S.

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the ICE raid was the biggest single-site enforcement action in the agency’s history. ICE alleges that the South Korean workers either overstayed their visa waiver permits, known as ESTAs, which allow business visits of up to 90 days, or were holding visas that did not permit them to perform manual labor, called B-1 business visas.

    Kim, at the American Chamber in Seoul, called it a “blip” in U.S.-Korea ties and said he was “very, very optimistic about a much brighter future between the two” countries. 

    South Korea’s president, however, took a more critical tone. 

    “As the president who is in charge of national safety, I feel a great responsibility,” Lee said Tuesday. “I hope that the unfair infringement of our people and corporate activities for the joint development of both Korea and the United States will not happen again.”

    A poll conducted in South Korea found that almost 60% of respondents said they were disappointed by the U.S. crackdown and called the measures “excessive,” while about 31% said the ICE action was “inevitable” and that they could understand the reasoning.

    President Trump, in a Sunday post on his Truth Social platform, addressed all foreign companies operating in the U.S., saying “your investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people.” 

    Kim at the chamber of commerce urged companies to heed the advice.

    “My key message is listen to what President Trump said today. He wants to encourage more foreign companies to invest in America. Bring your people, bring your resources into America, but do it legally,” he told CBS News.

    Industry experts caution, however, that it may be difficult to maintain investment levels under those guidelines, as securing visas can take years, while many projects face strict deadlines and delays can drive up costs. There is a shortage of highly skilled workers in the U.S., meanwhile, for battery manufacturing, semiconductor and modern shipbuilding industries — all arenas in which South Korea has been investing heavily for years. 

    Such jobs can require years of experience, not just a few months of on-the-job training.

    A spokesperson for South Korea’s Foreign Ministry told CBS News that since Mr. Trump’s second term began, it had already reached out 52 times on the matter of securing more visas for highly-skilled workers.

    Kim, the U.S. chamber of commerce leader, said the current upset in relations represented “an opportunity to really fix some things that could be in the grey area, make it a lot more clear, so that they can have an even better relationship.”

    He said that, given Seoul’s importance as an investor in the U.S., it may be a good time for Washington to consider adopting a new policy that allows South Koreans to more easily come and work in the U.S.

    “I think that in the past, Korea may not have been a significant investor in the United States, but now they are,” he said. “So I think it’s worthy and deserving of that kind of a new status.”

    Mr. Trump gave a nod in his Truth Social post to the notion that the U.S. does need foreign expertise, saying foreign companies should bring people over to help train American workers — and then hire them to do the work themselves. 

    Rubio, during his meeting Wednesday in Washington with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho, “said the United States welcomes ROK (South Korea) investment into the United States and stated his interest in deepening cooperation on this front,” according to a readout shared by the State Department, which did not mention the ICE raid in Georgia.

    Rubio and Cho discussed advancing U.S.-South Korean ties “through a forward-looking agenda” that “revitalizes American manufacturing through ROK investment in shipbuilding and other strategic sectors, and promotes a fair and reciprocal trade partnership,” the State Department said.

    Skyler Henry

    contributed to this report.

    Ramy Inocencio

    Ramy Inocencio is a CBS News foreign correspondent based in London, covering Europe and the Middle East. He joined the Network in 2019 as CBS News’ Asia correspondent, based in Beijing and reporting across the Asia-Pacific, bringing two decades of experience working and traveling between Asia and the United States.

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  • GA man sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking

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    A Hiram, Georgia, man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine while in possession of multiple guns and over $175,000 in drug money.

    Darrlin Vernard Warner’s sentencing comes after a coordinated effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to bust him for his drug trafficking operation in Paulding and Douglas counties.

    “Fentanyl and methamphetamine are wreaking havoc on north Georgia, leading to addiction, crime, and loss of life,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of key collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, a significant drug trafficker is out of the community.”

    [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

    In October and November 2024, Warner was involved in distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine in Paulding and Douglas counties. On November 13, 2024, law enforcement agencies searched Warner’s home and car, seizing more than two pounds of fentanyl, one pound of methamphetamine, five firearms, and $177,119 in cash.

    United States District Judge William M. Ray, II, sentenced Warner to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Warner also surrendered the cash seized from his residence.

    The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force, with assistance from the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paulding County Fire Department.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime.

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  • Defying Gravity: All-Black Boys Gymnastics Team to continue after Gym Closure

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    James Jones fell in love with the art of gymnastics while watching the sport on TV. In his hometown of Columbus, Georgia, he often watched the boys in his neighborhood use concrete and grass as springboards, flipping and flying along the pavements. But the idea of competing wasn’t something he’d imagined for himself. Because no gym existed in his community, his dreams of flying were confined to screens and the books he’d check out in the library. 

    It wasn’t until his elementary school assistant principal saw his talent on the playground that his dreams led to him earning a gymnastics scholarship at a gym across town. When he requested an extension to that scholarship, Jones discovered that the assistant principal had been paying his tuition the whole time. 

    That act of kindness, faith, and nurturing of his abilities stayed with Jones. He vowed to pay it forward for younger boys who looked like him. 

    “It stuck with me because I told everybody that I wanted to do gymnastics. They knew I had this great love for it, but nobody in my community actually ever tried to put me in gymnastics; it was this lady who wasn’t in the community who did so. And so when I got older, I didn’t want the kids in my community to have to look to someone outside of the community for assistance,” Jones said. “When I realized there wasn’t a competitive boys gymnastics program in our area, I decided to go ahead and start one, because I knew there was a need, and I knew that the boys would need to see someone who looked like them and who could relate to them spearheading it.”

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Now, Jones is helping other kids fly and is the coach and founder of the James Jones Gymnastics Academy, home to the only all-Black boys’ competitive gymnastics team in the United States. 

    However, that home is now in jeopardy. In July, news broke online that the gym was in danger of closing down after zoning laws wouldn’t allow the team to relocate to a new building after outgrowing their old one. Jones had until Aug. 1 to resolve the situation, which he was unable to do due to rejection after rejection, forcing the gym to close down. Now, Jones and his students are looking for a new home suitable for gymnastics, but he shared that all of the zoning verification applications for every building they’ve looked at so far have been denied. When he looked at warehouse-type buildings needed for a gym in the commercial districts of Clayton County, the amount to lease the buildings increased to three to four times the rent. 

    “It got to the point where I had submitted so many applications and they were denied, even though other people were operating similar or general commercial buildings in the area. And that’s what led to my frustration. I believe I was probably eight denials in, and I was like, OK, something crazy is going on. I applied for a couple of more spaces, and they were denied. And I’m so confused.”

    However, that denial from the county led to the news going viral, resulting in widespread attention, a GoFundMe that has now raised over $50,000, and support from people across the U.S., including celebrities and other gymnasts. People have reached out to him with contacts for securing a new location and offers to house the boys in temporary spaces until they find a new home. One coach confided in Jones that he’d gone through a similar situation with zoning and ended up having to build his own gym. 

    For Jones, the community’s support has shown him just how much gymnastics is valued in the Black community and further revealed why that value is limited. 

    “I think that the community loves to see go-getters, and the boys are go-getters for one. I’m going to tell you the truth — Black people love gymnastics. I don’t care what anybody says. But for some reason, it doesn’t translate to Black kids being in gymnastics. And I think with our situation, you can kind of see why: the cost, the access, the location. But I feel like the community has spoken. They would love to see programs like this in our community that are sustainable.

    But the dream is still alive, and Jones doesn’t plan on letting it die. 

    The seeds of James Jones Gymnastics Academy began to grow when Jones became a volunteer gymnastics coach for a recreation center in 2019. After six months on the job, he noted that many of the boys wanted to further their athletic careers in gymnastics by competing; however, opportunity was limited at the particular rec center; they only let the girls compete. When the city rejected his request to start another gymnastics program for the boys, he ventured out on his own. A lawyer by trade, he began coaching gymnastics in the lobby of his law office, which he humorously admitted wasn’t the best solution. After a few days on a hot summer playground and 16 months in a building suggested by someone he knew, they soon moved into their own building in Clayton County. 

    For six years, the gymnastics academy has been a safe space for young Black boys to nurture their talents in a sport and world that doesn’t often celebrate and recognize them. Jones has witnessed how gymnastics has transformed the boys, developing their skills and personalities and giving them the opportunity to see parts of the world at a young age as they travel to competitions across the country. 

    The team, named the Skywalkers, has won first place in the Judges Cup, the entry competition for each season. One of his students made the future stars team for their region, the precursor for boys training for the U.S. Olympic team. He also had several boys who were in the National Gymnastics Association’s training program, and four of them were invited to the national training camp for the summer.

    Jones is a Georgia state representative for the National Gymnastics Association, and one of his goals is to use that organization to grow men’s gymnastics. As the Skywalkers make their mark with their footprints, they’re also breaking glass ceilings. 

    “To have boys in our community who are kind of at the forefront of not only pioneering Black gymnastics, but assisting in saving men’s gymnastics is great. When we’re looking for videos or looking at examples, I remember one boy said, ‘Well, why don’t you ever show us any examples of Black boys doing gymnastics?’ And I say, ‘You are the Black boys doing gymnastics. 

    “So I don’t think that at their age right now, they understand that they’re part of history, that they have ushered in this movement of black boys and gymnastics. Now, I’m not saying that they’re the first Black boys that have ever done gymnastics, but this is the first time that the United States has seen, in one centralized location, an all- Black competitive boys gymnastics team in a community that’s pushing and supporting it. And I think that that’s wonderful. I think that there are other movements that can come from this in other sports where Black kids may not be at the forefront, or they may not be the premier athletes in that sport.”

    James Jones Gymnastics Academy is a small program compared to others, which means Jones pulls together and exhausts all the resources he can for the up to 60 kids he teaches a period. Tuition for the program is income-based, and those who can’t afford the tuition train for free. 

    He and his students have had to make do, relying on donations and fundraisers and building needed equipment out of existing things in the gym. Jones shared that the resi-pit — a safety mat and padding system —  they used was taken from another gym after they threw it out and gave it to him after request; he took a box cutter, sawed the $5,000 it into tiny pieces, stuffed it into his sedan, and drove it from Roswell to Jonesboro.

    “That just lets you know the type of things that we’ve had to do over the last six years to ensure that we have the equipment that we need.”

    Currently, Jones is taking his time in selecting a new location because when they return, he wants to come back bigger.  Jones said the enthusiasm for the return of the program can be seen by the number of people who have signed up for preregistration even though there isn’t a physical location yet. 

    “Last time, I started a small program, and we didn’t have anything that we needed when we started. This time, when I restart, I want it to be a program that can welcome all levels of gymnastics from our community. That’s the beginners, that’s the recreation, that’s girls, that’s boys, even if adults want to come and take an adult class. And I want to take my time and select a location that would be suitable for all of that.”

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    Laura Nwogu

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  • Hyundai ICE raid in Georgia leaves Asian executives shaken by Trump’s mixed signals

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    SEOUL — The immigration raid that snatched up hundreds of South Koreans last week sent a disconcerting message to companies in South Korea and elsewhere: America wants your investment, but don’t expect special treatment.

    Images of employees being shackled and detained like criminals have outraged many South Koreans. The fallout is already being felt in delays to some big investment projects, auto industry executives and analysts said. Some predicted that it could also make some companies think twice about investing in the U.S. at all.

    “Companies cannot afford to not be more cautious about investing in the U.S. in the future,” said Lee Ho-guen, an auto industry expert at Daeduk University, “In the long run, especially if things get worse, this could make car companies turn away from the U.S. market and more toward other places like Latin America, Europe or the Middle East.”

    The raid last week, in which more than 300 South Korean nationals were detained, targeted a factory site in Ellabell, Ga., owned by HL-GA Battery Co., a joint venture between Hyundai and South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solutions to supply batteries for electric vehicles. The Georgia factory also is expected to supply batteries for Kia, which is part of the Hyundai Motor Group. Kia has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on its factory in West Point, Ga.

    “This situation highlights the competing policy priorities of the Trump administration and has many in Asia scratching their heads, asking, ‘Which is more important to America? Immigration raids or attracting high-quality foreign investment?’” said Tami Overby, former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. “Images of hundreds of Korean workers being treated like criminals are playing all over Asia and don’t match President Trump’s vision to bring high-quality, advanced manufacturing back to America.”

    A protester wears a mask of President Trump at a rally Tuesday in Seoul against the detention of South Korean workers in Georgia. The signs call for “immediate releases and Trump apology.”

    (Ahn Young-joon / Associated Press)

    South Korea is one of the U.S.’ biggest trading partners, with the two countries exchanging $242.5 billion in goods and services last year. The U.S. is the leading destination for South Korea’s overseas investments, receiving $26 billion last year, according to South Korea’s Finance Ministry.

    Trump is banking on ambitious projects like the one raided in Georgia to revive American manufacturing.

    Hyundai is one of the South Korean companies with the largest commitments to the U.S. It has invested about $20 billion since entering the market in the 1980s. It sold 836,802 vehicles in the U.S. last year.

    California is one of its largest markets, with more than 70 dealerships.

    Earlier this year, the company announced an additional $26 billion to build a new steel mill in Louisiana and upgrade its existing auto plants.

    Hyundai’s expansion plans were part of the $150-billion pledge that South Korea made last month to help persuade Trump to set tariffs on Korean products at 15% instead of the 25% he had earlier announced.

    Samsung Electronics announced that it would invest $37 billion to construct a semiconductor factory in Texas. Similarly large sums are expected from South Korean shipbuilders.

    Analysts and executives say the recent raid is making companies feel exposed, all the more so because U.S. officials have indicated that more crackdowns are coming.

    “We’re going to do more worksite enforcement operations,” White House border advisor Tom Homan said Sunday. “No one hires an illegal alien out of the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they can work them harder, pay them less, undercut the competition that hires U.S. citizen employees.”

    Many South Korean companies have banned all work-related travel to the U.S. or are recalling personnel already there, according to local media reports. Construction work on at least 22 U.S. factory sites has reportedly been halted.

    The newspaper Korea Economic Daily reported Monday that 10 out of the 14 companies it contacted said they were considering adjusting their projects in the U.S. due to the Georgia raid.

    It is a significant problem for the big planned projects, analysts say. South Korean companies involved in U.S. manufacturing projects say they need to bring their own engineering teams to get the factories up and running, but obtaining proper work visas for them is difficult and time-consuming. The option often used to get around this problem is an illegal shortcut like using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, a nonwork permit that allows tourists to stay in the country for up to 90 days.

    Unlike countries such as Singapore or Mexico, South Korea doesn’t have a deal with Washington that guarantees work visas for specialized workers.

    “The U.S. keeps calling for more investments into the country. But no matter how many people we end up hiring locally later, there is no way around bringing in South Korean experts to get things off the ground,” said a manager at a subcontractor for LG Energy Solution who asked not to be named. “But now we can no longer use ESTAs like we did in the past.”

    Trump pointed to the problem on his social media platform, posting that he will try to make it easier for South Korean companies to bring in the people they need, but reminding them to “please respect our Nation’s Immigration Laws.”

    “Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people … and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so,” the post said.

    Sydney Seiler, senior advisor and Korea chair at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that the timing of the raids was an “irritant” but that South Korean companies eventually would adjust.

    “Rectifying that is a challenge for all involved, the companies, the embassies who issue visas, etc.,” Seiler said, adding that the raids will make other companies be more careful in the future.

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    Max Kim, Nilesh Christopher

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