The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) runs its operation center out of Lakeland. During hurricane season, that's where storm-chasing planes are kept, and where the pilots who fly them work. That includes NOAA pilot Lt. Commander Nick Pawlenko.

The most famous fictional tale about a whale is, of course, Moby Dick. Captain Ahab is obsessed with finding and killing the rare creature that took his leg. Ultimately, his pursuit leads to Bad Things happening to everybody except the narrator — you can call him Ishmael.

The Fed's proposal would prohibit fishing for snapper and other reef fishes along much of Florida's Atlantic Coast for three months a year.

According to NOAA, cold-stunning is a condition where sea turtles become very weak or inactive after being exposed to cold temperatures. A similar phenomenon is seen in iguanas. These terrestrial reptiles can fall from trees after being cold-stunned during cold snaps.

Satellites from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) captured the snow left ... parts of south Louisiana, the Florida panhandle and other parts of the East Coast.

Meanwhile, Oak Hill's famous shrimp are gathering steam. Crappie are still biting in the St. Johns. The Tomoka River is delivering, too.

An Accuweather forecast predicts a 10-20% chance of snow flurries in the Florida panhandle next week. Here's how cold it has to get for snow to form.

N​OAA's hurricane hunters took a trip far from their usual haunts in the tropics and sunny Florida. T​he group's P-3 Orion aircraft nicknamed Kermit deployed to Ireland Jan. 16 to spend some time collecting data on winter storms over the Atlantic as part of a project called "Ocean Winds.

The polar vortex can be a powerful source of winter weather, but it's not the only cause of severe cold and snow in regions better known for warmth and sunshine. The Gulf Coast states are still digging out of the snowdrifts, but at least warmer temperatures are on tap heading into the weekend.

New Orleans saw 8 inches of snow, breaking the previous record of 2.7 inches by a long shot, with Chalmette, Louisiana seeing 11.5 inches and Lafayette and Rayne seeing 10.5 inches. The Acadiana region of Louisiana saw temperatures drop as low as 2 degrees F, the lowest ever recorded there since records began in 1893.

NOAA in the Florida Keys, including Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the National Weather Service, is partnering with the Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU for an Open