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The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * U.S. TOP STORIES o Dire warnings to flee as Hurricane Milton begins to lash Florida: 'This is your last chance' o As Milton takes aim at Florida, why is Tampa Bay so vulnerable to hurricanes? o Language, lack of money and fear are matters of life and death with Milton approaching Florida Newsletters The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. 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Here's what some are doing and what they say you can do too o Don't expect human life expectancy to grow much more, researcher says o Don't fall for fake dentists offering veneers and other dental work on social media o 'I love you but I hate you.' What to do when you can't stand your long-term partner o It's time to roll up sleeves for new COVID, flu shots o Cutting back on meat doesn't have to mean going without protein * Newsletters Newsletters AP News Alerts Keep your pulse on the news with breaking news alerts from The AP. AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. Beyond the Story Executive Editor Julie Pace brings you behind the scenes of the AP newsroom. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. 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What happens when they burst open? o Policing group says officers must change how and when they use physical force on US streets * Climate + Climate Questions + Climate Migration + India Focus SECTIONS Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus TOP STORIES o Climate change boosted Helene's deadly rain and wind and scientists say same is likely for Milton o Head of international shipping regulator says industry must do more to cut carbon pollution o An unusual hurricane season goes from ultra quiet to record busy and spawns Helene and Milton * Health TOP STORIES o Officials work to protect IV supplies in Florida after disruptions at North Carolina plant o Bakery that makes Sara Lee and Entenmann's pushes back on FDA sesame warning o Florida hospitals and health care facilities in Hurricane Milton's path prepare for the worst o A peek inside the human brain shows a way it cleans out the kind of waste that leads to Alzheimer's o Don't expect human life expectancy to grow much more, researcher says o Nobel Prize in chemistry honors 3 scientists who used AI to design proteins, life's building blocks * Tech + Artificial Intelligence + Social Media SECTIONS Artificial Intelligence Social Media TOP STORIES o Google was declared a monopoly. 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U.S. News How Waffle House helps Southerners -- and FEMA -- judge a storm's severity How Waffle House helps Southerners -- and FEMA -- judge a storm's severity 1 of 7 | For people caught in a hurricane's path, there's an informal way to gauge a storm's intensity -- the Waffle House Index. Here's what to know. Read More Image 2 of 7 | FILE - A billboard lies atop a Waffle House restaurant after being knocked down by Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Oct. 14, 2018. (Carlos R. Munoz/Sarasota Herald-Tribune via AP, File) Read More Image 3 of 7 | A sign on a closed Waffle House on Highway US 19 in anticipation of Hurricane Milton on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in New Port Richey, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson) Read More Image 4 of 7 | FILE - Luke Churchill, left, stands with his wife, Mary and their children, Katie, 13, Liam, 9, and Raighan, 3, as they wait in the rain outside an open Waffle House restaurant in Wilmington, N.C., after Hurricane Florence traveled through the area, Sept. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) Read More Image 5 of 7 | FILE - A sign is all that's left of this Waffle House on the beach in Gulfport, Miss., Aug. 31, 2005. (AP Photo/Phil Coale, File) Read More Image 6 of 7 | FILE - Only the benches remain at what was a Waffle House restaurant on the beachfront area in Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005, following Hurricane Katrina. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File) Read More Image 7 of 7 | FILE - A sailboat washed out of the water during Hurricane Gustav. rests next to a road in Biloxi, Miss., Sept. 3, 2008. (AP Photo/James Edward Bates/Sun Herald, File) Read More How Waffle House helps Southerners -- and FEMA -- judge a storm's severity Read More 1 of 7 For people caught in a hurricane's path, there's an informal way to gauge a storm's intensity -- the Waffle House Index. Here's what to know. Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 2 of 7 | FILE - A billboard lies atop a Waffle House restaurant after being knocked down by Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Oct. 14, 2018. (Carlos R. Munoz/Sarasota Herald-Tribune via AP, File) Read More 2 of 7 FILE - A billboard lies atop a Waffle House restaurant after being knocked down by Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Oct. 14, 2018. (Carlos R. Munoz/Sarasota Herald-Tribune via AP, File) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 3 of 7 | A sign on a closed Waffle House on Highway US 19 in anticipation of Hurricane Milton on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in New Port Richey, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson) Read More 3 of 7 A sign on a closed Waffle House on Highway US 19 in anticipation of Hurricane Milton on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in New Port Richey, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 4 of 7 | FILE - Luke Churchill, left, stands with his wife, Mary and their children, Katie, 13, Liam, 9, and Raighan, 3, as they wait in the rain outside an open Waffle House restaurant in Wilmington, N.C., after Hurricane Florence traveled through the area, Sept. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) Read More 4 of 7 FILE - Luke Churchill, left, stands with his wife, Mary and their children, Katie, 13, Liam, 9, and Raighan, 3, as they wait in the rain outside an open Waffle House restaurant in Wilmington, N.C., after Hurricane Florence traveled through the area, Sept. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 5 of 7 | FILE - A sign is all that's left of this Waffle House on the beach in Gulfport, Miss., Aug. 31, 2005. (AP Photo/Phil Coale, File) Read More 5 of 7 FILE - A sign is all that's left of this Waffle House on the beach in Gulfport, Miss., Aug. 31, 2005. (AP Photo/Phil Coale, File) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 6 of 7 | FILE - Only the benches remain at what was a Waffle House restaurant on the beachfront area in Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005, following Hurricane Katrina. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File) Read More 6 of 7 FILE - Only the benches remain at what was a Waffle House restaurant on the beachfront area in Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005, following Hurricane Katrina. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 7 of 7 | FILE - A sailboat washed out of the water during Hurricane Gustav. rests next to a road in Biloxi, Miss., Sept. 3, 2008. (AP Photo/James Edward Bates/Sun Herald, File) Read More 7 of 7 FILE - A sailboat washed out of the water during Hurricane Gustav. rests next to a road in Biloxi, Miss., Sept. 3, 2008. (AP Photo/James Edward Bates/Sun Herald, File) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Stay up to date: Follow AP's live coverage of Hurricane Milton and the 2024 hurricane season. Golden hashbrowns, gravy-smothered biscuits and crispy waffles with a hearty helping of maple syrup are among the classic Southern comfort foods. But when hurricanes tear through Southeastern towns, the hot meals and bold yellow signs of the local Waffle House provide another kind of comfort. If a Waffle House stays open in town, even in a limited capacity, neighbors are reassured that the coming storm is unlikely to cause devastation. A closed location of the dependable diner chain has come to indicate impending disaster. The metric is known as the Waffle House Index. What might sound like silly logic has become one of the most reliable ways for Southerners -- and even federal officials -- to gauge a storm's severity and identify communities most in need of immediate aid. About two dozen Waffle House locations remained closed in the Carolinas and the chain's home state of Georgia on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the states were among those battered by Hurricane Helene. Several other locations were open but serving a limited menu. As Hurricane Milton closes in on Florida communities still recovering from Helene, many Waffle House locations along the Gulf Coast, including those in Tampa, Cape Coral and St. Petersburg, have closed in preparation. RELATED COVERAGE Image Polluted waste from Florida's fertilizer industry is in the path of Milton's fury Image Severe solar storm could stress power grids even more as US deals with major back-to-back hurricanes Image Hurricanes force changes to Florida's election procedures What is the Waffle House Index? The South's favorite disaster authority provides an informal measure of how significantly a storm will affect or has affected a community. A map of the chain's over 1,900 locations, concentrated in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, helps residents of storm-prone states assess whether they're likely to lose power, experience severe flooding or endure other extreme conditions that might cause a resilient restaurant to close its doors. For some, it's a telltale sign of whether they need to evacuate. Waffle House is known not just for serving breakfast 24/7, 365 days a year, but also for its disaster preparedness. For decades, people across the South have noticed that the local Waffle House seemed to be the only business still open during a storm or the first to reopen after it passed. The restaurant chain's reputation for remaining open when people desperately needed a place to warm up, charge devices and grab a hot meal became a fairly reliable -- albeit amusing -- resource to help track recovery efforts. The company even operates its own storm center, which Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp visited Tuesday as he continues to assess damage from Helene and prepare for Milton's impact. How does the index work? Waffle House's social media shares color-coded maps of its restaurant locations in certain regions that will soon be hit or are recovering from storm damage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also offers some live tracking. Green means the location is serving a full menu, indicating minimal damage in the surrounding area. The lights are on and the syrup is flowing. Yellow means the restaurant is serving a limited menu, a signal that it's pulling power from a generator and might have a low food supply. The area might not have running water or electricity, but there's enough gas to fry up bacon for hungry customers. Red means the location is closed, a sign of unsafe operating conditions and severe destruction to the restaurant or nearby communities. How did the index start? Former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate has said he thought up the Waffle House Index while leading Florida's emergency management efforts in 2004. He had been searching for something to eat while surveying the devastation left by Hurricane Charley and was only able to find a Waffle House serving a limited menu. His team began to notice other open Waffle Houses in communities without power or running water. The restaurants eventually became a key feature on a color-coded map that his team provided to help the public and local officials identify where storm damage was most severe. Fugate continued to use his color-coded map when he joined FEMA under President Barack Obama. He was the agency's administrator in 2011 when a deadly tornado tore through the town of Joplin, Missouri. Both of the town's Waffle Houses reportedly stayed open. The restaurant chain's disaster readiness is no coincidence. Seven locations were destroyed and 100 more shut down in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, but company executives saw business skyrocket at restaurants that reopened quickly. They soon embraced a business strategy centered around keeping their restaurants operable during and after a disaster, according to the company's website. The chain said it has invested in portable generators, bought a mobile command center and trained employees on what they can still serve if they lose electricity. How Waffle House helps Southerners -- and FEMA -- judge a storm's severity AP AUDIO: Correspondent Julie Walker reports on how Waffle House helps Southerners and FEMA judge a storm's severity. What does the index say about Hurricane Milton? Waffle House closed many Florida locations before Hurricane Milton made landfall, indicating damage to the area would likely be severe. Milton was churning toward the center of Florida's west coast and could land a once-in-a-century direct hit on Tampa and St. Petersburg. Residents had been strongly encouraged to evacuate. Image HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Schoenbaum is a government and politics reporter based in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also covers general news in the Rockies and LGBTQ+ rights policies in U.S. statehouses. twitter mailto Image The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. 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