5 things to know for July 15: Flash flooding, HHS firings, Education lawsuit, Childhood vaccinations, Tariffs
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As Russian forces rained drones and missiles down on Kyiv last week, Ukrainian authorities urged residents to hide in bomb shelters and basements for safety. But one group was undeterred by the danger. A seriously ill child was in desperate need of a new heart, and when one became available, a doctor and his staff made the treacherous 10-mile journey across the capital city to deliver their precious cargo.
Here's what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.
Millions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region remain under flash-flood warnings this morning. According to the National Weather Service, slow-moving summer storms have already caused flooding in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Maryland, with more rain expected today. New York City experienced its second-wettest hour on record after a little over 2 inches of rain fell between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Monday. A deluge of water filled at least one Manhattan subway station and several trains had to be suspended, delayed or rerouted. Impacts to air travel were reported at Boston, New York City and Washington, DC, airports. First responders in Pennsylvania conducted at least 16 water rescues and there were reports of more than 5 feet of water in some homes when over 7 inches of rain fell in less than five hours, authorities said. Water rescues also took place in Virginia after 2 to 3 inches of rain fell in less than two hours.
'You are hereby notified that you are officially separated from HHS at the close of business on July 14, 2025. Thank you for your service to the American people.'
That was the message thousands of federal employees at US health agencies received when they were laid off by email on Monday. Although the job cuts were originally announced on April 1, they were delayed due to a legal battle. However, on July 8, the Supreme Court ruled that the Department of Health and Human Services may move forward with the terminations. The massive reduction in force stems from an executive order President Donald Trump issued in February.
A lawsuit filed in federal court on Monday is the latest clash between more than 20 Democratic-led states and the federal government. This case involves the Trump administration's decision to pause or claw back critical funds for educational services. The states are asking the court to lift the administration's freeze on nearly $7 billion that Congress allocated for initiatives including after-school and summer programs, supporting the hiring and retention of teachers in low-income areas and helping immigrant students attain English proficiency. The Department of Education has withheld disbursement of the funding pending a review of how consistent these programs are with Trump's priorities.
An estimated 14.3 million children remain completely unvaccinated, a new report issued by the World Health Organization and the UN Children's Fund said. Although that figure is down by 171,000 since 2023, too many children remain at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases. An additional 5.7 million children have only partial protection because they may not have received all the recommended doses of certain vaccine series. Public health experts say children living in conflict zones and low-or middle-income countries were particularly vulnerable. In high-income countries, vaccine hesitancy and distrust in institutions have led to a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles and polio.
With President Trump threatening to increase tariffs on two of America's largest trading partners, consumers should prepare to pay more for certain products. Over the weekend, Trump called for 30% levies on the European Union and Mexico starting on August 1 — unless they make trade deals with the US. Although some businesses may absorb the tax themselves, others will have to pass it on to American consumers. Here are some of the items that could be affected:
-Alcohol
-Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes and avocados
-Medical equipment and surgical supplies
-Electronics, such as computers, electrical equipment and audio and video equipment
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The TSA says excess sweating can set off the Advanced Imaging Technology that's used on air travelers
Hard drives containing the tunes — and several other items — were taken from a vehicle rented by the singer's choreographer.
Carolina Wilga, 26, also said she was 'beyond grateful to have survived' her ordeal and thanked the people who searched for her.
Will such deep discounts bring audiences back to the theater and help revive the movie industry?
Theatergoers attending the show, 'The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise,' in Los Angeles last weekend were thrilled when the man himself led an impromptu sing-along.
1,800+That's how many earthquakes have shaken a remote Japanese island in the past three weeks.
'I'm not yours to silence. I never was.'
— Comedian and actress Rosie O'Donnell, in response to President Trump's post on social media that said he was giving serious consideration to revoking her US citizenship.
🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.
Tijuana, Mexico, has set a new record for the world's largest margarita.
5 Things AM is edited by CNN's Andrew Torgan.
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What is a landspout and how did one tear through a Colorado business park?
When we normally think of a tornado, most people go to Twister or picture the Wizard of Oz. They think of the powerful storms spinning down from massive, rotating thunderstorms, triggering tornado warnings, and potentially causing major damage. However, not all tornadoes form the same way, and with recent storms across Colorado, we have seen those in the form of landspouts. A landspout tornado is a less intense tornado. It looks like a skinny rope extending from a cloud to the ground. It can spin quickly and may even pick up dust or debris, but it's usually weaker and shorter-lived than the classic tornadoes we see in severe weather outbreaks. Landspouts typically form on hot, dry days when there's instability and thunderstorms overhead, but the landspouts lack the rotating core of a mesocyclone that drives more dangerous tornadoes. Low pressure at the surface forms rising air that rushes in, filling the low and increasing the circulation, and rising. As a thunderstorm develops overhead, the updraft stretches the landspout up to the cloud. That stretching will tighten the rotation and create the landspout tornado. The storm picks up dust and debris, much like a tornado. Eventually, the landspout picks up cooler air, which kills the circulation. The Franktown landspout on Monday caused damage and came to the area without much warning, as many landspouts do. While the classic tornado forms from mesocyclones, and strong rotations that are easy to detect on radar, landspouts form from non-rotating, ordinary thunderstorms, usually along an outflow or dryline. They happen quickly, near the surface, and don't often present warning signatures on radar. Even though a landspout is usually weaker, it is still considered a tornado and should still be treated as such if you see a funnel forming in your area.
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Bryan Norcross: Disturbance continues to drench Florida, could develop in Gulf
Updated at 9 a.m. ET, Tuesday, July 15, 2025 The tropical disturbance that created bands of torrential tropical downpours on Monday will move across the Florida Peninsula on Tuesday. Heavy rain with local flooding and frequent lightning is likely over the Florida Peninsula once again. Stay aware of flood alerts that are issued by the National Weather Service. The disturbance is showing some signs of a circulation, but it's disorganized and broad. The air is already extremely humid over Florida, and the disturbance is bringing more tropical moisture with it. The moisture combined with the heating of the day will likely produce intense, slow-moving thunderstorms – the type that can cause local flooding. The system is forecast to move into the Gulf tomorrow where it might have a chance to organize over the very warm water. The National Hurricane Center has the odds of it becoming at least a tropical depression in the medium range. According to the computer forecasts, if it does develop an organized circulation, it's most likely to do it late tomorrow or early Thursday when it is approaching Louisiana. Interestingly, most of the computer forecasts show a fairly weak system in the vicinity of southeastern Louisiana by Thursday. But the new Google experimental AI model and some others indicate that the system could quickly spin up into a reasonably strong storm. The name would be Tropical Storm Dexter. The idea is that the model gives us a reasonable range of possibilities, so we know what to ready for. It's not a forecast as much as it's a heads up. So the strength of the system is an open question, but the very heavy rain over the northern Gulf coast from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana looks likely. Be ready for flood watches to be issued for areas along the coast. As always, forecasts for disorganized or just developing systems are subject to greater errors and often have to be adjusted when and if a consolidated circulation develops. Elsewhere in the Atlantic, a robust tropical disturbance is midway between Africa and the Caribbean. It's on a southern track and will likely bring a noticeable moisture surge to the southeastern Caribbean islands and Venezuela late in the week. The tropical ocean is still blanketed with dry air and Saharan dust, so development is not expected. But it's a reminder that the African disturbance-producing system is working. The ocean water temperatures are warming between the Caribbean and Africa, so in a couple of weeks, we'll start looking in that direction for possible article source: Bryan Norcross: Disturbance continues to drench Florida, could develop in Gulf
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Southern Westchester under flood watch Monday, July 14. See the forecast from NWS
Southern Westchester is under a flood watch starting 2 p.m. Monday, July 14, according to an alert issued by the National Weather Service. According to the alert, a forecast of scattered showers and thunderstorms, with potential for heavy rains, Monday afternoon and evening could result in rainfall rates of 2-plus inches per hour. "A widespread 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches of rainfall is likely with localized rainfall totals of up to 3 inches possible," the NWS alert says. "Much of this could fall in only 3 to 4 hours, causing isolated to scattered instances of flash flooding." Flooding in urban and poor drainage areas could be possible due to excessive runoff. "Small rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations" could also flood. Residents should "monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings," the NWS said. "Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop." This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY weather: Southern Westchester under NWS flood watch July 14
