Latest news with #MatthewCappucci
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
TSA issues important clarification about ID cards
Published: Updated: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been forced to issue a hilarious statement about which ID cards qualify as official identification while traveling. It came after a user on X, formerly known as Twitter , posted a picture of a bright yellow Waffle House customer card with the caption, 'TSA might want REAL ID, but I have the realest ID.' It read 'Matthew Cappucci, Meteorologist,' with an American flag in the right corner. Other comments read: 'This is an outrage. Waffle House trumps TSA all day every day,' and, 'This is your best tweet yet, @TSA.' One X user replied by posting an image of a Blockbuster membership card, writing, 'Will this do?' Cappucci followed up his post by writing: 'One of my greatest life accomplishments is being one of the only 90 people in this world that Waffle House follows.' It comes after the TSA responded to travelers who attempted to use their Costco cards as valid ID at the airport. US travelers are now required to have a federally approved REAL ID or passport to board a domestic flight , with a standard driver's license no longer cutting it. Still, some hopeful vacationers believed their trusty Costco membership cards would be their golden ticket through security. The TSA made it clear in a Facebook post this week that the membership card cannot act as a substitute.
.jpg%3Ftrim%3D0%2C0%2C0%2C0%26width%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
The Independent
15 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
Not the ‘realest ID': Waffle House card won't get you through airport checkpoints, TSA warns X poster
In a lighthearted yet increasingly necessary clarification, TSA confirmed that, despite internet jokes, a Waffle House employee ID does not meet the standards of a federally recognized Real ID. The chatter started when Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci tweeted a bright-yellow laminated Waffle House ID with his name and meteorologist title on it this week, writing, 'TSA might want RealID, but I have the realest ID.' The post quickly went viral, racking up over 2.2 million views. It even caught the attention of the official TSA account two days later, which replied, 'Respectfully, no… Waffle House IDs will not suffice as a Real ID alternative (sorry).' The humorous exchange with the meteorologist and eatery super fan brings to mind the Waffle House Index, an informal metric used by FEMA to assess the severity of natural disasters, especially hurricanes, based on whether Waffle House restaurants in affected areas stay open. Since nearly all Waffle House locations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even on holidays, the chain is known for its disaster preparedness and resilience. As former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate told the Wall Street Journal in 2011, "If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That's really bad. That's where you go to work." The Waffle House Index uses a simple three-color system to reflect the severity of a disaster's impact on a local area. A green rating means the Waffle House is fully operational and serving its full menu, indicating that the area has experienced minimal damage or disruption. A yellow rating signifies that the restaurant is open but operating on a limited menu, often due to power outages, staffing shortages, or supply chain issues, suggesting moderate impact but still-manageable conditions. A red rating means the Waffle House is completely closed, which is rare and typically signals severe damage, unsafe conditions, or significant infrastructure failure in the area. The ID kerfuffle recalls TSA's recent post about using Costco IDs at the airport security counter. "We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not," the TSA said in a post last week on social media. The TSA Costco post came a few days after Chowhound published an article titled, "How Your Costco Card Could Save You At The Airport." They later updated it to clarify that "TSA does not explicitly state you can use a Costco card as a form of identification.'
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Daily Mail
TSA issues important clarification about ID cards required for flying
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been forced to issue a hilarious statement about which ID cards qualify as official identification while traveling. It came after a user on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted a picture of a bright yellow Waffle House customer card with the caption, 'TSA might want REAL ID, but I have the realest ID.' It read 'Matthew Cappucci, Meteorologist,' with an American flag in the right corner. The post amassed over 2.2 million views and thousands of replies - including one from the official TSA account. 'Respectfully, no… Waffle House IDs will not suffice as a Real ID alternative (sorry),' the organization's comical response read. People all across the globe were entertained by the post and TSA's involvement. 'How does one even acquire this?' one user asked. 'You didn't have to flex on us like this,' a different person wrote, while another said, 'Where do I get my Waffle House identification?' 'Respectfully, no… Waffle House IDs will not suffice as a Real ID alternative (sorry),' TSA replied 'That's the most American ID,' someone else stated. Another admitted: 'I have never been so jealous of an internet stranger.' Other comments read: 'This is an outrage. Waffle House trumps TSA all day every day,' and, 'This is your best tweet yet, @TSA.' One X user replied by posting an image of a Blockbuster membership card, writing, 'Will this do?' Cappucci followed up his post by writing: 'One of my greatest life accomplishments is being one of the only 90 people in this world that Waffle House follows.' It comes after the TSA responded to travelers who attempted to use their Costco cards as valid ID at the airport. US travelers are now required to have a federally approved REAL ID or passport to board a domestic flight, with a standard driver's license no longer cutting it. Still, some hopeful vacationers believed their trusty Costco membership cards would be their golden ticket through security. US travelers are now required to have a federally approved REAL ID or passport to board a domestic flight , with a standard driver's license no longer cutting it (stock image) The TSA made it clear in a Facebook post this week that the membership card cannot act as a substitute. 'We love hotdogs and rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as REAL ID because it absolutely does not,' the agency wrote. The TSA's response to the hilarious ID 'hack' sparked over 700 comments. Many users were amused by the idea, while others insisted the Costco card should actually count as a valid form of ID.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Mystery object zooming over Washington DC sparks panic as agency scrambles to explain anomaly
A mysterious streak appeared on weather radar over Washington DC on Thursday, sparking theories of weather modification or visitors from another planet. The anomaly, visible on radar loops, was shared online by Kari Lake, a special advisor to the US Agency for Global Media, who asked: 'Anyone know what is shooting across the radar over Washington DC around 3:30pm?' That was around the time a severe thunderstorm rolled into the area, unleashing heavy rains, damaging wind gusts and lightning, which lasted for about one hour. The radar tracked the weather system affecting the region, and a distinct, linear streak moved across the screen. It was not a typical weather pattern, like rain, snow, or hail, which would have appeared more scattered. While baffling, a meteorologist who works for a weather radar agency chimed in to ease the confusion that was spreading online. Matthew Cappucci, senior meteorologist at the app Lake used, explained that the strange line or streak on the radar was not caused by weather or anything unusual. Instead, it was likely caused by something physical, like a water tower or a cell tower, located east of the radar station near Dulles Airport. These structures can block or reflect the radar's signals, creating a false image on the radar screen. This is a common problem with radar systems. 'That can cause a bit of the emitted radar beam to bounce back to radar/cause a spurious signal,' Cappucci said. He added that these types of artifacts are quite common on weather radar. You might also notice things like ground clutter or super refraction. 'Occasionally, we can even detect birds, butterflies, planes, and meteors!' the meteorologist shared. But not everyone is convinced, as one X user commented: 'Sounds like something a meteorologist would say….if they were CIA!!!' However, Lake appeared satisfied with the explanation and thanked Cappucci. The destructive storm toppled trees that crushed cars and houses while cutting power to numerous neighborhoods. More than 15,000 Dominion Energy customers, mostly in Fairfax County, were without power as of noon Friday. Arlington County and Alexandria were also hit hard. More than 3,000 Pepco customers in Montgomery County were without power, along with 455 in Prince George's County and over 870 in Washington DC. Crews are working around the clock to restore service, according to Pepco. Wind gusts reached 61 mph at Washington Reagan National Airport and 66 mph at Dulles International Airport as severe storms swept through the region. Multiple thunderstorm warnings were issued during the evening commute. Despite the intense weather, no serious injuries were reported. That was not the case in New York City, which was also hit by the massive storm. Yassin Khalifa, 15, was struck by lightning in Central Park while enjoying a picnic with his friends. 'I leaned up against a tree, and I told them, `Oh, guys, let´s ride out the storm,´ which in hindsight might not have been the best idea,' Khalifa said. Khalifa said he was knocked unconscious for several minutes. Crystal Mateo, 17, told the New York Times she witnessed the scene and saw Khalifa's friends frantically calling for help and trying to revive him. 'It was scary,' she said. 'I was crying.' Khalifa told WABC he was conscious when he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was treated for burns on his neck and leg. Khalifa said he's expected to make a full recovery. 'Apparently, I´m pretty lucky, because my spine was directly against the tree and no nerve damage happened. So I´m like, not losing any sort of motor function,' Khalifa said. 'So I´m pretty happy about that.' Lightning kills around 30 people a year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Strikes, though, are usually not fatal. About 90 percent of people injured by a lightning bolt survive.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
June is Minnesota's peak for severe weather and 2025 may start fast
June is Minnesota's peak for severe weather and 2025 may start fast originally appeared on Bring Me The News. June arrives Sunday and by Monday there could be severe storms ripping through Minnesota. It could signal the start of a busy stretch in what is typically Minnesota's most active month for severe storms. "The start of June is looking anomalously busy from a severe weather/tornado standpoint. Residents across the High Plains, the Central Plains, parts of the Corn Belt and parts of the Upper Midwest should be [alert]," says meteorologist Matthew Cappucci. "The greatest risk for a few tornadic thunderstorms is over western portions of conventional Great Plains Tornado Alley. Farther east, we may see windy storm complexes pass over parts of the Upper Midwest and into Southern Canada as they ride up and over a ridge of high pressure." NOAA Storm Prediction Center has placed an area of the Dakotas and western Minnesota under a slight risk for severe storms on Monday. At this point, it appears Monday's activity will be most potent west of the Twin Cities, though storms in the metro cannot be ruled out. You get a good glimpse of what might happen Monday when you look at the European model's lightning forecast. Look at how it develops an intense line of storms Monday afternoon and evening. "We're going to see storms develop in South Dakota, western Minnesota late Monday, and then we'll see the leftovers Monday night into Tuesday," says Bring Me The News meteorologist Sven Sundgaard. "Looks like the severe threat for eastern Minnesota will be minimal or non-existent." June is also Minnesota's most active month for tornadoes, though Monday's severe threat looks to be more in the form of damaging winds than tornadoes. From 1991 to 2020, Minnesota averaged 46 tornadoes per year, with a peak of 113 in 2010 and a low of 15 in 2013. "Historically and statistically, June is the month of greatest frequency with July not far behind," the Minnesota DNR says. "May has the third greatest frequency, followed closely by August. Over 85% of all tornadoes in Minnesota have occurred between May and August." The European model is dumping a good amount of rain over the southern half of Minnesota and most of Iowa Monday-Wednesday next week. The outlook for June 2-6 calls for a likelihood of above normal temps and precipitation in Minnesota. From June 4-10, temps are forecast to normalize while it remains favorable for above normal precipitation. With summer starting, now is a good time to look how precipitation has evolved statewide, June-August, in Minnesota since 1900. The GIF blow clearly shows how eastern and southeastern Minnesota have trended wetter in the past 120 years. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
