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NBC News
09-07-2025
- Climate
- NBC News
Challenge of predicting Texas floods and SCOTUS allows for mass federal layoffs: Morning Rundown
Meteorologists and forecasting experts say the severity of the deadly Texas floods couldn't have been predicted. The Supreme Court allows Donald Trump to move forward with mass firings. And more pet owners are opting into insurance for their furry family members. Here's what to know today. How extreme weather, geography and timing created Texas' flood disaster At least 161 people are missing after catastrophic floods tore through the Texas Hill Country, Gov. Greg Abbott said yesterday, as the desperate search for survivors continues. The death toll rose to at least 110 people. Meanwhile, scrutiny and questions are mounting about how and when people in the area received flash flood alerts. Among those questions: What actions were taken to notify residents? Were emergency alerts adequate, and who issued them? It was also unclear whether alerts were received on all phones. At a news conference yesterday, local officials and law enforcement in Kerr County couldn't provide basic details of the emergency response. While National Weather Service forecasters had warned broadly about flash flooding ahead of time, the best weather models could not have predicted precisely where the most intense rainfall would land, or that the deluge would stall out over a flood-prone basin, meteorologists and forecasting experts said. Texas state climatologist John Neilsen-Gammon called such a prediction 'next to impossible.' What did happen was that 'all the ingredients came together at the wrong place, at the wrong time, at night on a holiday weekend,' said David Gagne, a National Center for Atmospheric Research scientist. Though NOAA is working to build better weather models, that research is on the chopping block. As science reporter Evan Bush explains, a succession of thunderstorms fed by the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry hit the region. Weather charts showed that the south fork of the Guadalupe River took a direct and prolonged hit. Then, instead of moving on, the storms stalled and dumped 10-12 inches of rain over six hours. Making matters worse, the area — consisting of steep hills and narrow canyons that rapidly funnel water from smaller creeks into swollen rivers — was filled with campers near the river's edge. If the storm had been even five miles in another direction, it would not have produced as much destruction, Nilsen-Gammon said. More coverage of the Texas floods: A 10-year-old who was at Camp Mystic on the night of the floods described the overnight evacuation from her cabin and helicopter flight to safety hours later. The Hunt Store has been a community hub in the small Texas town for decades. And it still is, even after sustaining damage in the floods. Supreme Court allows Trump to move forward with mass firings The Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump, at least temporarily, to move ahead with plans to impose mass firings of the federal workforce and reorganize various government agencies. The decision affects 19 federal agencies, as well as the White House-adjacent Office of Management and Budget, Office of Personnel Management and U.S. DOGE Service. The court's decision yesterday was a response to a ruling from California-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, who blocked Trump's plans in May, saying that while the president can seek to make changes to the workforce, there are limits when they are done wholesale. The Trump administration, however, argued that the president does not need permission from Congress to carry out his duties as stated in the Constitution. The justices made clear that their order is not about the legality of any individual agency reduction in force or reorganization plan, only the legality of Trump's executive order and an administration memo related to workforce plans. Ketanji Brown Jackson, the only justice to provide a written dissent, sharply criticized the decision as 'hubristic and senseless.' Read the full story here. More politics news: Trump said there would be 'no extensions' past the new Aug. 1 deadline for U.S. trading partners to negotiate new deals or face significantly higher tariffs on goods imported from their countries. Trump also said he will impose a 50% tariff on copper imports and would soon announce tariffs at a 'very, very high rate, like 200%,' on pharmaceutical imports. Trump promised more military aid to Ukraine while expressing mounting frustration toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. An unknown person or group used an AI voice to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contacted at least five high-level government officials, according to a State Department cable. Rural hospitals brace for painful choices Small-town hospitals are buckling under strain from Trump's sprawling domestic policy bill, signed into law last week. It includes sweeping cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and could result in millions of Americans losing health care coverage. The package includes $50 billion for rural hospitals, though it won't be enough to offset the Medicaid and ACA cuts, one expert said. Now, hospitals are already considering how to adapt to a shifting budget, even if some of the Trump bill's changes won't take effect for a few years. Some smaller hospitals are already closing their doors due to growing financial strain. The Nebraska-based Community Hospital said last week that it's shutting down its medical center in Curtis, a town of around 900 people. In Hugo, Colorado, Kevin Stansbury, the CEO of the Lincoln Community Hospital and Care Center, said he may soon have to start cutting services for patients at the 25-bed rural hospital. And in Kansas, Benjamin Anderson, CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, said he's evaluating how the only hospital for many residents of South Central Kansas will be able to keep offering all of its services, which include hospice and home care, women's health and pediatric care. The town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, which was hit last year by devastating wildfires, saw dangerous flooding after heavy rain in the area. One video showed a home being swept down a river. A new report includes evidence adding to claims that Hamas used sexual violence as a weapon of war during its Oct. 7 terror attack. Formula 1 team Red Bull Racing has sacked Christian Horner as the team principal and chief executive after 20 years in charge. Travelers no longer have to take off their shoes to go through security checkpoints at airports across the country, thanks to an updated TSA rule. A new lawsuit accuses top officials at the New York City police department of giving promotions to unqualified 'friends and cronies' and a former police commissioner of selling promotions for up to $15,000. My cat Macaroni is pretty unusual, and not only because he can whine loud enough to be heard two floors down or because he's missing a back left paw — but because he's insured. Most pet owners don't buy coverage for their animals. Of the nearly 90 million dogs and almost 74 million cats in the U.S., both species' insured rates remain in the single digits. But that's changing fast, as business intern Evie Steele reports. Spending on pet insurance has grown by at least 20% each year since 2020, hitting more than $4.7 billion last year, according to one industry estimate. Evie found consumers have strong opinions on whether pet insurance is worth it — most policies don't cover pre-existing conditions — but analysts broadly expect the market to keep growing. — Rich Bellis, senior business editor NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified The discounts are just starting on the second day of Amazon Prime Day. Here are the best smartwatch deals from brands like Apple, Samsung and more. And other retailers are offering major sales, too, like Target and Walmart. You can also find deals on vacuums from brands like Dyson, Shark and others.
Axios
18-06-2025
- Climate
- Axios
CU's storm chasers are studying hailstorms
University of Colorado Boulder's Eric Frew is eager to get a drone in the air. It's June in the Plains, and that means hailstorm season. Why it matters: Hail causes billions of dollars in damage every year and leads to higher insurance rates nationwide. Yet, we know little about how it forms, says Frew. What he's saying: "We need better scientific understanding to make better forecast models, to build better homes, and all the things that you can do with a better understanding of this," he tells us hours before he leaves for western Nebraska. State of play: Frew and his small team of students are part of the largest hail study in decades, dubbed ICECHIP. It involves roughly 70 private and public researchers, and includes scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder. Zoom in: The CU team is spending six weeks through the end of June looking for storm clouds on the Front Range and across the Great Plains. Frew — the director of the Center for Autonomous Air Mobility and Sensing — is tasked with using a drone to map the hailstorm damage from above. "Our team is actually going right behind the storm to try to image … the full extent of where it fell. And you need all of that information together to really understand what's going on with this hail," he says. The intrigue: The drone they are using is the inspiration for the one featured in the blockbuster movie "Twisters." "I want to stress they got the design from us, not the other way around," Frew says with a laugh. Yes, but: No tornado chasing for this team. Frew says hail can cause more damage and is often hard to detect. "It's not quite as crazy as what the movies look like," he allows. "Although … I worry more about the damage hail can do than a tornado, because you can see the tornado a little bit more easily."
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers make concerning discovery while studying disease-carrying mosquitoes: 'We cannot dismiss this'
Recent research has revealed that mosquitoes may be able to transmit diseases across long distances by traveling via high-altitude strong winds, expanding their harmful impact on human health. A team of scientists conducted a study on the high-altitude movement of mosquito-borne pathogens. Science magazine reported on the findings, which support suspicions that mosquitoes can spread diseases farther than they otherwise would thanks to high-altitude movement. According to the report, mosquitoes typically stay close to the ground. They move at about the same pace as a human walking. Most travel no more than around three miles in their lifetimes. But some will soar between approximately 131 and 951 feet above ground. When this happens, they catch a high-altitude jet stream and can ride this powerful wind for 100 miles or more in one night. Do you worry about getting diseases from bug bites? Absolutely Only when I'm camping or hiking Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. These trips appear to be purposeful, according to study author Tovi Lehmann, a mosquito ecologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Mosquitoes likely use the high-altitude winds to find resources elsewhere. And they can bring dangerous pathogens with them. The scientists captured over 1,000 mosquitoes moving at high altitudes over Mali and Ghana. They found mosquitoes carrying viruses like dengue, West Nile, M'poko, and avian malaria, per Science. "We cannot dismiss this movement of pathogens at altitude," Lehmann said. He continued, "The relevance to human health is high, as it is to animal health, both domestic and wild." Indeed, introducing such harmful pathogens to new locations could have catastrophic consequences, and Earth's rising temperature only makes it easier for these vector-borne illnesses to spread, as a warmer climate allows mosquitoes to expand their ranges and supports their reproduction. Moreover, changes in climate may be impacting the high-altitude jet stream. A 2023 study suggested that the jet stream will move faster as the world warms. Per the National Center for Atmospheric Research, analysis suggests it will accelerate by 2% for every 1.8 degree Fahrenheit of temperature rise. This means mosquitoes could travel farther and faster than ever before. Thankfully, scientists believe these movements may not massively impact the spread of diseases because traveling these enormous distances could weaken the mosquitoes. Heather Ferguson, an infectious disease ecologist at the University of Glasgow, told Science, "We don't know if [they] would survive these long movements and be sufficiently fit to find and bite a host at the end of their journey." After further investigation, these findings may ultimately influence future insect control methods in development, which include releasing genetically modified mosquitoes to control disease spread in some African countries, according to the report. For now, insect repellents and wearing long pants and sleeves are some ways to keep yourself safe from potential mosquito-borne diseases. In the long term, reducing pollution associated with warming global temperatures can bring the planet back into balance and make things less favorable for mosquitoes. Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and technologies, like LED light bulbs, are simple actions to help. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
USA Today
08-02-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
The puzzling and powerful polar vortex faces 'big uncertainty' as Earth warms
The puzzling and powerful polar vortex faces 'big uncertainty' as Earth warms Show Caption Hide Caption Florida, Alabama beaches covered in snow as winter storm hits South Places that rarely see snow looked like winter wonderlands, including beaches along the Gulf Coast of Florida. The polar dance that caused snow to fall across the South in January has been studied for decades, but scientists still hope to answer many remaining questions. Miles above the Earth, two bands of fast-moving air – the polar jet stream and the stratospheric polar vortex – sometimes tango together to influence weather in the northern hemisphere. As the Arctic continues warming up to three times faster than the rest of the planet, some researchers say the two atmospheric patterns are working together to bring about bone-chilling cold air outbreaks more often. But questions about the interaction aren't fully settled and remain a subject of scientific debate. When multiple things are all happening at the same time, 'it's difficult to disentangle the cause,' said Isla Simpson, a scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research. One thing is sure, the phrase "polar vortex" has captured public attention and is now often misused to describe short-term bouts of frigid weather, experts told USA TODAY. Polar vortex is not a synonym for 'cold snap,' according to the Polar Vortex Blog at and it's not the only weather pattern to blame for blasts of cold air. "Weather can happen regardless of what the stratosphere is doing," Simpson said. What are the polar jet stream and the stratospheric polar vortex? The high-speed polar jet stream typically spins at a height of 5 to 9 miles above the Earth's surface, in the lower layer of the atmosphere known as the troposphere. The jet undulates up and down in ridges and troughs that help steer weather systems around in the northern hemisphere, from cold fronts to hurricanes. When hot, dry conditions occur in one peak or valley of the jet, another may experience colder, wetter conditions. The polar vortex might be considered the jet stream's upstairs neighbor in the wintertime. It appears in September, when a seasonal lack of sunlight begins to make it cooler inside the Arctic region than outside, said Laura Ciasto, a meteorologist and co-author of the Polar Vortex Blog. The vortex usually disappears in April. The polar vortex circles above the Arctic in a higher layer of atmosphere, known as the stratosphere, between 10 to 30 miles above the surface. Like some human neighbors, the polar jet stream and vortex generally keep to themselves, but sometimes one neighbor or the other gets off kilter or bent out of shape and can disrupt the other band of fast-moving air. How do the polar vortex and the jet stream affect our weather? When the polar vortex is strong and circular, it acts as a barrier between the cold air over the pole and warmer air to the south and can speed up the westerly flow of the jet stream, helping it to be less wavy and more confined. That tends to make the weather milder over the Eastern U.S. and Northern Europe, said Judah Cohen, director of seasonal forecasts at Atmospheric and Environmental Research. When the vortex gets disrupted, and weakens or stretches, undulations in the jet stream can become steeper or 'wavier.' That's when the hemisphere tends to get 'a risk of a higher outbreak of severe weather,' said Cohen, one of more than a dozen international co-authors of a peer-reviewed paper on the stratospheric vortex published in December in the IOP Science journal Environmental Research: Climate. That's the stage that 'really has a big impact on the U.S.,' Cohen said, with the kind of severe weather and rare snowstorms that blanketed beaches in Florida's western Panhandle in January. However, the vortex isn't the only thing that influences the jet stream. Other factors include atmospheric waves around the globe, El Niño and even ocean temperatures. When something blocks the jet stream's westerly flow, it forces pockets of Arctic air southward. How might climate change affect these weather patterns? Scientists compare the wind strength of the vortex to a spinning top or ice skater. A strong, stable vortex is like a skater spinning with their arms tucked closely in, holding in an area of cold air over the Arctic. But when there's a wobble in the rotation, winds in the vortex can slow or change by interactions with the jet stream or sudden changes in temperature. When that happens, it can stretch or become elongated. The study published by Cohen and his co-authors suggested warming Arctic temperatures have been disrupting the polar vortex more often since 1990 and sending more frequent cold blasts into the U.S. The researchers surmise that might be why U.S. winters aren't warming as fast as predicted, even though winter is still the season warming the fastest. Other researchers aren't convinced the phenomenon happens more often than it used to. Over the last 65 years, "there is no significant trend in the strength of the stratospheric polar vortex or in the frequency of extreme breakdowns in the vortex that can lead to cold air outbreaks, Amy Butler, a research scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Chemical Sciences Laboratory, previously told USA TODAY. Butler co-authors the blog on the vortex with Ciasto. In a mid-January post, Butler and Ciasto agreed the jet stream and the polar vortex may have interacted to help bring about the wild weather. The vortex – stretched over Canada and Hudson Bay – may have been associated with a southward shift in the jet stream, but that doesn't mean it directly delivered the Arctic blast, according to the post. A building ridge of high pressure over Alaska may have helped force the jet stream's southward dive. Even though scientists don't fully agree on the frequency of cold air outbreaks, together they say the questions over the powerful influence of these patterns and their potential changes in a warming world make additional research crucially important. What may happen in a warmer future? Scientists aren't sure what all of this means for the future. Competing factors are at work and the models are split when it comes to forecasting what could happen. Various factors such as melting sea ice and shifts in the subtropical jet stream over the mid-latitudes in the U.S. may counteract each other. 'We have big uncertainty about what's going to happen with the stratospheric polar vortex,' Simpson said. Whether it could become more likely that sudden warming in the stratosphere could break down the polar vortex more frequently and push the jet stream southward remains "very much an open question," she said. Cohen and his co-authors suggest Arctic change favors more polar vortex disruptions, which can trigger more severe winter weather for weeks. Looking ahead several decades, the picture is more uncertain, he said. For now, "the disruptions are putting a cap on our winter temperatures." That could all change and accelerate warmer winter temperatures in the U.S., he said, depending on where the ice melt takes place, or if the majority of the ice melts. The models do generally agree that when extreme cold events do take place, they'll be warmer than they are now, said Butler and Simpson. "What we know for sure is the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere in the world," Simpson said. "Even if these events happen, the air they're going to be bringing down is going to be warmer." Until temperatures reach a point that it's too warm to snow, a warmer winter atmosphere will hold more moisture, Simpson said. That means that locations where it's still cold enough could see more snow.
