INSIDER
Hurricane Kristy strengthens into a Category 4 storm in the Pacific Ocean
Read full article: Hurricane Kristy strengthens into a Category 4 storm in the Pacific OceanForecasters say Hurricane Kristy has strengthened into a Category 4 storm and is expected to remain away from land as it churns in the Pacific Ocean.
NOAA has released its Winter Outlook for the 2024-25 season; here’s what they predicted
Read full article: NOAA has released its Winter Outlook for the 2024-25 season; here’s what they predictedThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its U.S. Winter Outlook for the 2024-2025 season on Thursday.
Hurricane Kirk strengthens into a Category 4 storm in the Atlantic
Read full article: Hurricane Kirk strengthens into a Category 4 storm in the AtlanticForecasters say Hurricane Kirk has strengthened into a Category 4 storm in the Atlantic Ocean and waves caused by it could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions this weekend.
Hurricane Kirk strengthens into a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic
Read full article: Hurricane Kirk strengthens into a Category 3 storm in the AtlanticForecasters say Hurricane Kirk has strengthened into a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to grow rapidly into a major hurricane.
Large whale group spotted off New England includes orca eating a tuna, dozens of endangered species
Read full article: Large whale group spotted off New England includes orca eating a tuna, dozens of endangered speciesScientists say a large number of whales visiting the waters off New England included an uncommon sighting of an orca eating a tuna and an unusually large group of an endangered species of whale.
Tropical Storm Pilar dumps heavy rains on Central America leaving at least 2 dead
Read full article: Tropical Storm Pilar dumps heavy rains on Central America leaving at least 2 deadTropical Storm Pilar is lashing Central America with heavy rains that have already been blamed for two deaths in El Salvador as it meanders off the Pacific coast.
Tropical Storm Pilar heads toward El Salvador and is expected to bring heavy rain to Central America
Read full article: Tropical Storm Pilar heads toward El Salvador and is expected to bring heavy rain to Central AmericaTropical Storm Pilar threatens to bring heavy rain and flash flooding to El Salvador and other parts of Central America as it sat just off the Pacific coast.
Lidia dissipates after killing 1 person, injuring 2 near Mexico's Puerto Vallarta resort
Read full article: Lidia dissipates after killing 1 person, injuring 2 near Mexico's Puerto Vallarta resortLidia has dissipated after hitting land as a Category 4 hurricane near the resort of Puerta Vallarta, where one person was killed by a falling tree and two others were injured.
Tropical Storm Philippe chugs toward Bermuda on a path to Atlantic Canada and New England
Read full article: Tropical Storm Philippe chugs toward Bermuda on a path to Atlantic Canada and New EnglandTropical Storm Philippe is aiming for Bermuda on a path that would eventually take it to Atlantic Canada and eastern New England.
Tropical Storm Philippe soaks northeast Caribbean on a path toward Bermuda, New England and Canada
Read full article: Tropical Storm Philippe soaks northeast Caribbean on a path toward Bermuda, New England and CanadaTropical Storm Philippe is drenching the U.S. and British Virgin Islands as it spins away from the northeast Caribbean on a path that would take it toward Bermuda and later New England and Atlantic Canada.
Tropical Storm Philippe makes landfall in Barbuda as heavy rains drench northeast Caribbean
Read full article: Tropical Storm Philippe makes landfall in Barbuda as heavy rains drench northeast CaribbeanTropical Storm Philippe has made landfall in the tiny island of Barbuda as it unleashes heavy rains and flash floods in the northeast Caribbean.
Looking back, sub tourist calls himself 'naive' for taking 2021 dive to the Titanic
Read full article: Looking back, sub tourist calls himself 'naive' for taking 2021 dive to the TitanicAs an international search determined the implosion of a vessel that disappeared on its way to the underwater wreckage of the Titanic, a man who was one of the submersible company's first customers says a dive he made to the site two years ago was like a suicide mission.
Madagascar, Mozambique set for "dangerous" Cyclone Freddy
Read full article: Madagascar, Mozambique set for "dangerous" Cyclone FreddyA cyclone which is intensifying as it approaches the southeastern African coast has been labeled as “dangerous” by the United Nation’s weather agency on Monday as nations brace for landfall.
US's largest public utility names panel to study blackouts
Read full article: US's largest public utility names panel to study blackoutsThe nation's largest public utility has appointed an independent panel to look into power failures that spurred the decision to implement rolling blackouts during dangerously cold conditions late last year.
Power failures amplify calls for utility to rethink gas
Read full article: Power failures amplify calls for utility to rethink gasA federal utility’s decision to resort to rolling blackouts after coal and natural gas units went offline during dangerously cold conditions has intensified questions about the Tennessee Valley Authority’s recent decision to double down on fossil fuels.
Tropical Depression Lisa crosses into southern Mexico
Read full article: Tropical Depression Lisa crosses into southern MexicoTropical Depression Lisa has moved into southern Mexico a day after making landfall as a hurricane in the Central American nation of Belize and heading inland over northern Guatemala.
What dictates a hurricane’s strength?
Read full article: What dictates a hurricane’s strength?There are many ways to categorize a hurricane. The storm’s central pressure is one way. The height of its storm surge is another. How much rain it drops is another. And, of course, the strength of its wind is another. But what causes a hurricane to strengthen or weaken? The answer is simple enough, but multifaceted.
Agatha hits southern Mexico coast as strongest May hurricane
Read full article: Agatha hits southern Mexico coast as strongest May hurricaneHurricane Agatha has become the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in May in the eastern Pacific as it swept ashore on a sparsely populated stretch of tourist beaches and fishing towns in southern Mexico.
1st hurricane of 2022, Agatha heads for Mexico tourist towns
Read full article: 1st hurricane of 2022, Agatha heads for Mexico tourist townsThe first hurricane of the season has formed off Mexico’s southern Pacific coast and it's rapidly growing stronger ahead of an expected strike along a stretch of tourist beaches and fishing towns as a major storm.
Protecting critical habitat: Proposal aims to expand coral reef off Texas coast
Read full article: Protecting critical habitat: Proposal aims to expand coral reef off Texas coastIf you’re familiar with the Texas coast, which isn’t known for having crystal clear water, you probably never would have suspected that a mere 100 miles off of Galveston is a 56 square mile marine sanctuary complete.
Tropical Storm Ida prompts hurricane watch for New Orleans
Read full article: Tropical Storm Ida prompts hurricane watch for New OrleansTropical Storm Ida has formed in the Caribbean and forecasters say it's aimed at the U.S. Gulf Coast, prompting Louisiana’s governor to declare a state of emergency and forecasters to announce a hurricane watch for New Orleans.
New England preps for 1st hurricane in 30 years with Henri
Read full article: New England preps for 1st hurricane in 30 years with HenriNew Englanders bracing for their first hurricane in 30 years are hauling boats out of the water and taking other precautions as Tropical Storm Henri barrels toward the Northeast coast.
Tropical Storm Elsa moving across west Cuba, then to Florida
Read full article: Tropical Storm Elsa moving across west Cuba, then to FloridaTropical Storm Elsa is sweeping over western Cuba with strong rain and winds, and forecasters say it will move on to the Florida Keys on Tuesday and Florida’s central Gulf coast by Wednesday.
Tropical weather lashes Gulf Coast with brisk winds, rain
Read full article: Tropical weather lashes Gulf Coast with brisk winds, rainHigh winds and heavy rains are striking coastal Louisiana and Mississippi as a disorganized and unpredictable tropical weather system churns through the Gulf of Mexico.
NOAA releases spring outlook
Read full article: NOAA releases spring outlookROANOKE, Va. – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released its Spring weather outlook. It comes as no surprise that warmer-than-average temperatures are expected this spring for much of the country. Spring 2021 Temperatures OutlookAs for rainfall, we are expecting a slightly wetter spring than average. For the first time in three years, major flooding is not expected. Significant drought conditions are expected to continue and likely worsen in the months ahead, which comes as bad news for our friends to the west.
How a NOAA weather radio may have saved an Alabama family from a tornado
Read full article: How a NOAA weather radio may have saved an Alabama family from a tornadoHe tweeted that his NOAA weather radio alerted him about the tornado and he was able to evacuate his wife and baby from their bedroom. Thank u weather radio! Weather radios came in handy during the Nashville tornado last year when cell phone towers went down and residents lost their access to weather app alerts. Why NOAA weather radios are useful (Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.) Consider buying and programming an NOAA weather radio for your home, so you’re prepared the next time severe weather threatens our corner of the Commonwealth!
NOAA releases 2020-2021 winter forecast, expecting warmer temperatures in the South
Read full article: NOAA releases 2020-2021 winter forecast, expecting warmer temperatures in the SouthYour Local Weather Authority is in the process of making its forecast for the upcoming winter. Experts at NOAA are forecasting warmer than average temperatures across the southern half of the United States. What the La Niña typically meansThe main reason for a forecast like this has to do with the La Niña, which is described as cooler than average temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. What a La Niña meansWe reconstructed a map from the North Carolina Climate Office to show what a typical La Niña looks like across the U.S. during the winter months. In fact, one out of every four La Niña winters exceed expectations.
Earth’s hottest September on record was in 2020
Read full article: Earth’s hottest September on record was in 2020ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Last week, we told you that the Arctic saw its second-lowest sea ice minimum on record in September. That mark beats out September 2015 and 2016, which were previously tied as the hottest on record. BREAKING: Earth just had its hottest #September on record, according to @NOAA #climate scientists. What's more, 2020 is on track to rank among the world's hottest years ever recorded. 2020 as a whole will likely end as a top three hottest year on record.
Delta inflicts new damage on storm-weary Louisiana
Read full article: Delta inflicts new damage on storm-weary LouisianaThis GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. EDT, and provided by NOAA, shows Hurricane Delta in the Gulf of Mexico. – Delta has been downgraded from a once powerful hurricane to a tropical storm as it moves inland across the U.S. South. Delta's reach stretched as far west as Galveston, Texas, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from where the storm struck Louisiana. Tropical Storm Marco fizzled as it hit the southeast Louisiana tip just three days before Laura struck. And Tropical Storm Cristobal caused damage in southeast Louisiana in June.
Hurricane Delta inflicts new damage on storm-weary Louisiana
Read full article: Hurricane Delta inflicts new damage on storm-weary LouisianaThis GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. EDT, and provided by NOAA, shows Hurricane Delta in the Gulf of Mexico. – Ripping tarps from already damaged roofs and scattering debris piled by roadsides, Hurricane Delta inflicted a new round of destruction on Louisiana as it struck communities still reeling after Hurricane Laura took a similar path just six weeks earlier. Delta's reach stretched as far west as Galveston, Texas, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from where the storm struck Louisiana. Tropical Storm Marco fizzled as it hit the southeast Louisiana tip just three days before Laura struck. “The wind is much worse than what Hurricane Laura brought,” Gove said in a message on Twitter.
Heavy Rainfall Threat With Beta Has Diminished As The Center Has Become Less Determinant In The Pressure And Wind Fields
Read full article: Heavy Rainfall Threat With Beta Has Diminished As The Center Has Become Less Determinant In The Pressure And Wind FieldsLocation 60 miles NNE of Birmingham Alabama Wind 10 mph Heading NE at 10 mph Pressure 29.83 Coordinates 86.3W, 34.3NDiscussionAt 400 AM CDT (0900 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Beta was located near latitude 34.3 North, longitude 86.3 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the northeast near 10 mph (17 km/h) until it becomes indistinguishable within the background wind and pressure field by mid-afternoon Friday. Maximum sustained winds are near 10 mph (20 km/h) with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1010 mb (29.83 inches). Tropics Satellite at 3:39 Friday Night, September 25thWatches and WarningsThere are no watches or warnings in effect.
August 2020 was the second-hottest across the globe, according to NOAA
Read full article: August 2020 was the second-hottest across the globe, according to NOAAAsheville, N.C. – Following the second-hottest July on record globally, NOAA has released their climate report for August and it’s another month for the record books! Just in: The Northern Hemisphere just had its hottest summer on record and #August 2020 ended as 2nd hottest for the globe, per @NOAANCEIclimate. https://t.co/HtyrJLYary #StateOfClimate pic.twitter.com/mzxjW6cpqd — NOAA (@NOAA) September 14, 2020One of the most amazing, but sobering stats they included in the report? The report also includes stats for meteorological summer in the Northern Hemisphere and details about the continued decline of Arctic sea ice. For a local perspective, we recapped southwest and central Virginia’s hot and wet summer in last week’s weather newsletter.
Teddy Heading Toward The Northwest Coast Of Newfoundland
Read full article: Teddy Heading Toward The Northwest Coast Of NewfoundlandLocation 530 miles NNE of Halifax Nova Scotia Wind 50 mph Heading NNE at 32 mph Pressure 28.8 Coordinates 57.3W, 51.0NDiscussionAt 1100 PM AST (0300 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Teddy was located near latitude 51.0 North, longitude 57.3 West based on the Marble Mountain, Newfoundland, radar and surface observations along the west coast of Newfoundland. On the forecast track, the center of Teddy should move closer to the northwestern Newfoundland coast tonight and into the Labrador Sea on Thursday before merging with a larger extratropical low. By the Sea, Newfoundland (near the Cow Head Lighthouse) reported a barometric pressure of 979 mb (28.91 inches). SURF: Large swells generated by Teddy are affecting Bermuda, the Lesser Antilles, the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, the east coast of the United States, and Atlantic Canada. WIND: Gusty winds are possible along the western coast of Newfoundland tonight.
Roanoke fighting urban heat island through city-wide temperature mapping project
Read full article: Roanoke fighting urban heat island through city-wide temperature mapping projectROANOKE, Va. Studies have shown that afternoon temperatures in cities rise 15 to 20 degrees higher than surrounding rural areas. This is known as the urban heat island and it can cause an increased risk for respiratory illnesses, heat exhaustion and stroke and other factors. Why we should care about urban heat islands (WSLS)The city of Roanoke has identified this as a problem and applied for a grant from NOAA to work toward a solution. NOAA Climate and Health Project manager Hunter Jones said the city will be able to use that information to combat the urban heat island. How to fight urban heat islands (WSLS)Jones said the mapping process will take a few months and he expects the data to be ready by late fall or early winter.
NOAA joins Colorado State University by upping its 2020 hurricane forecast
Read full article: NOAA joins Colorado State University by upping its 2020 hurricane forecastROANOKE, Va. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued an update to its forecast for the rest of the Atlantic hurricane season. Similar to Wednesdays forecast from Colorado State University , NOAA is forecast an extremely active season ahead. The warmer the water is, the more conducive it becomes for tropical systems to grow and intensify. Wind shear refers to the difference in wind speed and direction from the ground up. If we make it beyond 21 named storms, storms will take on Greek letters as their names.
Updated CSU hurricane forecast means we could run out of names
Read full article: Updated CSU hurricane forecast means we could run out of namesROANOKE, Va. Just a day after Isaas wreaked havoc up the East Coast, experts at Colorado State University released an update to their forecast for the 2020 Atlantic tropical season. The forecast now calls for an extremely active Atlantic season. Weve yet to reach the historic peak of the season, which falls between August 20th and October 10th. Frequency of tropical systems in the AtlanticWith CSUs updated forecast, we would run out of names. The current practice is to start using Greek letters once we run out of names.
First half of 2020 the second-hottest on record globally; per NOAA, NASA
Read full article: First half of 2020 the second-hottest on record globally; per NOAA, NASAROANOKE, Va. New research from NOAA and NASA Monday confirms that the first half of 2020 has been close to the hottest on record across the globe. The average global temperature between January and June was 1.93F above the 20th-century average and just 0.09F from the record set in 2016. This also states that Junes temperatures were tied as the third-hottest on record, marking the 426th consecutive month of warmer-than-average global temperatures. Roanoke is currently in the middle of one of its longest 90 streaks on record. We'll likely extend our 90 streak in the Roanoke Valley today.
Saharan dust; what does it mean for us?
Read full article: Saharan dust; what does it mean for us?ROANOKE, Va. – Saharan dust plumes emerge from Africa frequently. True Color satellite imagery of Saharan Air Layer around 8 a.m. Tuesday (College of Dupage)However, for some of you, this is new. WHAT IT IS NOTWhile this plume of Saharan dust is more pronounced than others, it doesn’t warrant some of the hype it’s garnered on social media. That is far different from what is happening with the Saharan Air Layer. PROSThe Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is a layer of dry, dusty air thousands of feet above that travels from east to west into the tropics multiple times a year.
Tropical Depression 3 forms on the first day of Atlantic hurricane season
Read full article: Tropical Depression 3 forms on the first day of Atlantic hurricane seasonBAY OF CAMPECHE Despite two preseason tropical storms (Arthur and Bertha), Atlantic hurricane season did not officially begin until Monday. Its a busy first day of the season for forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami as they have begun issuing advisories on Tropical Depression 3. Tropical Depression 3 information (WSLS)The disturbance was once known as Tropical Storm Amanda and was being tracked as part of the Eastern Pacific hurricane basin. Tropical Depression 3 forecast track (WSLS)This hurricane season is likely to be an active one. Forecasters at Colorado State University, NC State University and NOAA are all predicting above-normal numbers of named storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes.
Virginia Severe Weather Preparedness Week starts Monday
Read full article: Virginia Severe Weather Preparedness Week starts MondayROANOKE, Va. – Spring officially begins on Thursday and during this new season, we often experience increased severe weather in southwest Virginia. When severe weather threatens, there is often confusion on the difference between a “watch” and a “warning.” Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when conditions are favorable for the formation of severe storms. A severe thunderstorm warning will be issued when a storm has already become severe or soon will. Severe thunderstorm watch vs. warning (3/15/2020) (WSLS)Tornado alerts are broken down into three categories: watch, warning and emergency. You’ll hear from some of the victims, plus other severe weather preparedness stories each day this week on 10 News at 5 p.m.
NASA, NOAA conclude 2019 as the second-warmest year on record globally
Read full article: NASA, NOAA conclude 2019 as the second-warmest year on record globallyROANOKE, Va – Independent research performed by NOAA and NASA shows that the globe’s surface temperatures were the second-warmest on record in 2019. According to NASA, the last five years have been the warmest globally out of the last 140 years. For instance, NASA concluded that 2019 was the 34th-warmest year on record for the United States, which is warmer than average. On a local level, Your Local Weather Authority found that 2019 was the second-warmest on record in Roanoke but wasn’t near record territory in Lynchburg or Southside. You can find out more about the analyses performed by both NASA and NOAA scientists by clicking here.
There are 6 named storms in the Western Hemisphere
Read full article: There are 6 named storms in the Western HemisphereA NOAA satellite image of the six tropical systems in the Western Hemisphere. By late morning, there were six named storms moving in the Atlantic, over the United States or in the Eastern Pacific. Tropical Depression ImeldaImelda, once a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico, was flooding parts of the Houston area on Wednesday morning as a tropical depression. Tropical Storm JerryJerry, still hundreds of miles east of the Caribbean Sea's easternmost islands, could become a hurricane by Thursday night, the National Hurricane Center said. Tropical Storm KikoKiko, once a hurricane in the Pacific, could become a hurricane again by Friday or Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Category 3 Humberto may swipe Bermuda Wednesday
Read full article: Category 3 Humberto may swipe Bermuda WednesdayHumberto, a sprawling Category 3 storm, is packing sustained winds of 115 mph as it pushes east-northeast about 285 miles west of Bermuda, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday at 5 a.m. Two to 4 inches of rain, dangerous waves along south-facing beaches and a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet also are expected, the hurricane center said. And Tropical Storm Jerry, still far east of the Leeward Islands, could strengthen into a hurricane by week's end. Humberto could strengthen as it passes Wednesday into Thursday morning less than 100 miles to the island's north, Jones and Garrett said. "Weather should begin to deteriorate in Bermuda later today," the hurricane center said early Wednesday.
Hurricane Dorian survivors still face uncertain future
Read full article: Hurricane Dorian survivors still face uncertain futureNOAA via CNN(CNN) - As Tropical Storm Humberto passed by the Bahamas before becoming a hurricane, residents recovering from Hurricane Dorian worried they would be pummeled again before being able to recover. Humberto resurfaced feelings of terror for Dorian survivors -- just two weeks after the Category 5 storm decimated much of Grand Bahamas and Abaco Islands. "I lift my brother ... lift him, literally lift him with my hands and the other friends bring him by the road," she said. Silien says she told the government about her mother, brother, and a cousin who all died during the storm. But government officials have said repeatedly that all Dorian victims will be treated equally when it comes to disaster relief.
Dorian is no longer a hurricane
Read full article: Dorian is no longer a hurricaneHurricane warnings still in effectThe storm is still dangerous with maximum sustained winds equivalent to a hurricane. Hurricane warnings remain in effect for parts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, the National Hurricane Center said. It's packing maximum winds near 90 mph, which are occurring mainly over water, the National Hurricane Center said. The hurricane center downgraded it from a hurricane to a post-tropical cyclone Saturday. The loss of its hurricane status means it no longer has a warm core, CNN meteorologist Gene Norman said.