As a meteorologist, I’m passionate about our planet and its future. While I can’t control the weather, I can make informed choices that contribute to a more sustainable world. One such choice is selecting a credit card that aligns with my values. Storm the System: Your Spending Power for a Better Climate Let’s face it, … Read more
The Unexpected Fires in NJ and NY Two weeks ago, a wildfire broke out in the unlikeliest of places: New York City. A 2-acre fire erupted in Prospect Park, close to the geographic center of Brooklyn and probably my favorite park on earth. For the first time in history, the FDNY launched a brush fire … Read more
Landslides from Helene Hurricane Helene Stats Helene was the 8th named storm of the season, the 5th hurricane, and the 2nd major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season. It reached a Category 4 status with very high winds up to 140 mph and low pressure at 938 millibars. Highest Gust: 107 mph in West … Read more
This page provides some basic, but very interesting statistics about category 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic basin since 1851. Category 5 storms are extremely rare. In fact, for the Atlantic Basin (including the Gulf of Mexico and Carribbean Sea) only 34* category 5 storms (~4% of all hurricanes) are found in the historical record. In … Read more
⚠️Milton is Now a Category 5 Hurricane⚠️If the storm stays on the current track, it will be the worst storm to impact the Tampa area in over 100 years. As Monster Hurricane Milton continues to strengthen in the Gulf, the Governor has issued EO 24-214 ahead of potential landfall on Florida’s west coast. This EO … Read more
With Hurricane Milton headed towards Tampa Bay and Florida residents now is the time to start putting up shutters. With a hurricane currently swirling towards Florida, it’s a good reminder for everyone in hurricane-prone areas to brush up on their preparedness plans. One crucial step? Knowing when to install your hurricane shutters. Whether you’re a … Read more
2024 Winter Solstice Thursday, December 21 at 10:57 am EST How many days until winter? Winter 2024 Begins In The winter solstice, or December solstice, will be Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, marking the first day of winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, winter generally begins on December 21 or 22. This is the winter solstice, the day … Read more
Hurricane Helene unleashed catastrophic flooding across western North Carolina, leaving behind heartbreaking stories of loss and survival. The hardest-hit areas witnessed unimaginable scenes: Despite the devastation, stories of resilience and community spirit are also emerging. Volunteers are arriving with mules to deliver supplies to hard-to-reach areas, and first responders are working tirelessly to rescue those … Read more
Hurricane Helene has become the 2nd deadliest hurricane over the past 50 years for the United States. Over 170 deaths and over 600 people remain missing. The recent flooding in Asheville caused by predecessor rain events of Hurricane Helene serves as a chilling reminder of the devastating power of weather systems and the importance of … Read more
If you are within days or hours of a hurricane or winter storm event where you may be in the dark a while. You are going to need some of these handy power outage safety tips. One is stuffing a Ziploc or freezable bag and putting it into the freezer. “I just stuffed my freezer … Read more
Fire Triangle in Southern California Airport Fire burning in Trabuco Canyon grows over 9,000 acres A wildfire that broke out in Orange County’s Trabuco Canyon Monday afternoon exploded by several thousand acres overnight. As of Tuesday, the Airport Fire had scorched approximately 9,000 acres and had forced the evacuation of some homes in Trabuco Canyon … Read more
Like its predecessor, ‘Twister’, the new blockbuster ‘Twisters’ is poised to spark a new generation of meteorologists and storm chasers. With its impressive opening weekend box office numbers, it’s clear that this movie has captured the attention of both weather enthusiasts and the general public. ‘Twisters’ earned $32.2M on the film’s domestic opening day. Same … Read more
2024 Tornado Count Surges as New York, Chicago, and Texas Hit Hard The United States has experienced a dramatic increase in tornado activity in 2024, with devastating impacts felt in multiple states. Midwest Mayhem: Chicago and Northern Illinois Monday’s destructive derecho in the Chicago area spawned 12 confirmed tornadoes as of Wednesday evening, including 3 … Read more
Since the 1940s, the annual number of fatalities from lightning has been decreasing. In 1940, lightning was the #1 weather-related killer. In 2023, the National Weather Service reported only 14 lightning-related fatalities. This downward trend highlights improved safety awareness and underscores the importance of seeking shelter during thunderstorms. How many people were killed by lightning … Read more
Friday, July 19th was the 16th day in a row with a high temperature of 80 degrees or higher for Seattle. That breaks Seattle’s previous record for consecutive 80+ degree days (15 days, set in 2015 & 1977). Top 10 warmest days at Seattle-Tacoma airportRecords started 1945 The records at the Federal Building went from … Read more
“Latest Beryl Devastation was similar to the Solar Eclipse but with a line of Thunderstorms” Hurricane Beryl will be talked about for a long time by many for memorable tropical systems. Over 200 tornado warnings were issued from July 8th to 10th, the most since Hurricane Ivan in 2004! The strongest tornado so far occurred … Read more
Hurricane season starts on June 1st and runs through November 30. This time frame was created based on long-term statistics, but hurricanes can certainly occur outside of this range. In January 2016, for example, Hurricane Alex became the strongest Atlantic hurricane to occur during the northern hemispheric winter. So, irrespective of the date, take some … Read more
Did you know your next big storm might be called “Hurricane Chris” or “Tropical Storm Patty”? Hurricane names aren’t just random – they follow a carefully planned system designed to make communication about these dangerous storms easier. For example, it’s much simpler for meteorologists and newscasters to say “Hurricane Hector” rather than trying to remember … Read more
Seven Inch sized Hail-stone To Break Texas Record June 2, 2024 a supercell thunderstorm developed and intensified near Happy, Texas in northern Swisher County with strong mid-level rotation rapidly developing. The cyclonic rotation strengthened and lowered as the storm began its track east-southeast towards the Vigo Park community. The extreme lift with the storm’s updraft … Read more
June Update: Per NOAA, #ElNino is over and we are in ENSO neutral conditions. There is a 75% chance of #LaNina for peak of Atlantic hurricane season (August-October). La Nina typically favors increased Atlantic hurricane activity via decreases in vertical wind shear. The eastern and central tropical and subtropical Atlantic are much warmer than normal, … Read more
2024 Summer Solstice Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 4:50 p.m. EDT. Strawberry Moon to follow earliest summer solstice in 228 years The June solstice occurs at 4:50 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 20, 2024, the earliest solstice in 228 years. The solstice varies slightly from year to year, but the last time it happened this … Read more
Texas, a state well-acquainted with tornadoes, is experiencing a particularly active 2024 season. As of June 14, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports a staggering 112 confirmed tornadoes have touched down in the Lone Star State. This number surpasses the previous year’s total and reflects a broader trend of increased tornado activity across … Read more
2025 Spring Equinox Thursday, March 20 at 11:06 P.M. EDT So how many days are left until Spring? Spring 2025 Begins In When is the first day of spring 2025? Spring starts on Tuesday, March 20, 2025. The last day of spring is Thursday, June 20, 2025. What is the first full day of spring … Read more
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Houston were pummeled by powerful thunderstorms on Tuesday, leaving over a million residents without power and triggering widespread damage. Baseball-sized hail, hurricane-force winds, and the threat of tornadoes prompted emergency alerts and outdoor sirens, leaving residents scrambling for safety. Dallas County bore the brunt of the outages, with officials warning … Read more
Hurricane season is fast approaching, and forecasters are predicting a more active season than usual. Now is the perfect time to get your hurricane preparedness kit in order, and Florida’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is here to help! Starting June 1st and running through June 14th, you can save on essential supplies to help … Read more
Highest Gusts:75 mph – Bush Airport67 mph – Galveston67 mph – Huntsville66 mph – Pearland64 mph – Texas A&M – Kyle Field62 mph – Coldspring60 mph – Houston-Hobby58 mph – Sugar Land Houston experienced a fierce line of storms on May 28th, bringing powerful wind gusts, widespread tree damage, and leaving hundreds of thousands without … Read more
Storm chasers are a dedicated group of individuals who brave dangerous conditions to document and study severe weather phenomena like tornadoes, hurricanes, and typhoons. Their work provides invaluable data to scientists, meteorologists, and emergency responders, helping us better understand these powerful storms and improve our ability to predict and warn of their potential threats. In … Read more
Fall 2024 Begins: Sunday, September 22 at 8:44 am EDT Fall 2024 in the United States will officially begin on Sunday, September 22, at different times depending on the time zone: Eastern Time: 8:44 AM EDT Central Time: 7:44 AM CST Mountain Time: 6:44 AM MDT Pacific Time: 5:44 AM PDT The autumnal equinox, … Read more
The 5 Day Rain Totals so far: 12.12″ Cedar Bayou @ FM 1942, 11.96″ near Tomball, 10.85″ near Kingwood, 12.39″ Bryan, 15.28″ Cotton Bayou (Chambers Co), 21.01″ near Splendora, 20.75″ in Willis, and 23.56″ SW of Groveton, Trinity Co. The Flood Watch has been extended into Sunday for this part of Texas. There will be … Read more
North Texas experienced a record-breaking rainfall on Saturday! Widespread totals of 2″-4″ drenched the Metroplex, with DFW and Love Field setting new daily rain records. Surprisingly, this remarkable April downpour occurred without any severe weather. How much rain was in Dallas today? Areas southeast of the DFW metroplex are still adding to the totals tonight. … Read more