CNN-Weather/Environment

By Jason Hanna and Aya Elamroussi, CNN It could be more than a week until power lines are fully restored in some parts of Florida as residents deal with major flooding after the deadly Hurricane Ian, expected to be the most expensive storm in the Sunshine State’s history. At least 66 people are believed to

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Ian is no longer a normal hurricane. It is more of a hybrid, combining a hurricane with a typical storm system, and it is already lashing the Georgia and Carolina coasts with ferocious winds and rainfall. “Ian is caught between quickly intensifying over the warm Gulf Stream water and being

By Christina Maxouris, Alaa Elassar, Jason Hanna and Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Ian, now a post-tropical cyclone, was moving farther inland Friday night after pummeling South Carolina with fierce winds and a destructive storm surge, less than two days after killing at least 45 people in Florida and leaving behind an apocalyptic path of destruction. The

By Amir Vera, Eric Levenson, Jason Hanna and Nouran Salahieh, CNN Ian’s vicious combination of winds, rain and storm surge caused at least a dozen deaths, flooded homes, cut off roadways and left millions of Florida residents without power Thursday as it again intensified into a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean and barreled toward South

By Angela Fritz and Brandon Miller, CNN Hurricane Ian is bearing down on the Gulf Coast of Florida as one of the strongest storms on record for the area. Its storm surge could be unlike anything seen there, and forecasters are warning that Ian’s intense rainfall — which is expected to continue across the peninsula

By Steve Almasy and Dakin Andone, CNN Almost half of all deaths from tropical cyclones come from storm surge. While many people focus on the wind speed of storms, the danger often comes from the water flowing in from the ocean. Privately, you may be wondering (and you wouldn’t be alone): “What exactly is storm

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Landfall is within hours. What once looked like a possible Friday landfall for Hurricane Ian is now expected in the early afternoon Wednesday. Ian’s eyewall, the most dangerous part of the storm with the strongest wind, heaviest rain and worst storm surge, is only about 40 miles from the coastline

By Amir Vera, Eric Levenson, Jason Hanna and Nouran Salahieh, CNN Hurricane Ian continued to batter the Florida peninsula with a catastrophic trifecta of high winds, heavy rain and historic storm surge Wednesday night, even as it weakened to a Category 1 storm, the National Hurricane Center said. Amid widespread flooding, property damage, power outages

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist If you went to bed hoping Ian would go away, your dreams didn’t come true. It’s big, strong, and will move northeast and soon slow down — all recipes for a worst-case scenario for the western coast of Florida. For residents in the Tampa Bay area, “it’s time to stop

By Nouran Salahieh, Jason Hanna and Christina Maxouris, CNN More than 2.5 million Floridians were under some kind of evacuation warning Tuesday as Hurricane Ian marched closer to the state’s west coast after knocking out power across all of Cuba. Southern Florida began feeling the storm’s first effects Tuesday evening, with rain and powerful winds

By Jennifer Gray, CNN Meteorologist Waking up this morning, there’s a sense of dread. Hurricane Ian could be the storm that the west coast of Florida has always feared — especially Tampa. One of the cities most vulnerable to hurricanes could face its worst-case scenario. Tampa is now under a hurricane watch and storm surge

By Nouran Salahieh, CNN The storm named Fiona slammed into Canada’s eastern seaboard with hurricane-force winds and torrential rainfall Saturday, pulling buildings into the ocean, collapsing homes, toppling trees and knocking out power for hundreds of thousands of people. Fiona first wreaked havoc in the Caribbean as a hurricane before moving up the Atlantic and

By Haley Brink, Dakin Andone and Nouran Salahieh, CNN Floridians are bracing for Tropical Storm Ian, which is expected to rapidly intensify and become a hurricane on Monday before hitting western Cuba, bringing with it the threats of strong winds and storm surge as high as 9 to 14 feet, according to the National Hurricane

By Jason Hanna, Susannah Cullinane and Christina Maxouris, CNN Fiona ripped through Canada’s eastern seaboard at hurricane strength after making landfall in Nova Scotia on Saturday, slamming the area with fierce winds and storm surge, sapping power for hundreds of thousands and washing away or collapsing some coastal homes. Fiona, now a post-tropical cyclone, continued

By Derek Van Dam and Haley Brink, CNN meteorologists Tropical Storm Ian, the ninth named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to reach up to Category 4 hurricane strength before hitting Florida next week. If it does, it will be the first major hurricane to impact the state since 2018. Ian was

By Haley Brink, CNN Meteorologist A potent tropical system is churning in the Caribbean on Friday, poised to strengthen significantly as it tracks north toward the Gulf of Mexico. Forecasts show the system intensifying into a Category 3 as it approaches Florida next week, where it could become the first major hurricane for the state

By Aya Elamroussi, Theresa Waldrop and Christina Maxouris, CNN Deadly Hurricane Fiona has weakened slightly to a Category 3 storm but is still packing forceful winds of 125 mph as it barrels toward Canada’s Atlantic coast. It’s expected to bring hurricane conditions to the region Friday night, the National Hurricane Center said. It’s on track

By Jennifer Gray and Allison Chinchar, CNN Canadians are bracing for what could be the strongest storm to ever hit their country’s coast. “Every Nova Scotian should be preparing today and bracing for impact,” John Lohr, the minister responsible for the provincial Emergency Management Office, said in a Thursday news conference. Hurricane Fiona has lashed

By Aya Elamroussi and Alaa Elassar, CNN More than a million people in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are without power or running water again Thursday as crews work to repair critical utilities disabled by Hurricane Fiona, which is now a Category 4 monster heading toward Bermuda. The first major hurricane of this year’s

By Jason Hanna, Elizabeth Wolfe and Melissa Alonso, CNN With Category 4 Hurricane Fiona poised to sideswipe Bermuda later this week, people in the storm’s deadly wake still faced days without basic utilities late Wednesday — including much of Puerto Rico, where most were left without power and running water. More than a million people

By Elizabeth Wolfe, Christina Maxouris, Jason Hanna and Melissa Alonso, CNN Hurricane Fiona battered the Turks and Caicos islands most of Tuesday with hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and several feet of storm surge, prompting officials to urge residents to stay indoors. In its devastating path of destruction, the storm has killed at least five people

By Elizabeth Wolfe, Holly Yan and Melissa Alonso, CNN At least two people have died in Puerto Rico because of Hurricane Fiona, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi told CNN, as rescuers scrambled to save flooding victims. A 58-year-old man died after being swept away by La Plata River behind his home in Comerío, and a man in

By Dakin Andone, Haley Brink and Melissa Alonso, CNN Hurricane Fiona made landfall along the extreme southwestern coast of Puerto Rico, near Punta Tocon, at 3:20 p.m. ET Sunday with winds of 85 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane is already causing catastrophic flooding as it moves just west of Puerto Rico

By Nouran Salahieh, CNN The remnants of Typhoon Merbok have been battering Alaska’s western coast since late Friday, bringing flooding powerful enough to uproot buildings and forcing residents to seek shelter. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Saturday declared a disaster for impacted communities as heavy rains lashed the coast, filling roadways with water and debris.

By Mike Saenz, CNN Tropical Storm Madeline formed in the Pacific Ocean off the western coast of Mexico Saturday afternoon. Carrying maximum winds sustained at 45 mph, the storm was about 280 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Colima, and 520 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, on the tip of Baja California. The outer bands of

By Jason Hanna, Haley Brink and Christina Maxouris, CNN Tropical Storm Fiona was beginning to whip the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Saturday and may strike the latter as a hurricane Sunday, posing threats of flooding and mudslides forecasters say could be “life-threatening.” A hurricane warning is in effect for Puerto Rico, reflecting forecasters’ belief

By Aya Elamroussi and Alaa Elassar, CNN Flooding and damaging winds are beginning to affect portions of Alaska’s western coast on Saturday as a powerful storm threatens the region over the weekend. The remnants of Typhoon Merbok could potentially deliver the state’s strongest storm in over a decade, forecasters have said. The storm is responsible

By Haley Brink, CNN Meteorologist A new storm system will arrive on the West Coast this weekend, bringing beneficial rain to northern and central California. Some experts believe the storm could bring enough rain to the region to slow the ongoing fire season. Against the odds, an early and substantial rain event appears likely for

By Chuck Johnston and Aya Elamroussi, CNN The remnants of Typhoon Merbok are putting residents of western Alaska on high alert as a coastal storm is expected to bring flooding and strong winds this weekend. Wind gusts as high as 65 mph are expected for Kotzebue Sound and Chukchi Coast, according to the National Weather

By Robert Shackelford and Judson Jones, CNN Tropical Storm Fiona has formed in the Atlantic, becoming the sixth named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm, packing winds of 60 mph with even higher gusts, was about 495 miles east of the Leeward Islands late Thursday morning. The

By Monica Garrett and Judson Jones, CNN Tropical Depression Seven formed in the Atlantic on Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. ET update — and could become Tropical Storm Fiona later in the day or on Thursday. The system is located about 800 miles east of the Leeward Islands and

By Jennifer Gray, CNN meteorologist Five days after Hurricane Kay made landfall along the Mexican coast, the storm’s remnants are still causing problems hundreds of miles away. Those remnants will pump an incredible amount of moisture into parts of the Southwest on Tuesday, triggering the potential for dangerous flash flooding. “This is a somewhat unusual

By Nouran Salahieh, CNN Air quality alerts are in place across much of Washington, Oregon and Idaho as smoke from ongoing fires is leading to poor air quality in the aftermath of a record-breaking heat wave. There are currently 94 large, active fires burning across eight states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center: Idaho

By Aya Elamroussi, CNN As parts of the West grapple with destructive wildfires fueled by scorching temperatures, a storm that brought life-threatening flash flooding and powerful winds to Southern California on Friday will deliver more heavy rain over the weekend. At least 5 million residents across California, Nevada and Arizona remain under flood watches through

By Steve Almasy, CNN The entire East Coast could be affected by strong rip currents this weekend as Hurricane Earl churns through the Atlantic, forecasters from the National Weather Service said. A tropical storm warning for Bermuda has been lifted but swells from the large storm were affecting the island and US shores Friday. “These

By Haley Brink, Judson Jones, Michelle Krupa and Steve Almasy, CNN Parts of Southern California were under flash flood warnings Friday as a tropical storm threatens to drop a year’s worth of rain in areas of the drought-stricken state, according to forecasters. The warning was in effect for Riverside County and northeastern San Diego County,

By Holly Yan and Christina Maxouris, CNN Hurricane Earl is on the brink of turning into a major hurricane, threatening Bermuda with ferocious winds Thursday evening. “Hurricane conditions are possible on Bermuda overnight,” the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Thursday afternoon. Swells generated by Earl have been building near Bermuda and are expected to reach

By Derek Van Dam, Judson Jones, Brandon Miller, Allison Chinchar and Monica Garrett, CNN Hurricane Kay made landfall in Mexico, along the west coast of the central Baja California Peninsula on Thursday afternoon, triggering flooding concerns not just in that region, but in parts of California and Arizona too. Hurricane conditions were impacting the peninsula

By Taylor Ward, CNN Meteorologist Hurricane Earl continues to strengthen Wednesday and could become a major hurricane by week’s end, according to the National Hurricane Center, as it nears Bermuda before pushing out to sea. Just the second hurricane of this Atlantic season, Earl has sustained winds of 85 mph, with stronger gusts. Located about

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist A strengthening hurricane tracking up Mexico’s Pacific Coast will affect Southern California’s weather by the weekend — all while delivering punishing rains and high winds to the Mexican coast through Friday. The core of Hurricane Kay will be very near the west-central Baja California Peninsula, just after its peak intensity,

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist A massive plume of moisture stretching from the eastern Pacific all the way to the US East Coast is bringing excessive rain to the Northeast, with some places already flooding.. Over 50 million people are under flood watches through the end of Tuesday, meaning flooding is possible and people should

By Jennifer Gray, CNN meteorologist NOAA’s hurricane hunters, famous for flying into the world’s most ferocious weather, have a job which is not for the faint of heart, often being tossed in severe turbulence while flying at a mere 10,000 feet. Now, the hurricane hunters have raised the bar, entering new territory. Literally. “We’re taking

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Moisture streaming in from the Gulf of Mexico, combined with a stubborn, nearly stationary storm system, will cause slow-moving thunderstorm activity and the possibility of flash flooding across 20 US states Monday. “Scattered to numerous flash floods (are) possible early this week from southern New England to the southern Appalachians,”

By Theresa Waldrop and Haley Brink, CNN Rainfall in parts of northwest Georgia Sunday has been so heavy, CNN Weather estimates it is at least a one-in-200 year event. “Portions of Chattooga and Floyd counties have received 10-13 inches, with more rain coming. These amounts have resulted in catastrophic flash flooding and a Flash Flood

By Aya Elamroussi and Derek Van Dam, CNN As Danielle weakened while churning in the open waters of the North Atlantic early Saturday, another storm has developed to its south near the Caribbean and may bring flooding to the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend. Tropical Storm Earl became the fifth named

By Aya Elamroussi, CNN Millions across Nevada and California are urged to reduce electricity consumption during the holiday weekend as a heat wave continues to smother several states in the West, where crews are also battling wildfires. The latest weather system has put more than 40 million people across California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Montana and

By Aya Elamroussi, CNN The savage heat that has gripped several states in the West will persist through the holiday weekend — and for the third day in a row, Californians are being advised to curb their electric consumption to avoid power outages. More than 45 million people were under heat alerts across most of

By Elizabeth Wolfe, Aya Elamroussi and Alaa Elassar, CNN After a wildfire raging in Los Angeles County swelled to more than 5,200 acres in less than 48 hours, a top fire official warned the explosive growth should be a “wake-up call” to residents. The Route Fire began Wednesday around noon near Castaic Lake and grew

By Aya Elamroussi, CNN An intense heat wave will blanket much of the West this week, prompting officials in California to urge residents to slash their energy consumption for the second day in a row to avoid straining the electrical grid. The California Independent System Operator — which manages 80% of the state’s grid —

By Jennifer Gray, CNN meteorologist Some of the hottest temperatures of the year are on the way for the West Coast and possibly staying dangerously hot through Labor Day as a mega heat wave builds in for the long term. More than 55 million people are currently under heat alerts from Southern California through the

By Nouran Salahieh, Dakin Andone and Kevin Conlon, CNN The residents of Jackson, Mississippi — already dealing with flooded streets — are now also faced with another problem: There isn’t enough water to flush toilets or fight fires due to issues at the main water treatment facility, according to Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves. Because of

By Nouran Salahieh and Paradise Afshar, CNN A day after warning residents of Jackson, Mississippi, to “get out now,” the mayor of the state’s biggest city is urging them to not take evacuation warnings lightly as record-setting rain threatens to flood streets and creep into homes within the next two days. “We want them to