CNN-Weather/Environment

Story by Reuters Fresh evacuation orders were issued for thousands of Sydney residents on Monday after relentless rains flooded several suburbs in Australia’s largest city, with officials warning of more wild weather over the next 12 hours. An intense low-pressure system off Australia’s east coast is forecast to bring more heavy rain through Monday across

By Jason Hanna and Haley Brink, CNN Tropical Storm Colin was blustering through coastal South Carolina on its way to North Carolina’s shores Saturday, one of the storms around the country that could inconvenience travelers and revelers on the Fourth of July weekend. Colin was centered about 5 miles west of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,

By Payton Major and Haley Brink, CNN As severe drought persists in the Southwest, cities are making tough decisions about their traditional firework shows. Some cities have decided to cancel their pyrotechnic displays, while others have chosen to continue them. Dry vegetation and a lack of rainfall have led to a megadrought for more than

By Payton Major and Judson Jones, CNN It’s been a concerning hot and dry start to summer in southern Alaska. Anchorage is experiencing its second-warmest June, according to climate scientist Brian Brettschneider. And with only 0.07 inches of rain this month in Anchorage, southern Alaska’s parched wilderness has become fuel for wildfires. The year is

By Monica Garrett, CNN Meteorologist The Atlantic hurricane season is becoming more active with a disturbance set to drench coastal Texas this week, and a system likely to soon be named Bonnie heading into Central America. “Get ready for a wet few days across Southeast Texas,” the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Houston said

By Jennifer Gray, CNN Meteorologist We are nearly a month into the Atlantic hurricane season and the tropics are finally coming alive, as we suddenly have three areas to keep our eyes on. It’s something to watch as many of you are making Independence Day plans. I’ll start with the one that has the best

By Dave Hennen, Theresa Waldrop and Christina Maxouris, CNN More than 20 million Americans across 16 states were under heat alerts Wednesday as cities across the country reported daily record-high temperatures, with the worst of the sweltering heat hitting the South and the Great Plains. Atlanta, Georgia, tied its June 22 record with 98 degrees

By Melissa Alonso, CNN A wildfire in southern New Jersey has grown to more than 13,500 acres in size, but is now 85% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said Tuesday. The fire in Wharton State Forest had almost doubled in size since Monday morning, when it was reported to have burned 7,200 acres,

By Elizabeth Wolfe, Rob Shackelford and Theresa Waldrop, CNN It’s only the first day of summer, but almost 35 million people are under heat advisories Tuesday as the second heat wave in as many weeks drags on. In the Great Lakes area Tuesday, highs will be 15-25 degrees above normal, and California will see triple-digits

By Jennifer Gray, CNN Meteorologist It’s hot. The official start to summer happens tomorrow, but it already feels like we are in the middle of it. Temperatures moderated somewhat over the weekend, so we caught a tiny break from the oppressive heat from last week, but here we go again. We are in for another

By Elizabeth Wolfe, Robert Shackelford and Theresa Waldrop, CNN The persistent heat dome which imposed oppressively high temperatures on the northern Plains and Midwest over the weekend will begin to shift further eastward this week, ending a short reprieve many states in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic have had in recent days. In the coming

By Michelle Watson and Susannah Cullinane, CNN A wildfire in southern New Jersey grew to at least 12,000 acres in size on Monday and is 70% contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Firefighters are battling the blaze at Wharton State Forest that is “fueled by dry and breezy conditions,” the service said

By Allison Chinchar, CNN Meteorologist More than 25 million people in over a dozen states are under heat alerts Saturday. From the northern Plains to the Southeast, temperatures will be in the upper 90s, with heat index levels well into the triple digits. The heat wave comes on the heels of another record-breaking heat wave

By Judson Jones and Paul Murphy, CNN A vital bridge and road along the Yellowstone River and its tributary, the Gardner River, were destroyed by recent historic flooding. New satellite images from Maxar Technologies show the extent of the damage the torrent of water wrought. The images were taken on June 15th, just two days

By Allison Chinchar and Monica Garrett, CNN Meteorologists More than 65 million people in over a dozen states are under heat alerts Thursday. From the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys to the Southeast, temperatures will be in the upper 90s, with heat index levels well into the triple digits. Power outages continue for a third day

By Elizabeth Wolfe, Jason Hanna and Claudia Dominguez, CNN Yellowstone National Park could partially reopen as early as Monday as officials continue to assess the damage caused by historic flooding, which now threatens to hamper the peak of the summer tourist season. Heavy rains and rapid snowmelt caused rivers to swallow bridges, sweep away entire

By Aya Elamroussi and Andy Rose, CNN Several homes were damaged Wednesday by a tornado in central Wisconsin, officials said. The tornado was reported near Tomah, Wisconsin, just after 4 p.m. local time and apparently traveled northeast through Monroe County for about 15 miles, according to the county’s sheriff’s office. Interstate 90 was closed for

By Travis Caldwell, Joe Sutton and Steve Almasy, CNN At least 16 US cities set or tied records for their highest temperature for the date, with Macon, Georgia, hitting 103 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported. That was 3 degrees higher than the previous June 15 mark in Macon, set in 2010.

By Jason Hanna, Amir Vera, Elizabeth Wolfe, David Williams and Paradise Afshar, CNN While all entrances of Yellowstone National Park are temporarily closed because flooding has damaged roads and bridges, the park’s northern portion in particular may remain closed for “a substantial length of time,” park officials said Tuesday. “Many sections of road in (the

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Daily high temperature records were set across several cities Monday afternoon. Here are a few: — Columbia, South Carolina, reached an afternoon high of 103 degrees, breaking its old June 13 record of 102 degrees, set in 1958. — North Platte, Nebraska, hit 108 degrees, breaking its old record of

By Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN In a matter of hours Monday, the iconic landmarks of Yellowstone National Park were shuttered to the public and its roads left unpassable after a torrential downpour and rapid snowmelt contributed to unprecedented flooding at one of America’s most visited national parks. A helicopter flying overhead captured scenes of destruction —

By Joe Sutton, CNN As Arizona’s Pipeline Fire has scorched nearly 23,000 acres, officials are discussing the possibility of closing the Coconino National Forest to the public, citing concerns over the fire threat, current weather patterns and prolonged drought conditions, an incident management spokesperson says. The Pipeline Fire, which reportedly began burning about six miles

By Elizabeth Wolfe, Joe Sutton, Ella Nilsen and Brandon Miller, CNN A wildfire burning just six miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona, has prompted evacuations for hundreds of people, and thousands more have been told by authorities to prepare for future evacuation, authorities said Sunday night. The Pipeline Fire was first reported by a fire lookout

By Joe Sutton and Susannah Cullinane, CNN Mandatory evacuations are in place after a wildfire expanded steadily in Southern California’s Angeles National Forest on Sunday. The Sheep Fire grew from 35 acres Sunday morning to 775 acres that afternoon, according to InciWeb. As of Monday, the fire has scorched 990 acres with around 27% containment,

By Haley Brink and Allison Chinchar, CNN Meteorologists More than 65 million people from California to Tennessee are under some type of heat alert Sunday, as dangerously high temperatures persist across the Southwest and the southern and central Plains. Among the heat alerts in places Sunday are heat advisories, excessive heat watches and excessive heat

By Haley Brink and Allison Chinchar, CNN The official start of summer is 10 days away but more than 60 million Americans are under heat alerts Saturday from California to Louisiana, with triple digit temperatures expected to melt away daily records across the Southwest. Temperatures across the Central Valley of California and Southwest will be

By Allison Chinchar, CNN Meteorologist Over 35 million people are under heat advisories or excessive heat warnings from California to Texas, as the high temperatures peak in the West and spreads eastward over the weekend. The alerts cover portions of more than half a dozen states as the mercury climbs over the 100 degree mark

By Stephanie Elam, CNN As the extended drought has left vegetation dry, brittle and ripe for burning, fire officials in Southern California are bracing for another challenging summer and fall of wildfires amid a shortage of firefighting crews and increased workloads. “We’re expecting a hotter, drier summer this year leading into the fall when we

By Pedram Javaheri and Allison Chinchar, CNN meteorologists The two largest fires in New Mexico history are happening simultaneously and are only expected to get bigger through the weekend. The wildfires — the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire just northeast of Santa Fe and the Black Fire in the Gila National Forest — continue to burn at

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Intense summer heat will build as the week rolls on, peaking with potentially deadly heat in the drought-stricken West this Friday. Temperatures will rise above 100 degrees, reaching or breaking records in many areas. Meteorologists like Chris Kuhlman, from the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Phoenix, recommend people stay

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Before hitting Florida on Saturday, a broad swath of showers and thunderstorms over the Yucatán Peninsula could turn into Tropical Storm Alex or a tropical depression, the National Hurricane Center said. Tropical storm warnings are in effect Friday for over 10 million people in the southern half of Florida, Cuba

By Jennifer Gray, CNN As Wednesday marks the beginning of hurricane season, the tropics have seemed to get the memo as well. The first real sign of something brewing has come to light and could impact portions of Florida as early as Thursday. This is partially due to what’s left from Hurricane Agatha, which made

By Taylor Ward and Haley Brink, CNN Meteorologists Agatha was downgraded to a tropical storm late Monday after making landfall in southern Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph with some higher gusts, the National Hurricane Center said. Agatha made landfall Monday afternoon, just west of Puerto

By Haley Brink, CNN meteorologist Tropical Storm Agatha has formed to become the first storm of the 2022 eastern Pacific hurricane season. Agatha has sustained winds of 45 mph and is 220 miles south-southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico. The storm is forecast to gradually strengthen, becoming a hurricane on Sunday before making landfall over the

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Many see Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start of summer. But, if you are planning outdoor events, you may want to read this first. Otherwise, you could find yourself overheated without the proper iced cocktail, trying to barbecue in winter weather conditions — or running for cover from what

By Jennifer Gray, CNN meteorologist The official start to hurricane season is just a week away and forecasters are predicting another busy one. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center on Tuesday forecast 14 to 21 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes — of Category 3 strength

By Allison Chinchar, CNN meteorologist More than 10 million people remain under a heat advisory for Sunday across the Northeast as record temperatures could be seen from Washington, DC, to New Hampshire. Afternoon temperatures could climb into the 90s around the region, with heat index values up to 100 degrees possible, said CNN meteorologist Haley

By Allison Chinchar, CNN meteorologist More than 20 million people remain under a heat advisory for Sunday across the Northeast as record temperatures stretch from Virginia to New Hampshire. “If highs reach the mid to upper 90s, this will be record highs for the day and the month!” the National Weather Service (NWS) office in

By Aya Elamroussi, Paradise Afshar, Andy Rose and Alaa Elassar, CNN Two people are dead after a powerful tornado ripped roofs off buildings and flipped cars in a northern Michigan town on Friday, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency for the area. The twister — with maximum winds of 150 mph —

By Paradise Afshar, Andy Rose and Sharif Paget, CNN A tornado quickly moved through the town of Gaylord in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan Friday afternoon, leaving one person dead and 43 injured, officials said. Lt. Jim Gorno of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources described the scene in the area as being “catastrophic,”

By Jennifer Gray, CNN Meteorologist In less than 24 hours, Denver could go from having 90-degree weather to a potentially historic and dangerous snowstorm. Snowfall amounts could be as high as two to three feet in the higher elevations, and up to eight inches in the city of Denver, according to the National Weather Service

By Tom Sater and Taylor Ward, CNN Meteorologists The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s forecast for summer calls for a whole lot of heat without much rain to provide relief. Nearly the entire contiguous US is expected to have above-normal temperatures this summer, which runs from June through August, according to Thursday’s Climate Prediction Center’s

By Allison Chinchar, CNN meteorologist An early season heat wave will build across the southern tier of the United States, creating “unstable conditions” for wildfires and forcing some residents to conserve power usage. “We are expecting above normal temperatures and what that means for fires is generally unstable conditions,” Todd Shoemake, a meteorologist at the

By Sara Smart and Alaa Elassar, CNN An evacuation order is in place for a Canadian town in the Northwest Territories due to heavy flooding. Residents of Hay River, on the south side of Great Slave Lake, have been ordered to leave and find shelter, according to a Thursday news release from the town. Hay

By Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN When Keith Morey and his wife, Lynn, returned to their Laguna Niguel, California, home, they found little left in the ashes. Since its start on Wednesday, the Coastal Fire quickly ripped through mansions along hillside streets in Laguna Niguel, a city of about 65,000 with some of the state’s wealthiest neighborhoods.

By Derek Van Dam and Christina Maxouris, CNN Powerful storm conditions rolled through parts of the Midwest and the eastern Plains Thursday evening as meteorologists warned of an approaching “prolific” wind event. A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for parts of the Midwest until 10 p.m. CT Thursday, according to the Storm Prediction Center. The

By Taylor Romine, Christina Maxouris, Aya Elamroussi and Eric Levenson, CNN A rapidly moving brush fire destroyed at least 20 homes and forced the evacuation of nearly a thousand homes in Orange County, California, on Wednesday in a foreboding sign of the new normal for the region. The Coastal Fire began Wednesday afternoon at about

CNN Editorial Research Here’s a look at hurricane statistics. Notable Hurricanes in Recent US History September 23-30, 2022 – Hurricane Ian Category 4 storm. Made first landfall in Cuba as a Category 3. Hit the southwestern coast of Florida as a Category 4 and made a second US landfall in South Carolina as a Category

By Jennifer Gray, CNN Meteorologist Parts of eastern India are preparing for torrential rain and strong winds as a tropical cyclone warning is in effect for the Andhra Pradesh coast — as other portions of the country battle extreme heat. While the cyclone may bring some relief from the heat, it will be too far

By Jennifer Gray, CNN meteorologist In parts of Texas, smoke fills the sky. Wildfires are burning out of control; the brush is dry and all it takes is a single spark to create the next fire that could rage out of control. No home or neighborhood is safe from this reality in Amarillo. Extreme temperatures

By Rob Shackelford and Judson Jones, CNN An extremely critical, highest-level fire risk has been issued near the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, as powerful winds, combined with exceptional drought conditions, threaten to fuel the largest wildfire now burning in the United States. Places facing a Level 3 of 3 fire risk include northeast New Mexico,

By Allison Chinchar, CNN Meteorologist Icebergs surrounded a team of researchers in January as they cruised toward Antarctica. The team had been studying a thriving underwater ecosystem near the continent for years, but thanks to new modeling and powerful instrumentation they were able to navigate through a crumbling landscape of ice to their destination. “We

By Aya Elamroussi and Paul Vercammen, CNN Taming the second-largest wildfire in New Mexico history has been a nightmare for crews who have been battling the blaze for more than a month, a firefighter said. At one point, the ferocious Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire was spreading at 50 miles per hour, said Travis Regensberg, a

By Pedram Javaheri, CNN Meteorologist A remarkable early-season heat wave, with temperatures typically seen in August, is set to bake much of Texas, the Plains and the Midwest this weekend into early next week. As many as 120 record high temperatures across parts of at least 13 states are forecast to be tied or broken

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Tornadoes, flash flooding and hail threaten a wide section of the South as they push east Thursday, a day after the same line of severe storms spawned reported tornadoes — snapping power lines, tearing apart buildings and enticing storm-chasers — in Texas and Oklahoma. An enhanced risk — Level 3

By Judson Jones, CNN Meteorologist Powerful tornadoes and very large hail could threaten Oklahoma and Texas on Wednesday — and it all hinges on how hot it gets early in the day. “If you are in the risk area, sunshine is not your friend today,” CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said. “The more sun … the