Summary of the day
Here is a quick recap of today’s developments:
The devastated city of Montpelier, Vermont, was beginning a major cleanup effort on Wednesday, two days after the Winooski River broke its banks when a summer’s worth of rain fell in a few hours and devastated the city.
Vermont residents were warned to stay vigilant and be aware of surroundings as more rain is expected and to avoid entering flood waters. “We are now living through the worst natural disaster impact in the state of Vermont since 1927 when dozens of people died at that time and thank god at this point, we have not seen fatalities and we all hope that will be the case,” said Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency across parts of Arkansas, with meteorologists warning a “life-threatening situation” was unfolding.
Temperatures in the US south-west are expected to climb higher in the coming days and could hit 130F in Death Valley, California. Excessive heat warnings were in effect across the desert south-west, including in cities such as Phoenix, Las Vegas and Palm Springs, California.
Various counties in Texas have issued outdoor burn bans this week as the state continues to grapple with a record-breaking heatwave. Other counties that have issued similar outdoor burn bans include Burnet, Blanco and Llano counties.
Dangerous heat will be possible across the southern and western US next week, the National Weather Service has warned. Houston is at a moderate risk of excessive heat, while portions of New Mexico, Arizona and western Texas are at a high risk of excessive heat.
A severe marine heatwave off the coast of Florida has sent water temperatures soaring to unprecedented highs, threatening coral reefs in the area. Sea surface temperatures around Florida have reached the highest levels on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
California governor Gavin Newsom has launched a new campaign aimed at protecting residents from extreme heat. Ashley Williams, the press secretary with the governor’s office of planning and research, said that the new $20m campaign, Heat Ready CA, seeks to make sure Californians are aware of heat safety measures.
Wildfire season hasn’t even officially started in the US, but experts say Canadian wildfires sent so much smoke into US cities that this season already qualifies as the worst smoke season in recent memory.
A dozen homes were destroyed during a landslide in a gated southern California community that forced officials to declare a local state of emergency. The cause of Saturday’s slide is not known, but authorities have noted the exceptionally heavy rain that fell on California this past winter.
Updated
Electricity use in Texas jumped to an all-time high again amid soaring temperatures, but sunny days and strong winds are fueling both solar and wind power, helping to keep the state’s grid from collapsing.
Power demand rose to about 81.4GW at 4.55pm local time on Wednesday, surpassing the 27 June record of about 81GW, according to Bloomberg News.
The fragile electric power grid in Texas, which collapsed in a February 2021 winter storm, is being tested again as the second-biggest US state faces temperatures above 100F.
As consumers run their air conditioning all at once, it puts stress on the grid, risking potentially deadly outages.
The property insurance firm, Farmers Insurance, has said it will stop offering coverage in Florida in order to better manage its risk exposure in a state infamous for its hurricane seasons.
The move will affect about 100,000 customers in the sunshine state, which has seen several insurers drop out just ahead of peak hurricane season, according to Quartz.
This means that, if a severe storm were to roll through, it could be difficult for customers to receive payments on their insurance claims, Gizmodo writes.
The state has struggled to keep the insurance market healthy since 1992, when Hurricane Andrew flattened Homestead, wiped out some insurance carriers and left many remaining companies fearful to write or renew policies there, AP reported. Risks for carriers have also been growing as the climate crisis increases the strength of hurricanes and the intensity of rainstorms.
Wildfire season hasn’t even officially started in the US, but experts say Canadian wildfires sent so much smoke into US cities that this season already qualifies as the worst smoke season in recent memory.
“This is the worst year since 2006,” Marshall Burke, an associate professor of Earth system science at Stanford, told NBC News. He added that it was a remarkable measure because the “wildfire season we’re used to hasn’t even started yet.”
For the average American, we @StanfordECHOLab calculate that cumulative smoke exposure (PM2.5 exposure on each day, summed across days) through mid-2023 is already way worse than total cumul exposure in every year since 2006. And main fire season in West is just getting started. pic.twitter.com/0Oj0bmcvVQ
— Marshall Burke (@MarshallBBurke) July 7, 2023
As of Wednesday morning, Canada reported about 880 fires burning – more than half of which are considered “out of control,” according to the Canadian interagency forest fire centre. Many of the largest fires are expected to burn all summer.
“There will be intermittent bursts of fire activity,” said Robert Gray, a Canadian wildfire ecologist based in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
We can expect the US will see more smoke in the next couple of months.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Illinois and Indiana, according to the National Weather Service.
It says isolated supercell severe thunderstorms are expected to develop and move east to southeast with the possibility of a few tornadoes, large hail and damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Illinois and Indiana until 10 PM CDT pic.twitter.com/GoV6drhJwD
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) July 12, 2023
Just steps from the city center, the only shade along cooking concrete is under the makeshift shelters that cover the sidewalks. Hundreds of people live in this sprawling encampment and fatalities during Phoenix’s brutal heatwaves are high here.
“It is hell on earth,” Michael Shaw says, as he rings out a soaking towel over his head and neck.
I am pretty tough but these last few days are everything I can handle.
The towels, along with coolers full of water bottles and filled jugs, are being handed out by a team of city workers, volunteers, and nursing students from Arizona State University – and they run out of the first stash quickly. The program, run by the city’s landmark office of heat response and mitigation, aims to provide help to those who are most vulnerable along with outreach opportunities that can get more people off the streets and into shelters.
It’s unclear at this point how many of those lined up for water will end up getting a bed inside by the end of the day, but as the temperatures push past 110F extra hydration can mean the difference between life and death.
Shaw has made several trips to the booth in the first hour after it was set up, ferrying water back and forth to those in tents farther away who can’t make the walk. One woman he knows had a stroke and can’t walk so he summons some nursing students and leads them to where she’s waiting.
“It is a game changer,” Shaw says of the extreme conditions. Life on this block is filled with danger and violence, he adds, and the lure of drugs to dull the pain is constant, only adding to the strain. “I have been robbed, mugged. But the heat,” he says, “— it’s the killer.”
The city has been mandated to clear this area – known as “The Zone” — by a court order after nearby residents and property owners sued. But officials have asked for more time to ensure those who live here are provided with another place to go. Shaw said he didn’t know much about the city’s plans, but was concerned about how folks would get through the coming months out here. It’s not just the stifling heat.
“Monsoon season is about to start,” he said.
Those storms are violent when they come in.
Earth’s oceans are changing colour and climate breakdown is probably to blame, according to research.
The deep blue sea is actually becoming steadily greener over time, according to the study, with areas in the low latitudes near the equator especially affected.
“The reason we care about this is not because we care about the colour, but because the colour is a reflection of the changes in the state of the ecosystem,” said BB Cael, a scientist at the National Oceanography Centre at the University of Southampton and author of the study published in Nature.
The changes have been detected over 56% of the world’s oceans – an area greater than all of the land on Earth.
“These are not ultra, massive ecosystem-destroying changes, they may be subtle,” said Cael.
But this gives us an additional piece of evidence that human activity is likely affecting large parts of the global biosphere in a way that we haven’t been able to understand.
Although this discovery firmly documents another consequence of a changing climate, what is not yet clear is how strong these changes are and what is happening inside the ocean to cause them, according to Michael J Behrenfeld, a researcher of ocean productivity at Oregon State University, who was not involved in the research.
“Most likely, the measured trends are associated with multiple factors changing in parallel,” said Behrenfeld. For instance, the potentially increasing abundance of microplastics in the ocean, which like any other particles increase light scattering.
“With answers to these questions, we can then begin understanding what the ecological and biogeochemical implications are,” said Behrenfeld.
Nothing is testing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) like climate change, according to a Bloomberg report.
Climate-fueled crises keep mounting before the agency can close the book on recovery from the last disaster, it says.
According to a 1993 watchdog report, the agency expected one to two ‘catastrophic disasters requiring life-sustaining services from the federal government’ each year. But in the first half of this year alone, Fema logged 35 major disaster declarations across the country.
While climate science stresses planning in anticipation of stronger and more dangerous weather events, FEMA must function in a government that has at times been reluctant to even acknowledge climate change.
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 exposed the agency’s inability to hit the ground running after disaster with robust, life-saving response and recovery, while Superstorm Sandy in 2012 demonstrated how Fema needed to deliver aid faster to victims, who continued to struggle with an onerous and bureaucratic relief process.
Temperatures in the US southwest are expected to climb higher in the coming days, and could hit 130F in Death Valley, California.
A number of locations over the region could reach record high temperatures this week, according to AccuWeather meteorologists, increasing the risk of wildfires.
Excessive heat warnings were in effect across the Desert southwest, including in cities such as Phoenix, Las Vegas and Palm Springs, California.
Fresno, California could see highs of 105F or more from Friday through the middle of next week, which could be one of the worst heatwaves in recent years.
A dozen homes were destroyed during a landslide in a gated southern California community that forced officials to declare a local state of emergency.
Residents were evacuated from their homes in Rolling Hills Estates because earth movement broke a sewer line, although those homes had not moved, local officials said in a statement.
The landslide began on Saturday atop the Palos Verdes peninsula on the south Los Angeles County coast. Firefighters discovered cracks in buildings and the on ground, and residents were hastily evacuated from homes that were deemed unsafe.
Several of those homes were then dramatically torn apart over several days as they slid down a slope into a canyon, ABC News reported. Walls and decks ripped apart and tile roofs shattered as they pancaked into a jumble, AP repoted.
The cause of the slide is not known, but authorities have noted the exceptionally heavy rain that fell on California this past winter.
WeatherNation has posted a series of striking before and after aerial pictures of devastating damage in Vermont after two days of intense flooding.
Neighborhoods and roads appear to be heavily submerged under brown flood waters.
These before-and-after pictures really show the severity of the historic flooding in Vermont. #VTwx #flood
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) July 12, 2023
Two big headlines we're watching in this area:
-Ongoing river flooding, which normally continues after the heaviest rain ends
-More heavy rain chances on the way pic.twitter.com/BIeQP4IDPj
Maricopa county in Arizona has issued a warning to hikers as the state struggles with an oppressive heatwave that has reached triple digit degrees.
“More than 200 hikers are rescued in Phoenix every year. Think twice before heading out in the triple-digit heat, and always make sure you are prepared,” the county said.
More than 200 hikers are rescued in Phoenix every year. Think twice before heading out in the triple-digit heat, and always make sure you are prepared. Find heat tips, information, and emergency cooling resources at https://t.co/MpMQj97g1W. pic.twitter.com/Zg7ghIad1L
— Maricopa County (@maricopacounty) July 11, 2023
Precautions it urged residents to take include staying indoors with air conditioning as much as possible, carrying around water and drinking before feeling thirsty, checking cars and never leaving children or pets unattended in vehicles.
The National Weather Service has issued an alert on distinguishing heat exhaustion and heat stroke symptoms.
In addition to dizziness and thirst, heat exhaustion symptoms include heavy sweating, nausea and weakness. Meanwhile, confusion, dizziness and being unconscious are symptoms commonly tied to heat stroke.
Avoid being out in the heat during the highest temperatures in the afternoon and evening. If you must be out, be sure to monitor the symptoms of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke. Heat can turn life threatening quickly! #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/0kAsvO5cEk
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) July 10, 2023
Updated
Even under thick clouds that leave Phoenix in an overcast haze, the heat continues to climb through the morning, hovering just over 100F before noon.
The forecast predicts it will get hotter still today as the afternoon wears on – but that won’t stop the work, even for those who can’t escape the brutal temperatures.
“I don’t like the humidity,” says landscaper Crispin Allejah, as he wipes sweat from his face with the long-sleeve shirt he’s wearing to protect his skin from the sun. “When it is humid you sweat a lot.”
Tending to a patch of flooded and browning grass that lines the parking lot of a Whole Foods where a sprinkler has gone awry, Allejah wears heavy jeans, kneepads, and boots, along with a bright yellow vest.
He likes his work, and appreciates that, unlike in other areas where winter weather limits opportunities, in Arizona even in stifling temperatures the demand doesn’t slow down. “Here we work the whole year,” he said. “And you need work.”
He’s grown more accustomed to the stretches of brutal summer heat since he moved to the region 3 decades ago – but it is getting worse.
“You have to keep yourself moving,” he said. “If you stand in one place it is going to be too hot.” He also has learned not to drink too much water too fast. “You have to drink water but if you drink too much, sometimes you throw up.”
Updated
The National Weather Service of Las Vegas has issued a helpful diagram on the development of a heat wave as temperatures reach triple digits this weekend.
“Urban areas accentuate the heat, especially at night where temperatures don’t cool off as compared to surrounding areas,” it said.
Science 101: Heat Wave Development. Temperatures climbing to near-record levels this weekend under building high pressure. Urban areas accentuate the heat, especially at night where temperatures don't cool off as compared to surrounding areas. #nvwx #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/HXuQLYTKPE
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 12, 2023
Americans have been warned not to swim or drive in hazardous flood waters due to toxic and drowning hazards.
The Guardian’s Edwin Rios reports:
In Massachusetts and Vermont, officials are surveying the damage from devastating flooding that damaged thousands of people’s homes and businesses after the region was inundated by rain.
Residents of Vermont’s capital, Montpelier, hopped in boats to navigate the flooding as officials cleared debris and warned that the nearby Wrightsville Dam was at capacity, heightening the risk to residents. However, by Tuesday night, that threat had ceased.
In western Massachusetts, flood warnings remained in effect for residents living near the Connecticut River as boat ramps and docks were damaged. It reminded some residents of the moment in 2011 when Hurricane Irene swept through New England, washing the region with an average of 10in of rain.
Hampden county sheriff’s senior public information officer, Robert Rizzuto, told Western Mass News that residents who might be tempted to swim should avoid navigating the water altogether due to the “incredible amount of debris” and “millions and millions of gallons of raw sewage that have been dumped into the river from antiquated sewer systems over the past week”.
For the full story, click here:
Here are some pictures coming through the newswires of the disastrous flooding in Vermont:
Water fills the basement food pantry of Trinity United Methodist Church after flooding from recent rain storms in Montpelier, Vermont, U.S., July 11, 2023. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters
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Following intense floods across New York’s Hudson Valley, the Metro North railroad and the Amtrak service has been restored within 72 hours, Governor Kathy Hochul announced.
“Thanks to the herculean effort of our crews, we got it done,” Hochul said.
After the historic floods in the Hudson Valley, no one expected that we'd restore @MetroNorth and @Amtrak service within 72 hours.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) July 12, 2023
Thanks to the herculean effort of our crews, we got it done. pic.twitter.com/9e4uxjg6Au
Updated
Dangerous heat will be possible across the southern and western US next week, the National Weather Service in Houston has warned.
It says Houston is at a moderate risk of excessive heat, while portions of New Mexico, Arizona and western Texas are at a high risk of excessive heat.
Dangerous heat will be possible across the southern & western US next week. The Climate Prediction Center has #Houston under a Moderate risk of excessive heat. Portions of New Mexico, Arizona, and western Texas are under a High risk of excessive heat. #TXwx #HOUwx #GLSwx #BCSwx pic.twitter.com/ysISUmZhQZ
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) July 12, 2023
Flash flood warning for parts of Arkansas as experts warn of threat to life
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency across parts of Arkansas, with meteorologists warning a “life-threatening situation” was unfolding.
The National Weather Service’s office in Shreveport, Louisiana, issued a flash flood emergency for the cities of Stamps and Buckner, as well as the “extreme north-east” parts of Lafayette county, Arkansas.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist, John Feerick, said:
There has been a complex of thunderstorms over that area much of the morning, and it hasn’t been moving much, which has been the main issue.
He added that the storms had been producing two to three inches of rain per hour, and to add to the flood concern, the storms were moving slowly over the same areas.
Updated
Florida ocean temperatures at record high levels amid heatwave
A severe marine heatwave off the coast of Florida has sent water temperatures soaring to unprecedented highs, threatening coral reefs in the area.
Sea surface temperatures around Florida have reached the highest levels on record, with daily average temperatures off the Keys on Monday just over 90F, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The warming is also happening much earlier than normal. Corals typically experience the most heat stress in August in September.
Derek Manzello, a coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch, told CNN:
We didn’t expect this heating to happen so early in the year and to be so extreme. This appears to be unprecedented in our records.
Such warm water temperatures “would be impressive any time of year, but they’re occurring when the water would already be rather warm, bringing it up to bona fide bathtub conditions that we rarely see”, Brian McNoldy, senior research associate at the University of Miami and hurricane expert for Capital Weather Gang, told the Washington Post.
All it takes is a sea surface warming of one degree celsius, or two to three degrees Fahrenheit, beyond the reef’s normal highest temperature to trigger the heat stress that leads to bleaching, according to Manzello. In Florida, the sea surface temperatures are more than two degrees Celsius above that normal range and have been for one or two weeks, he said.
This could mean “significant and severe” bleaching will start in the next week and the coral could start to die altogether within a month, he said.
It still remains to be seen if this event is going to be more or less severe than previous events. However, all of the evidence right now is pointing to the fact that it’s going to be one of the more severe events we’ve seen.
Updated
A heat advisory has been issued for all of deep south Texas from noon to 7pm, the National Weather Service announced.
Those areas include Rio Grande City, San Manuel, McAllen, Port Mansfield, Harlingen, Brownsville, Sarita, Falfurrias, Hebbronville and Zapata.
Heat index values are expected to reach temperatures of 111 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
A Heat Advisory is in effect for all of Deep South Texas except for the barrier islands from Noon to 7PM CDT this evening. Heat index values between 111 to 115 degrees are forecast to occur in the advisory area. Young children and pets should NEVER be left unattended in vehicles! pic.twitter.com/PZu9Lc0cou
— NWS Brownsville (@NWSBrownsville) July 12, 2023
The National Weather Service has shared a graphic showing how impacts from rainfall can vary significantly in different locations across the US.
It shows how six inches of rainfall over a 24-hour period in areas in New England caused widespread river flooding in Vermont, while a similar amount of rainfall in Houston, Texas, produced mainly street flash flooding and no river flooding.
Check out this graphic comparing this last week's river flooding in New England to a couple events in Texas with similar rainfall amounts, but vastly different impacts. #txwx #txflood pic.twitter.com/iB5EY9OPUU
— NWSWGRFC (@NWSWGRFC) July 12, 2023
Bernie Sanders: 'We are living through the worst natural disaster impact in the state of Vermont since 1927'
Vermont senator Bernie Sanders addressed the historic flooding in Vermont on Wednesday, saying,
“We are now living through the worst natural disaster impact in the state of Vermont since 1927 when dozens of people died at that time and thank god at this point, we have not seen fatalities and we all hope that will be the case.”
Sanders added that he had spoken to President Joe Biden, who is currently in Europe, and said that “he has pledged to do everything that he and his team can do.”
He also said that he is going to work with private insurance companies “to make sure that they are not nickel-and-diming people but responding to the real damage that people are seeing.”
“I am confident that when we stand together, we are going to do the best that we can to get out of this catastrophe,” he added.
Updated
FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell warned Vermont residents to stay vigilant and be aware of surroundings as more rain is expected and to avoid entering flood waters.
“You need to make sure that you are not putting yourself in harm’s way, that you’re not moving into, walking through, or driving through water, especially moving water. We know that it takes just six inches of water for somebody to be wiped off of their feet.
And in that water, we see a lot of debris. You see downed power lines, we see things that can cause additional damage. And so I really encourage everybody, please, do not walk, do not swim or do not drive through these waters, even as they’re starting to recede,” Criswell said during Wednesday’s press conference.
Governor Phil Scott to sign executive order to expedite rebuilding process following floods
“This isn’t a dog and pony show,” said Vermont governor Phil Scott about the recent floods as well as the cleanup efforts across the state during the press conference on Wednesday in which he pledged to sign an executive order on repair efforts.
“The flooding we’ve seen is historic and as waters begin to recede, at least for the time being, we’ll be surveying the damage done to infrastructure, homes and businesses.
And again, this may not be over. With rain in the forecast and nowhere for it to go, we could see waters rise again,” he added in his remarks during the press conference.
“Later today I’ll be signing an executive order so we can expedite rebuilding through temporary regulatory relief which will be critical for emergency response and infrastructure repairs. We’ll have more information on that in the next 24 hours,” said Scott, adding that he spoke to president Joe Biden who has reaffirmed his “full support.”
Updated
Rivers have crested and river floods should wind down throughout the day in Vermont, Jennifer Morrison, commissioner of the department of public safety said in a press conference on Wednesday.
Nevertheless, Morrison warned that further precipitation is forecasted for Thursday and Friday that could bring significant additional rainfall to the state.
Morrison also added that as of 8am this morning, no fatalities have been reported.
She urged residents to remain vigilant, saying, “Keep your guard up and do not take chances.”
“Numerous communities are under boil water notices… I’m happy to report that statewide, we are below 1000 power outages thanks to the hard work and commitment of our public utility partners. Those returning to their flooded homes should take precautions when entering. Do not turn on your circuit breaker or use any power sources until you’ve had your system checked by a licensed electrician,” she added.
Down the river from Montpelier, Michael Stridsberg said he had not anticipated losing his TV and pool table.
Alongside boxes of drenched family papers and heirlooms. When the foundation of his house was breached by floodwater, inundating the basement.
“This was far worse than Hurricane Irene in 2011 -- and that was the worst it’s seen since 1929,” he said.
“I’ve had flood insurance for 30 years, so hopefully I’ll be covered.”
The waters that came over banks of the Winooski came up so high that a gazebo he built higher up the garden was also affected - though likely without consequences.
“Unlike Irene, which we kind of expected, this storm came out of nowhere. It seemed random. It just sort of appeared and never stopped raining,” he added.
California launches $20m heatwave initiative
California governor Gavin Newsom has launched a new campaign aimed at protecting residents from extreme heat.
Speaking to CBS, Ashley Williams, the press secretary with the governor’s office of planning and research, said that the new $20m campaign, Heat Ready CA, seeks to make sure Californians are aware of heat safety measures.
“There you can go and make a plan for extreme heat and that includes where to go to get cool, it tells you about the signs of heat illness and taking care of your friends and family,” she told the outlet.
A website has been launched as part of Heat Ready CA. In addition to helping residents find nearby cooling centers, the campaign allows residents to create personalized plans for extreme weather events, among other features.
Residents can also find tips on preventing heat-related illnesses as well as extreme heat guidance for schools.
The Guardian’s Edward Helmore has dispatched the following report from Montepelier, Vermont, where a major cleanup effort has commenced following two days of record floods:
The devastated city of Montpelier, Vermont, was beginning a major cleanup effort on Wednesday, two days after the Winooski River broke its banks when a summer’s worth of rain fell in a few hours and devastated the city.
Debris from flooded homes and businesses fill the streets, while a coat of river mud covers roadways.
At the height of the deluge, streets turned into rivers and water nearly reached ceilings in the downtown area. No deaths have been reported, but a temporary travel ban was issued and a boil-water notice put into effect.
More than 100 roads in the worst-hit areas around Montpelier and Barre have been washed out.
With the Winooski still raging, residents described their helplessness as the slow-moving storm, tracking north from where it had devastated parts of the Hudson valley, unleashed its barrage.
“It was unexpected,” said Milo Hecht, 29. “It just kept raining and raining. It wasn’t a tropical storm, so it wasn’t foreseen, but we knew we would be getting rain. We just didn’t expect the flooding to be so severe.”
For the full story, click here:
Updated
Connecticut’s search and rescue crew has joined forces with Vermont’s emergency management team along the Winooski river to conduct rescues of trapped residents.
Our @CTDEMHS Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) is on the ground in Vermont working closely with @vemvt & other USAR teams along the Winooski River initiating rescues of residents trapped by flood waters. This morning the teams rescued 5 people and 3 pets. #VTflood23 pic.twitter.com/DssGTmX2Ti
— CT Emergency Management & Homeland Security (@CTDEMHS) July 11, 2023
The teams have rescued five people and three pets along the river as of Tuesday.
Updated
Here are some pictures coming through the newswires of the heatwaves across the country:
Updated
Joe Biden says extreme heat and floods show impacts of climate crisis
President Joe Biden has issued a statement in response to the extreme weather events spreading across the country, saying:
“Right now, families across America are experiencing the devastating impacts of the climate crisis – from floods to extreme heat."
He went on to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to address the climate crisis, including measures such as preparing schools for extreme heat, providing funding to modernize electric grids, and lowering cooling costs for low-income households.
Right now, families across America are experiencing the devastating impacts of the climate crisis – from floods to extreme heat.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 12, 2023
My Administration will continue to deliver on our historic climate agenda to get communities the resources they need to prepare and keep folks safe. https://t.co/eIenjPmaiM
Updated
Multiple Texas counties issue burn bans amid record heatwave
Various counties in Texas have issued outdoor burn bans this week as the state continues to grapple with a record-breaking heatwave.
“We’re not far away from reaching critical numbers that we’ve seen in the past … Fire departments have been responding increasingly over this last week. So, with that, I asked for a burn ban in order for 90 days,” Hays county fire marshal Mark Wobus told CBS Austin after his crew rushed to put out a large wildfire north of San Marcos which spread over 50 acres.
According to Wobus, the blaze appeared to have come from an “escaped controlled burn”.
Hays county judge Ruben Becerra approved of the ban, saying:
“Unless and until you get out there and you’re standing in the heat, and then you’re watching the firefighters putting up the fire and you’re standing there. Maybe you watch it jump the street and now it’s on the other side. I mean this thing is just really very sensitive.”
Other counties that have issued similar outdoor burn bans include Burnet, Blanco and Llano counties, CBS Austin reports.
Updated
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood emergency across various regions in Arkansas including Stamps, Buckner and extreme north-east Lafayette county.
“Radar estimates 8-10 inches of rainfall have already fallen, and 2-4 inches of additional rainfall are possible,” the NWS said.
FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for For Stamps, Buckner and Extreme Northeast Lafayette County in SW Arkansas.
— StormHQ (@StormHQwx) July 12, 2023
Multiple roads have been reported as impassible. Flooding is occurring inside
buildings in Stamps.
Between 8-12 inches of rain had fallen Between Hope & Magnolia.#ARwx #Flood pic.twitter.com/ZH7gtktbst
Updated
The Grand Canyon National Park Service has warned drivers to adhere to speed limits and watch out for deer and elk as they and other wildlife seek shade amid the scorching heatwave in Arizona.
Temperatures in the state are expected to climb steadily this week and will probably reach 117F on Saturday.
The Excessive Heat Warning Continues! With high temperatures on the South Rim reaching 92°F (33°C) you may notice wildlife seeking out shade. When driving, stay within the posted speed limits and watch for deer and elk by the side of the road. (7/3/2023) #AZWX #Arizona #Hot pic.twitter.com/lHJz4QZUXU
— Grand Canyon NPS (@GrandCanyonNPS) July 4, 2023
Updated
The National Weather Service in New Orleans has warned of scattered storms that are expected to deliver flash flooding in the area later today.
Rainfall is expected to reach 2 to 5 inches per hour (or more at times), with the potential flash floods likely to take place mainly from late morning through the evening hours.
Meanwhile, a heat advisory has been put in place across all of south-eastern Louisiana from 10am to 8pm today.
👋 Happy Wednesday! For today, focus will be on scattered storms developing later that could deliver localized flash flooding. Use caution when traveling & don't cross water covered roads! Outside of the storms, it'll be hot! A Heat Advisory is in effect 10AM - 8PM. #lawx #mswx pic.twitter.com/dV7CqJyerj
— NWS New Orleans (@NWSNewOrleans) July 12, 2023
Updated
Firefighters in East Moline, Illinois, have devised a crafty way to help residents stay cool amid the intense heatwave.
In a video posted on Twitter, firefighters are shown spraying a hose on to a field of residents as they run around to cool off.
They're running out of ways to stay cool in Illinois!
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) July 12, 2023
Check out what the firefighters in East Moline came up with yesterday#ILwx pic.twitter.com/siGpgOunaG
Updated
Here’s more on the dangerous heat situation in Texas. The National Weather Service is warning that the Houston area could see temperatures of about 113F today, urging people to stay safe and limit outdoor activity:
Dangerous heat is expected today with Heat Advisories (Heat index > 108°F) and Excessive Heat Warnings (Heat index > 113°F) issued for the region.
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) July 12, 2023
Remember:
🥤Stay Hydrated
🏃Limit Strenuous Activity
🚙Look before you Lock#HOUwx #CLLwx #GLSwx #TXwx pic.twitter.com/mDOy8l7rRQ
Updated
NBC5 meterologist Ben Frechette is also reporting this morning that the situation in Vermont is easing off:
Happy to see most of our rivers finally backing down. A few lingering flood warnings exist across northern Vermont for the highlighted rivers: https://t.co/wXE4AEMK0G pic.twitter.com/wIY6lixGE7
— Ben Frechette NBC5 (@BenMyNBC5) July 12, 2023
While southern states are sweltering, there are severe thunderstorm warnings along the Nebraska/Iowa border:
Happening now: The severe thunderstorm watch has been extended to include Omaha and portions of I-80 in Iowa.
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) July 12, 2023
Scattered gusts to 70 mph are expected, along with hail over the size of golf balls. #IAwx #NEwx #SDwx pic.twitter.com/ub82QwoKwK
Drone footage shows extent of disaster in Montpelier, Vermont
A state of emergency had been declared in Vermont on Tuesday after torrential rain caused severe flooding across the US state.
The capital, Montpelier, had been cut off from the rest of the state after main roads were damaged by the extreme weather. Footage shared online showed floodwaters reaching the windows of some buildings in downtown Montpelier.
Drone footage shows how disastrous the flooding in Montpelier has been:
Updated
The National Weather service’s flood warning for portions of Vermont will expire at 10.30am ET.
No more flooding is expected for parts of central, northeast, northwest, and southern Vermont,
including the following counties:
in central Vermont: Addison, Orange and Washington.
in northeast Vermont: Caledonia, Essex and
Orleans.in northwest Vermont: Chittenden, Franklin and Lamoille.
in southern Vermont: Windsor.
The NWS also said heavy rain had ended across the region but light rain may persist
into early this afternoon. No new flooding is expected, but existing floodwaters may be slow to recede.
Residents were advised to follow existing road closures.
Updated
Parts of Florida get heat warning as rainy season starts dry
Dangerous heat is also expected to persist in parts of Florida in what is a hot and dry start to the state’s rainy season.
The Weather Channel is reporting that temperatures will be above average for the next few days – and dew points well into the 70s will mean it will feel very humid.
The National Weather Service has issued heat alerts for large parts of southern Florida and the Panhandle, with temperatures of around 105F expected.
People were urged to stay inside, drink plenty of fluids and avoid exercise.
Records may fall in Florida as a dangerous heat wave intensifies – here's what you need to know: https://t.co/1deZCjykKk
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) July 12, 2023
Updated
Dangerous heat conditions predicted across southern US
For the southern half of the US, the National Weather Service is predicting dangerous heat and oppressive conditions will continue for the rest of the week and into next week.
Widespread excessive heat watches and warnings along with heat advisories are already in place across southern Nevada, southern California and eastern Arizona.
Parts of Oklahoma and Texas have also been issued with excessive heat warnings.
Updated
Good morning and welcome to our extreme weather blog, following the latest updates on flooding and heatwaves continuing to plague areas across the US.
In Vermont, where extreme flooding led to over 100 rescues according to reports, there were warnings that a dam near the state capital of Montpelier was dangerously close to capacity. Overnight, water levels appeared to have stabilised. However, local officials warned residents to stay vigilant as more rain was expected later this week.
While the US northeast was deluged, record-breaking heat is baking the US south-west this week, putting millions under extreme heat warnings as temperatures upwards of 100F (38C) hit Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and southern California.
Even desert residents accustomed to scorching summers are feeling the relentless grip of the heat. Phoenix, which hit a 12th consecutive day of 110F on Tuesday, could see its longest ever heatwave.
We’ll bring you the latest news from the extreme weather across the US.
