Capital Weather Gang: U.S. Weather


Posted at 02:51 PM ET, 08/16/2012

Final update on the “big swim” across Lake Michigan
By Don Lipman
Neil and Sara Tow, the former local couple who’ve trained for the past year to make an epic swim across Lake Michigan, made a heroic effort, but unfortunately, fell about 10 miles short.

By Don Lipman  |  02:51 PM ET, 08/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:01 AM ET, 08/15/2012

Update on the “big swim” across Lake Michigan by a “local” couple
By Don Lipman
Recently, I posted a story “Cool thoughts: awaiting an epic swim across Lake Michigan by “local couple”. Well, the swim is underway, water temperatures are tolerable (near 70), and the swimmers are confident.

By Don Lipman  |  10:01 AM ET, 08/15/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:29 AM ET, 08/14/2012

The heart-warming and heart-wrenching tales of dogs in toasty weather
By Jason Samenow
Very warm weather can pose hazards to dogs, but can also prove therapeutic. During the nation’s hottest month on record in July, viral stories of the trials of several canines have evoked all kinds of human emotions from inspiration to terror to anger.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:29 AM ET, 08/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Nature, Extreme Heat, Photography, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:53 PM ET, 08/08/2012

Chart-busting 2012 temperatures in Lower 48 and Washington, D.C.
By Jason Samenow
Temperatures so far this year are warmest on record locally and nationally, and it’s not even close. Year-to-date temperatures are on an entirely different level from past record-setting years.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:53 PM ET, 08/08/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Local Climate, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 11:30 AM ET, 08/08/2012

U.S. has hottest month on record in July 2012 NOAA says
By Jason Samenow
In 118 years of U.S. records, July 2012 stands as king, hotter than any month previously observed.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:30 AM ET, 08/08/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 04:15 PM ET, 08/06/2012

NASCAR should have stopped Pocono race sooner
By Jason Samenow
A man was killed and nine others were injured Sunday during a violent thunderstorm that tore across Pocono Raceway in northeast Pennsylvania. Although track officials advised crowds to seeks shelter, NASCAR allowed cars to continue to race around the track far too long.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:15 PM ET, 08/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Thunderstorms, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:45 AM ET, 07/27/2012

U.S. drought is bad but could be a lot worse
By Jason Samenow
As bad as the current drought is, both economic and climatic data indicate it pales in comparison to certain droughts in the recent and more distant past.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:45 AM ET, 07/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Droughts, U.S. Weather

Posted at 09:37 AM ET, 07/19/2012

Historic drought covers nearly two-thirds of continental U.S.
By Jason Samenow
The most extensive drought since the 1950s in the continental U.S. keeps getting worse. For the 10th consecutive week, drought conditions expanded.

By Jason Samenow  |  09:37 AM ET, 07/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Droughts

Posted at 11:51 AM ET, 07/18/2012

Severe storms target New York City, southern New England, a few could reach D.C. area late today
By Jason Samenow
A cold front sagging south from the Northeast this afternoon to the northern mid-Atlantic tonight - along with strong upper level winds - promises to trigger strong to severe thunderstorms across this area. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the D.C. area.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:51 AM ET, 07/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Thunderstorms

Posted at 10:49 AM ET, 07/18/2012

Cool thoughts: awaiting an epic swim across Lake Michigan by local couple
By Don Lipman
In mid-August, at the 50-mile wide mid-point of Lake Michigan, a once-local couple now living in the Grand Rapids, MI area, will attempt a staggering 30-35 hour swim across the lake, one never before accomplished by a husband-wife team. Jeff Tow, who, as a youngster, swam competitively in Montgomery County, MD, and his wife Sara, have been preparing for this swim all their lives.

By Don Lipman  |  10:49 AM ET, 07/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Lipman, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:28 PM ET, 07/16/2012

Worst drought since 1950s in continental U.S.
By Jason Samenow
It’s been more than 50 years since a drought this extensive has afflicted the Lower 48 states. That’s the conclusion of NOAA’s latest report on drought, released today.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:28 PM ET, 07/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Droughts

Posted at 11:19 AM ET, 07/12/2012

Worst drought in at least 12 years in continental U.S.
By Jason Samenow
Drought conditions now cover about 61 percent of the Lower 48, the most extensive in 12 years of records. Another 19 percent of the country is on the brink of drought. 80 percent of the country is classified as at least abnormally dry in the latest U.S. Drought Monitor.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:19 AM ET, 07/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 04:31 PM ET, 07/10/2012

How statistically unusual was the heat wave?
By Jason Samenow
For some commentators, the recent heat wave signified nothing - other than a few extra drops of sweat. But the numbers reveal this heat wave was a rare event.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:31 PM ET, 07/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change, Local Climate

Posted at 04:34 PM ET, 07/09/2012

Warmest period in U.S. records carries on
By Jason Samenow
The first half of 2012 was the warmest in 118 years of records in the Lower 48. And the last 12 months were warmest on record as well.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:34 PM ET, 07/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:07 AM ET, 07/09/2012

Boom! Deafening thunder, lightning at Twins vs. Rangers game (WATCH)
By Jason Samenow
In the midst of an ordinary mid-summer baseball game in Arlington, Texas, between the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers, an incredible crash of thunder and simultaneous lightning strike delivered a startling jolt. Without hesi­ta­tion, umpires and players bolted from the scene.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:07 AM ET, 07/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:30 PM ET, 06/28/2012

Historic heat wave arriving in East; monthly, all-time records in the balance
By Jason Samenow
A heat advisory has been issued Friday for the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metro regions. Our region is on the northern edge of the excessive heat dome, which marks the dividing line between very hot and extraordinarily hot conditions.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:30 PM ET, 06/28/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat, Local Climate

Posted at 01:14 PM ET, 06/28/2012

Colorado wildfires: is lack of spring snow the smoking gun behind the blazes?
By Jason Samenow
When we discussed the role of weather yesterday in Colorado’s wildfires, we mentioned the historic, sweltering temperatures, the state-wide drought, low humidity, and gusty winds. But we neglected perhaps the key environmental contributor: the profound lack of spring snowpack across the state.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:14 PM ET, 06/28/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest, Climate Change

Posted at 07:11 PM ET, 06/27/2012

Tropical storm Debby is gone, but damage is done (PHOTOS)
By Jason Samenow
The National Hurricane Center downgraded once tropical storm Debby to a post-tropical cyclone this evening, as the multi-day deluge over the Florida peninsula drew to a close. Since the weekend, the storm produced unthinkable amounts of rain, exceeding two feet in some areas, and tremendous flooding

By Jason Samenow  |  07:11 PM ET, 06/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Tropical Weather, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:14 PM ET, 06/27/2012

Massive heat wave moving east, excessive heat watch Friday for D.C. and Baltimore areas
By Jason Samenow
A heat wave of historic proportions, linked to the “epic” wildfire in Colorado, is coming for D.C.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:14 PM ET, 06/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Local Climate, Extreme Heat

Posted at 10:56 AM ET, 06/27/2012

Colorado wildfires: Hot, dry conditions stoke firestorm (PHOTOS)
By Jason Samenow
Multiple wildfires continue running rampant in Colorado and the devastating combination of record hot June temperatures and state-wide drought are partly to blame.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:56 AM ET, 06/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat, Droughts

Posted at 03:13 PM ET, 06/26/2012

Record setting heat wave roasts Rockies (Denver), Plains, heading east
By Jason Samenow
A historic heat wave, which has broiled the Rockies and Plains in recent days, is on its way east and southeast. By Friday, 18 states in the eastern third of the nation may experience highs above the century mark.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:13 PM ET, 06/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat

Posted at 11:35 AM ET, 06/26/2012

Tropical storm Debby generates incredible rainfall over north Florida
By Jason Samenow
Debby, the minimal tropical storm which has sat and spun over the northeast Gulf of Mexico for several days, has produced rainfall totals in north Florida not to be believed, exceeding 20” in spots. Additional heavy rain is forecast, likely worsening ongoing flooding in the region.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:35 AM ET, 06/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Tropical Weather

Posted at 04:00 PM ET, 06/25/2012

Violent thunderstorm tears through Richmond
By Jason Samenow
A severe thunderstorm with hail and damaging winds ripped through Richmond, Virginia area betweem 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:00 PM ET, 06/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Thunderstorms

Posted at 11:01 AM ET, 06/25/2012

Tropical storm Debby drenching Florida as it crawls through northeast Gulf of Mexico
By Greg Postel
Tropical storm Debby’s forward motion over the northern Gulf of Mexico has ground to a halt as it unleashes band after band of heavy rain over the state of Florida. The storm is going nowhere fast and could take until the end of the week to cross Florida panhandle coast as (at most) a 65 mph (55-knot) tropical storm

By Greg Postel  |  11:01 AM ET, 06/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Tropical Weather

Posted at 12:37 PM ET, 06/24/2012

Tropical storm Debby lashing Florida Gulf Coast, copious amounts of rain possible
By Jason Samenow
Tropical storm Debby, which formed Saturday afternoon in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, is giving forecasters fits about its future course as it drifts northeast at 6 mph and drenches the west coast of Florida. Situated 140 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, the storm’s maximum sustained winds are 60 mph.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:37 PM ET, 06/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Tropical Weather, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:50 PM ET, 06/22/2012

Heat wave nears conclusion in mid-Atlantic and Northeast, hundreds of records fall
By Jason Samenow
After two to three days of blistering heat from Richmond, Virginia to Portland, Maine, a cold front closes in that will bring cooler, less humid conditions by the weekend.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:50 PM ET, 06/22/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Local Climate, Extreme Heat, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:40 AM ET, 06/21/2012

Duluth experiences one of worst floods on record (PHOTOS)
By Jason Samenow
From June 17 to 20, the arrowhead of Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin were inundated with 8-10 inches of rain. In Duluth, 7.24” of rain fell, the wettest two-day period on record. Massive flooding swept through the region.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:40 AM ET, 06/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 01:05 PM ET, 06/20/2012

Washington, D.C.: hottest spot in the East
By Jason Samenow
Once again, Washington, D.C. finds itself at the epi-center of a heat blast torching the eastern U.S. At noon, D.C.’s 93 degrees was at least 5 degrees warmer than southern cities like Miami, Atlanta, Raleigh, New Orleans and Houston.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:05 PM ET, 06/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat

Posted at 10:57 AM ET, 06/18/2012

Haboob (dust storm) sweeps through Phoenix Valley following Haiku contest (VIDEO)
By Jason Samenow
To raise awareness of the hazard posed by blinding dust storms, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) ran a “Haboob Haiku” challenge last week. The day after the challenge closed, an impressive haboob ripped through an area south of Phoenix.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:57 AM ET, 06/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:42 PM ET, 06/14/2012

Huge hailstorm dents Dallas (VIDEOS)
By Jason Samenow
Several isolated, but violent supercell thunderstorms blasted through sections of the Dallas Ft. Worth region Wednesday night, producing multiple reports of damaging baseball-sized hail.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:42 PM ET, 06/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 10:16 AM ET, 06/14/2012

Storm chasing: Photographs from the Plains, late May into early June 2012
By Ian Livingston
Tornado season typically peaks during May, and the Plains states often referred to as Tornado Alley remain active into June, with less consistent storminess thereafter as summer takes hold. For the second year in a row, a team from the D.C. area gambled on a two-week period to find the perfect storm. The gamble paid off.

By Ian Livingston  |  10:16 AM ET, 06/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Photography, Thunderstorms, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:35 PM ET, 06/13/2012

Overcoming the tornado false alarm problem
By Jason Samenow
Last week, I argued that the National Weather Service needs to confront the tornado false alarm problem. 75 percent of tornado warnings are false alarms in the U.S. My commentary generated a thoughtful discussion on how to address the issue. Readers put forward some great suggestions.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:35 PM ET, 06/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Thunderstorms, Media

Posted at 11:55 AM ET, 06/13/2012

Southwest drought, climate warming and fuel: an explosive combination for record wildfires
By Jason Samenow
During the last two summers, wildfires have run rampant in the Southwest, setting record after record for size and destructiveness. It’s no coincidence that severe drought and much above normal temperatures have been occurring in these same areas - although land-management practices bear some responsibility as well.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:55 AM ET, 06/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 11:45 AM ET, 06/12/2012

Report: Climate warming has accelerated in U.S. since 1970, including in Va., Md.
By Jason Samenow
Climate warming across the Lower 48 is speeding up. That’s the take home message of a new report released today by Climate Central, a science communication non-profit group.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:45 AM ET, 06/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:12 PM ET, 06/11/2012

Obscene rain amounts drench Pensacola and Alabama Gulf Coast (PHOTOS)
By Jason Samenow
As much as 20-27 inches of rain inundated the Florida panhandle and coastal Alabama over the weekend. On Saturday alone, 13.11 inches fell in Pensacola, Fl. its second highest single day rainfall total on record. Pensacola’s only wetter day occurred on October 5, 1934 when a tropical storm produced 15.29” there.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:12 PM ET, 06/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:14 PM ET, 06/07/2012

Washington, D.C. off-the-charts warm in 2012
By Jason Samenow
The U.S. is off to its warmest year on record, and this holds true in the Washington, D.C. area. At all three local Washington, D.C. area airports, 2012 is tracking warmest on record by a wide margin.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:14 PM ET, 06/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Local Climate, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:18 AM ET, 06/07/2012

U.S. completes warmest 12-month period again, smashes spring record
By Jason Samenow
The period from June 2011 to May 2012 was the warmest 12-months since records began (in 1895) in the continental United States. It was also the warmest spring by a large margin.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:18 AM ET, 06/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 11:41 AM ET, 06/05/2012

Transit of Venus 2012: A cloudy forecast for some
By Jason Samenow
Venus crosses the sun for the last time until 2117 (105 years from now) later today. But will clouds spoil this chance of a lifetime (for most) cosmic opportunity?

By Jason Samenow  |  11:41 AM ET, 06/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Astronomy, Space, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:19 PM ET, 05/30/2012

Manhattanhenge: Sunset and streets aligned in unique spectacle; a D.C. equivalent?
By Justin Grieser
The summer solstice is still three weeks away, but this evening might offer New York City residents an enchanting sunset experience on the streets of Manhattan. Sun-observing enthusiasts call it “Manhattanhenge” – one of only two days of the year when the setting sun aligns perfectly with the city’s east-west street grid.

By Justin Grieser  |  03:19 PM ET, 05/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Photography, U.S. Weather, Astronomy

Posted at 12:35 PM ET, 05/30/2012

Oklahoma City pounded by severe weather Tuesday, and more on the way today
By Ian Livingston
Severe weather erupted across Oklahoma yesterday, with considerable damage done to a number of places including Oklahoma City. While the primary issue was hail and high winds, at least one tornado and potentially a few more touched down as well. More severe weather is scheduled to impact the southern and central Plains today.

By Ian Livingston  |  12:35 PM ET, 05/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Photography, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:53 PM ET, 05/29/2012

Early season heat: the most dangerous kind
By Jason Samenow
When stifling heat and oppressive humidity smack us down mid-summer, it certainly poses a hazard. But this suffocating combination sucks the life out of us the most when it strikes early.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:53 PM ET, 05/29/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat, Health

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 05/25/2012

Rip currents, not sharks, are the big beach danger
By Jack Williams
If you are heading for the beach this weekend or any time this summer forget bout JAWS. Instead, be wary of rip currents.

By Jack Williams  |  12:00 PM ET, 05/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:00 PM ET, 05/21/2012

California hurricane odds extremely low, but not zero
By Jack Williams
The eastern Pacific hurricane season is well underway with the National Hurricane Center forecasting that Tropical Depression TWO-E should become Tropical Storm Bud later today.

By Jack Williams  |  02:00 PM ET, 05/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Tropical Weather, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 05/21/2012

A year after the Joplin tornado disaster
By Ian Livingston
One year ago tomorrow, Joplin, Missouri was impacted by a most-feared EF-5 tornado with winds over 200 mph. When the early-evening storm was through, and skies began to clear, the devastation left behind by was brutally apparent. Joplin has recovered significantly, if irregularly, in the year that’s passed since the tornado.

By Ian Livingston  |  11:00 AM ET, 05/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  History, Latest, Recaps, Thunderstorms, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:39 AM ET, 05/11/2012

Gulf waterspouts, Phoenix dust storm, Las Vegas dust devils: wild weather (PHOTOS AND VIDEO)
By Jason Samenow
Since the weekend, tornado activity has been suppressed. But the atmosphere has been turbulent in spots, kicking up and swirling dust in the Southwest and spinning up vortices over the waters of Louisiana and Alabama

By Jason Samenow  |  11:39 AM ET, 05/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Photography

Posted at 12:45 PM ET, 05/08/2012

U.S. completes warmest 12-month period in 117 years
By Jason Samenow
Dating back to 1895, never has the U.S. strung together 12 straight months warmer than May 2011 to April 2012 according to new data released today by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) .

By Jason Samenow  |  12:45 PM ET, 05/08/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Local Climate, Climate Change

Posted at 10:55 AM ET, 05/08/2012

May likely to continue U.S. warm weather streak
By Greg Postel
More than a month removed from delivering the warmest January-to-March period on record, the atmospheric circulation over North America remains unable produce more than a few cool days in a row for many locations. May looks to follow the well-worn theme.

By Greg Postel  |  10:55 AM ET, 05/08/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:41 PM ET, 05/03/2012

Kentucky Derby weather: Showers and storms could threaten
By Jason Samenow
Will “the most exciting two minutes of sports” turn even more dramatic due to showers or thunderstorms? There’s a chance during Saturday’s 138th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:41 PM ET, 05/03/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:22 PM ET, 05/02/2012

April colder than March in many cities across Northeast and Midwest including Washington (Dulles)
By Justin Grieser
During a typical year, monthly average temperatures move steadily upward as spring progresses. Not so in 2012.

By Justin Grieser  |  01:22 PM ET, 05/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Local Climate

Posted at 01:06 PM ET, 04/26/2012

Big storm barely dents mid-Atlantic and Northeast drought
By Jason Samenow
One would have thought that the 1.5-5” of rain that fell from the mid-Atlantic to New England Sunday-Tuesday would have gone a long way to busting the emerging drought. But it shaved off the affected region by less than two percent!

By Jason Samenow  |  01:06 PM ET, 04/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Droughts, Local Climate, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:31 PM ET, 04/24/2012

Are weather forecasts beyond a few days any good?
By Greg Postel
Are forecasts beyond a few days any good? Mine are (laugh). More seriously, though, and perhaps not surprisingly, the answer is, ‘it depends’.

By Greg Postel  |  02:31 PM ET, 04/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Science

Posted at 01:01 PM ET, 04/24/2012

Hottest April temperature on record in U.S. tied in Death Valley Sunday: 113!
By Jason Samenow
Record warmth torched the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. during March while the West shivered. Now, the West is getting its own dose of historic heat.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:01 PM ET, 04/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 10:53 AM ET, 04/24/2012

Nor’easter dumps up to two feet of snow, five inches of rain
By Jason Samenow
The biggest late April Nor’easter since 1928 has winded down after producing a large swath or heavy rains near the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast and deep, wet snow in the interior and high elevations. The storm has passed into Canada and all winter storm warnings and advisories have been cancelled.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:53 AM ET, 04/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:48 AM ET, 04/23/2012

Nor’easter pastes Northeast, mountainous mid-Atlantic with late April snow (PHOTOS)
By Jason Samenow
A powerful, late season Nor’easter centered over New York City is drawing in abundant Atlantic moisture and, on its back side, unseasonably cold air from Canada. The result is historic quantities of late season snow in interior parts of New York state, west central Pennsylvania and due south through the mountains of western Maryland and West Virginia.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:48 AM ET, 04/23/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:45 PM ET, 04/20/2012

Weekend storm threatens heavy rain, gusty winds for parts of mid-Atlantic
By Capital Weather Gang
Computer models are starting to reach a consensus for not only a soaking rain this weekend into Monday, but also an extended period of gusty winds. Coastal areas may see the worst of both the rain and wind. There is, however, still a lot of uncertainty associated with the forecast.

By Capital Weather Gang  |  12:45 PM ET, 04/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:56 PM ET, 04/17/2012

Cool air coming back East late week; overall, quieter weather pattern
By Greg Postel
Now that one of the most-anticipated and feared tornado outbreaks in recent times is over, the pattern will calm down for a while. But that doesn’t mean it will be sunny and 75°F everywhere. The jet stream will soon change its shape from one that brought severe weather in the Plains and hot weather in the East over the past few days, to one that will dry out the mid-continent and bring chilly and showery conditions back into play east of the Mississippi.

By Greg Postel  |  02:56 PM ET, 04/17/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:44 PM ET, 04/16/2012

Saturday’s tornado outbreak in Plains was well-forecast and well-messaged
By Jason Samenow
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) correctly identified the part of the southern and central Plains with heightened risk of severe weather Saturday an incredible 7 days ahead of time. That’s a remarkable achievement worth highlighting.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:44 PM ET, 04/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:42 AM ET, 04/16/2012

Storm chasing goes mainstream: Is tornado voyeurism killing people?
By Ian Livingston
It’s twister prime time. Increasingly, whenever there are tornadoes, there are people are going to grea extremes to both observe and document them. This is having consequences, putting more people in harm’s way.

By Ian Livingston  |  11:42 AM ET, 04/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Thunderstorms

Posted at 09:26 AM ET, 04/16/2012

Boston Marathon record heat
By Jason Samenow
A surge of summer-like air promises to create challenging or even hazardous running conditions for today’s Boston Marathon.

By Jason Samenow  |  09:26 AM ET, 04/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:22 PM ET, 04/13/2012

High risk of violent tornado outbreak Saturday in southern and central Plains
By Jason Samenow
The stage is set for a “high-end life-threatening” severe weather outbreak in the Southern and Central Plains Saturday afternoon and night according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC).

By Jason Samenow  |  02:22 PM ET, 04/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:32 PM ET, 04/12/2012

Chest high hail in Texas panhandle (PHOTOS/VIDEO)
By Jason Samenow
Hail has been in the news a lot lately. From the record-breaking 4” chunk of ice that landed in Oahu, Hawaii in early March to the softball-sized crushers that decimated car windshields in northwest Oklahoma, Monday. But until Wednesday, never had I seen hail accumulate chest deep and shutdown a highway. That’s what happened north of Amarillo, Texas.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:32 PM ET, 04/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 06:51 PM ET, 04/10/2012

Huge hail pounds Oklahoma town (PHOTOS)
By Jason Samenow
A violent supercell thunderstorm in northwest Oklahoma Monday spawned multiple tornadoes. But its main impact was baseball to softball size hail which produced at least $250,000 in damage and injured three people around the town of Woodward.

By Jason Samenow  |  06:51 PM ET, 04/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:29 PM ET, 04/10/2012

Volatile period ahead: severe weather in Plains, big warm-up in East
By Greg Postel
The pattern shift that finally balanced things out a bit this month after the prolonged stretch of extreme temperatures in March, is now ready to show a new face. In the East, a few chilly days this week will give way to a short burst of very warm air late in the weekend. And a large spring storm will soon move into the West and notably increase chances for severe weather, including tornadoes, in the middle of the country during the next few days.

By Greg Postel  |  12:29 PM ET, 04/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:19 PM ET, 04/09/2012

Alaska’s cruel winter: Anchorage sets snowfall record
By Jason Samenow
In the lower 48 states, warm weather fans rejoiced in the record-setting mild conditions. But across much of Alaska, the cold and snow have been relentless and more extreme than usual.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:19 PM ET, 04/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:03 AM ET, 04/09/2012

Warmest January to March period on record in U.S., including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Boston
By Jason Samenow
For much of the U.S., 2012 was the year without a winter. NOAA announced today that not only was the March the warmest on record in the U.S., but so too was the entire January-February-March period.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:03 AM ET, 04/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Climate Change, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:07 PM ET, 04/05/2012

Masters weather: Severe thunderstorms threaten before sunny weekend
By Jason Samenow
The famed Augusta National Golf Club got raked by severe thunderstorms Tuesday night and could have a repeat performance later today into tonight. On Friday, dry air oozes south - setting up a picture perfect finishing weekend for the 2012 Masters. But the change in weather promises a change in course conditions, adding a wrinkle into golf’s “tradition unlike any other.”

By Jason Samenow  |  03:07 PM ET, 04/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:50 PM ET, 04/04/2012

Dallas tornado outbreak: 3 large tornadoes confirmed, no fatalities
By Jason Samenow
The three tornadoes that touched down in the immediate Dallas-Ft. Worth metro region Tuesday were large and violent, at least EF-2 intensity, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service. Yet amazingly, no one died.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:50 PM ET, 04/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest, Thunderstorms

Posted at 11:14 AM ET, 04/04/2012

AccuWeather debuts 25 day weather forecasts
By Jason Samenow
No it’s not an April Fools’ joke: Accuweather is pushing the limits of weather forecasting and issuing detailed predictions extending 25 days into the future effective today. Consider me highly skeptical about their value.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:14 AM ET, 04/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Media, Science

Posted at 12:48 PM ET, 04/03/2012

March “madness” out, normal spring weather in
By Greg Postel
After torching the record books in recent weeks, the weather pattern is now beginning to push temperatures back toward normal all across the country.

By Greg Postel  |  12:48 PM ET, 04/03/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:10 PM ET, 04/02/2012

Warm weather records smashed, more than 90 cities with warmest March on record
By Jason Samenow
During the course of March, large chunks of the U.S. experienced spells of warm weather unmatched in recorded history. More than 7,700 daily record high temperatures were set (or tied, compared to just 287 record lows), in some cases by mind blowing margins and over multiple days. It’s no surprise that, after data were crunched, scores of cities easily set March monthly records for warmth.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:10 PM ET, 04/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Local Climate

Posted at 01:00 PM ET, 03/23/2012

Lousy end to lousy mid-Atlantic ski season
By Kyle Dodd
After two amazing seasons of decent snow and consistently good ski conditions, our area suffered one of the worst ski seasons in recent memory.

By Kyle Dodd  |  01:00 PM ET, 03/23/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:11 PM ET, 03/21/2012

Exceptional March heat wave re-writing history in Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast
By Jason Samenow
Warm weather records continue to mount at a feverish pace over the Eastern half of the U.S. Both the intensity and longevity of the summer-like warmth defy belief. Here’s the latest round-up of records...

By Jason Samenow  |  03:11 PM ET, 03/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:20 PM ET, 03/20/2012

Mind-boggling warm weather records swell in Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast
By Jason Samenow
The record warm weather in the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast continues to destroy century old records by unthinkable margins. Let’s take a tour of some of the latest unfathomable records...

By Jason Samenow  |  03:20 PM ET, 03/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat

Posted at 02:41 PM ET, 03/19/2012

Midwest, Great Lakes basking in unprecedented warm weather for March
By Jason Samenow
The current spell of warm weather in the Upper Midwest is not just breaking but obliterating records which have stood for more than a century. The warmth is so intense in some areas, high temperatures have reached mid-summer levels while it’s still winter. The longevity of the heat is as impressive as its intensity: temperatures have run some 20 to 45 degrees above normal for 6 to 10 straight days in some areas.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:41 PM ET, 03/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat

Posted at 12:43 PM ET, 03/16/2012

Back door cold fronts kick heat out of mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes
By Jason Samenow
A remarkable 593 record highs were tied or broken from the East Coast to the Upper Midwest Thursday (compared to just 2 record lows) and record warmth is possible again in some of these same areas again today. But from the northern mid-Atlantic to the Great Lakes, temperatures are 10-25 degrees colder today than they were yesterday. In both regions, sneaky cold fronts have oozed south, placing a temporary halt on this historic March heat wave.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:43 PM ET, 03/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest, Extreme Heat

Posted at 03:12 PM ET, 03/15/2012

Lack of winter snow reduces spring flood threat
By Jason Samenow
The dearth of snow this past winter was a bummer for skiers and winter weather lovers. But thanks to the paltry snow output, residents along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers can probably breathe easier this spring. NOAA announced today the risk of spring flooding is the lowest in four years.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:12 PM ET, 03/15/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:35 AM ET, 03/15/2012

Historic record warm weather brings summer to central and eastern U.S.
By Jason Samenow
Temperatures more characteristic of June have broken hundreds of temperature records over the last several days and promise to continue into the next week in many areas. In some places, temperatures have been an eye-popping 30-40 degrees above normal, nearing or surpassing the warmest temperatures ever recorded so early in the season.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:35 AM ET, 03/15/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Extreme Heat

Posted at 11:36 AM ET, 03/13/2012

Widespread record warmth to continue next 7-10 days; Midwest severe weather possible next week
By Greg Postel
Large parts of the United States are right now experiencing one of the most spectacular warm spells in modern times. On Sunday, 188 record highs were tied or broken in the U.S. and 117 on Monday. Similar numbers will likely come in today as well. And record warmth is likely to keep coming for the next 7-10 days.

By Greg Postel  |  11:36 AM ET, 03/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:39 PM ET, 03/07/2012

December through February, meteorological winter: 4th warmest on record in U.S.
By Jason Samenow
Throughout the Lower 48 states, there was no escaping milder than average weather this past meteorological winter (December through February). Overall, it was the 4th warmest in the last 117 years.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:39 PM ET, 03/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 10:46 AM ET, 03/06/2012

Mild March forecast on target for much of U.S.: big warming possible next week
By Greg Postel
After experiencing one of the mildest winters in modern times, the Lower 48 is staring down …you guessed it … a warm start to Spring. Earlier long-range forecasts for above average temperatures in March are now supported by multi-week predictions from the global weather models. Fortunately, as outlined by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), severe weather prospects appear limited through the next week at least.

By Greg Postel  |  10:46 AM ET, 03/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:52 PM ET, 03/05/2012

Tornado outbreak: recap of deadly March 2 storms in Tennessee and Ohio Valley, South
By Jason Samenow
The tornado outbreak, which ravaged the Tennessee Valley, the Ohio Valley, and parts of the South last Friday, will go down in the record books as one of the worst, if not the worst, March tornado events on record. NOAA has confirmed 45 tornadoes touched town, and continues to conduct storm surveys. A lot has been written about Friday’s outbreak. Here’s a guide to some of the most significant information.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:52 PM ET, 03/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:27 PM ET, 03/01/2012

Major Tennessee Valley severe weather, tornado outbreak possible Friday
By Jason Samenow
Reeling from destructive thunderstorms and tornadoes on Wednesday, the Tennessee Valley is bracing for another round of severe weather Friday.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:27 PM ET, 03/01/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:10 PM ET, 02/28/2012

Toughest places to forecast weather: a match for Washington D.C.?
By Don Lipman
From trying to nail down the rain-snow line in winter to predicting the timing and location of pop-up thunderstorms in summer, the fickle nature of D.C.’s weather presents problems for even the most seasoned forecasters. What forecast challenges do other regions contend with? Are they as difficult as Washington, D.C.’s?

By Don Lipman  |  01:10 PM ET, 02/28/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Lipman, Local Climate, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:54 AM ET, 02/28/2012

Severe weather to strike central U.S. and Tennessee Valley, a precursor to active March?
By Greg Postel
A powerful storm system will move across the middle of the country today and introduce a chance for severe weather, including tornadoes, over a large area from the southern Plains to the Tennessee Valley. Given the impressive tornado numbers so far this year, and the fact that La Nina is expected to be in place until mid-spring at least, it might be tempting to think we’re lining up for another big year. Not so fast.

By Greg Postel  |  10:54 AM ET, 02/28/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 04:40 PM ET, 02/27/2012

Daytona 500 weather forecast: promising for Monday night race but no sure thing
By Jason Samenow
For the first time in its 54 year history, the Daytona 500 was postponed due to weather Sunday. The race was initially rescheduled for noon today, but was pushed back to 7 p.m. tonight after more showers. As race time draws closer, it’s still not clear if weather conditions will allow it to proceed.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:40 PM ET, 02/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:39 PM ET, 02/23/2012

Will 2012 produce large numbers of tornadoes?
By Jason Samenow
2011 went down in the record books as one of the worst U.S. tornado years on record. Can we say anything about how many tornadoes we’ll have in 2012? That’s debatable but forecasters and research groups are starting to give it a try.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:39 PM ET, 02/23/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Science, Thunderstorms

Posted at 03:25 PM ET, 02/22/2012

Biggest snow underachievers in U.S.: Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
By Jason Samenow
Most of the Lower 48 United States has been snow challenged during the winter of 2011-2012. But of all the major cities, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. have the nation’s biggest snowfall deficits compared to normal on a percentage basis.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:25 PM ET, 02/22/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Local Climate

Posted at 02:30 PM ET, 02/21/2012

Is winter over for most of the U.S.?
By Greg Postel
For places like D.C., Philly, New York, and obviously points farther south, winter may well be about over (not that it really got started). With a mainly mild and wet close to February, and longer-range models predicting mostly warmer-than-average weather during March, I don’t think odds of adding to the meager snow totals along I-95 corridor are good. That’s not to say winter is over for everyone in the country. Far from it. There are some places that are staring down some nasty cold before the turn of the month.

By Greg Postel  |  02:30 PM ET, 02/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:34 PM ET, 02/14/2012

Long range look: a mild and wet finish to February
By Greg Postel
According to the weather model consensus, a westerly flow of mild air has begun to flood western Canada in a way that will soon allow a broad cyclonic (counterclockwise) flow to develop west of the Continental Divide. This will provide relief from the recent frigid temperatures in the Plains, and more likely than not, set the stage for …and winter lovers will hate this… a mild and wet finish to February.

By Greg Postel  |  03:34 PM ET, 02/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 04:10 PM ET, 02/10/2012

Greenhouse gases and global warming activate the steroid era of our atmosphere
By Jason Samenow
During baseball’s steroid era, homerun numbers surged to astronomical levels, but that didn’t prevent some of the sport’s juiced sluggers from occasionally striking out. The University Center for Atmospheric Research wants the public to understand this concept as it pertains to global warming and our weather records.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:10 PM ET, 02/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 04:27 PM ET, 02/09/2012

Europe cold worst in decades, U.S. stays mild (PHOTOS)
By Jason Samenow
It’s a tale of two continents. While temperatures have remained above normal all winter long in the U.S. and North America, much of Europe recently flipped from a mild pattern to its coldest in 20 years.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:27 PM ET, 02/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, International Weather, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:02 PM ET, 02/09/2012

NOAA: La Nina to end this spring
By Jason Samenow
The La Nina pattern, linked to one the most extreme weather years on record in 2011 in the U.S., is forecast to fade away this spring according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:02 PM ET, 02/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Government, Science, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:04 PM ET, 02/07/2012

Unseasonably cold air to blast eastern U.S. this weekend
By Greg Postel
After a few mild, spring-like days this week in the East, a cold shot from Canada will move in for the weekend and deliver a brief dose of February for a change. It does seem a little odd that an upcoming 2-3 day bout with chilly air – carrying temperatures perhaps as much as 8-16°F below average- deserves headlines. But given that winter 2011-12 has so far given us a temperature map like this, a cold snap of any kind is worth discussing.

By Greg Postel  |  03:04 PM ET, 02/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:38 PM ET, 02/06/2012

Rains ease Texas drought, long-range outlook still pessimistic
By Andrew Freedman
Above-average rainfall during December and January have helped ease the Texas drought in some areas. But other parts of the state are still facing water restrictions, and the Texas rice industry is bracing for the potential loss of an entire year’s worth of earnings.

By Andrew Freedman  |  02:38 PM ET, 02/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Droughts, Freedman, Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:40 PM ET, 02/02/2012

Big snowstorm targets Denver and central Plains, could it reach Washington, D.C.?
By Jason Samenow
A major winter storm is forecast to blast both Denver and Boulder, Colorado with 10 to 20 inches of snow through Friday. Over the weekend, the storm is forecast to weaken, but some of its remnant moisture may stream into the D.C. metro region. Enough cold air may be in place for the chance of a little snow Saturday night.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:40 PM ET, 02/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Winter Storms

Posted at 07:25 AM ET, 02/02/2012

Groundhog Day 2012: Punxsutawney Phil sees shadow, 6 more weeks of winter
By Jason Samenow
At 7:25 a.m. this morning, amidst mostly cloudy skies, and temperatures in the low 30s, Groundhog Phil saw his shadow in the little town of Punxsutawney, Pa. According to folklore, Phil’s sighting of his own shadow means there will be six more weeks of winter.

By Jason Samenow  |  07:25 AM ET, 02/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Nature, U.S. Weather, Humor

Posted at 03:11 PM ET, 01/31/2012

Winter’s last gasp on the way?
By Greg Postel
Although it might be enticing to write off winter completely, there are signs that a dose of unseasonably cold air will visit the eastern half of the country in 1-2 weeks.

By Greg Postel  |  03:11 PM ET, 01/31/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:56 PM ET, 01/31/2012

Coldest January on record for parts of Alaska
By Jason Samenow
Mind-boggling, historic cold has gripped the Last Frontier in recent weeks. Nome, Galena, and Bettles - in Alaska’s western interior - are all likely to have their coldest Januarys on record the National Weather Service reported today.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:56 PM ET, 01/31/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:00 PM ET, 01/25/2012

Meteorologists congregate in New Orleans, tout building a ‘weather ready nation’
By Jason Samenow
Three thousand meteorologists, including four of us from the Capital Weather Gang (CWG), converged on the Big Easy for our profession’s annual meeting this week. The mood here is mixed. Yes, scientific advances have made forecasts better than ever. But the weather’s toll on life and property in 2011 in the U.S. was unacceptably high.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:00 PM ET, 01/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Capital Weather Gang, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:10 PM ET, 01/24/2012

Winter flirts with U.S., but remains uncommitted
By Greg Postel
A fairly robust arctic air mass crossed the border last week and gave parts of the Northwest, Northern Plains and Great Lakes their first dose of real winter. But, as we have seen so often this season, the chill didn’t last. In fact, as we move into early February, the weather pattern across the nation as a whole will instead be marked by bouts of mild conditions, rain and thunderstorms more reminiscent of early spring.

By Greg Postel  |  02:10 PM ET, 01/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:50 PM ET, 01/24/2012

Bad reporting: Diane Sawyer, ABC claim tornadoes in South Monday struck with “no warning”
By Jason Samenow
At least 25 tornadoes ripped through five states in the South Sunday into early Monday, destroying homes, killing two people and injuring more than 100 in Alabama.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:50 PM ET, 01/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Media, U.S. Weather

Posted at 04:00 PM ET, 01/20/2012

Good changes for Western ski areas
By Joel Gratz guest contributor
It was only a few weeks ago that many ski town locals and hopeful vacationers were writing off this entire winter, as least for most of the western U.S. What a difference a week makes.

By Joel Gratz guest contributor  |  04:00 PM ET, 01/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather

Posted at 04:24 PM ET, 01/19/2012

Extreme weather 2011: warmest La Nina year on record, around 10th warmest overall
By Jason Samenow
Cooler than average waters in the equatorial Pacific, symptomatic of a moderately strong La Nina pattern, stopped 2011 from besting 2010’s El Nino-fueled near-record global warmth. But of the La Nina years on record, 2011 ranked as the warmest according to data from NOAA and NASA.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:24 PM ET, 01/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, International Weather, Climate Change, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:25 PM ET, 01/19/2012

Slippery in Seattle: surprise ice storm cripples city
By Jason Samenow
Nevermind the 4-7 inches of snow that pasted Seattle Wednesday, a dangerous ice storm is glazing the Emerald City today, with mounting power outages and car accidents.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:25 PM ET, 01/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:51 PM ET, 01/18/2012

Snow stacks up in Seattle; stormy weather pounds Pacific Northwest
By Jason Samenow
A major winter storm has struck the Pacific Northwest, producing 4 to 6 inches of snow in Seattle, but over a foot in nearby Olympia. And in the Cascades, several feet of snow have accumulated since the weekend. Meanwhile, the Oregon coast has been battered by winds gusts to around 100 mph and seas of 25-35 feet.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:51 PM ET, 01/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:49 PM ET, 01/18/2012

Nome weather-related crisis averted, for second time in history
By Don Lipman
If you’ve followed the struggle by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy and the Russian tanker Renda to re-supply Nome, Alaska with badly needed fuel oil, you know that a crisis appears to have been averted. Ironically, exactly 87 years ago—in 1925--during a similar Alaskan January*, another crisis in Nome was narrowly averted—this one of a medical nature. It was called the “Great Race of Mercy,” the hastily arranged rescue operation to save Nome from a potential diphtheria epidemic.

By Don Lipman  |  01:49 PM ET, 01/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  History, Latest, U.S. Weather, Lipman

Posted at 04:55 AM ET, 01/13/2012

The 30 year anniversary of the crash of Air Florida Flight 90
By Kevin Ambrose
The snowstorm of January 13, 1982 will always be remembered for the terrible crash of Air Florida Flight 90. The death toll was 78, making it Washington’s second worst weather-related disaster.

By Kevin Ambrose  |  04:55 AM ET, 01/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  History, Latest, U.S. Weather, Local Climate

Posted at 02:14 PM ET, 01/12/2012

2011 billion dollar weather disaster record: legit or bad economics?
By Jason Samenow
Capital Weather Gangand many major media outlets, using information from NOAA, have reported 2011 set a record for most billion dollar weather disasters in the U.S. But a professor at the University of Colorado says NOAA’s information - the basis for the record - is “extremely misleading.”

By Jason Samenow  |  02:14 PM ET, 01/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Government, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 04:55 AM ET, 01/12/2012

U.S. had most extreme precipitation on record in 2011
By Jason Samenow
Now, it’s official. 2011 - through its entirety - was record-setting for extreme precipitation in the U.S. dating back 100 years.

By Jason Samenow  |  04:55 AM ET, 01/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 09:58 AM ET, 01/11/2012

What pattern change? Long range models predict more warmth for U.S.
By Jason Samenow
For all the hype (not from CWG) about a pattern change to cold and stormy conditions across the U.S. advertised on Twitter and Facebook, the latest computer model simulations sure don’t seem to be on board.

By Jason Samenow  |  09:58 AM ET, 01/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:52 PM ET, 01/10/2012

Arctic air on the move, but where is it going?
By Greg Postel
Much has been made about the possibility that one or more severe Arctic blasts will hit the United States in the coming weeks. While it is nearly certain that a solid punch of January-like air will briefly visit the central and eastern parts of the Lower 48 late this week, the longer term prospects of a much more intense strain of Arctic chill devouring the country for a prolonged period are much less clear, and, in fact, considerably less likely.

By Greg Postel  |  01:52 PM ET, 01/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:37 PM ET, 01/09/2012

Five feet of snow cripples southeast Alaska towns
By Jason Samenow
Whereas the lower 48 states is in a virtual snow drought, south central and southeast Alaska have been crushed by unrelenting series of winter storms this winter.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:37 PM ET, 01/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:38 PM ET, 01/06/2012

A dismal ski season all-around
By Jason Samenow
The snow cover across the U.S. can be best described by one word: pathetic. Here it is January 6, and just 16 percent of the U.S. has snow on the ground.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:38 PM ET, 01/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:29 PM ET, 01/06/2012

Plains shatter warm weather records, set historic high temperatures
By Jason Samenow
More than 300 record highs were set in 21 U.S. states Thursday. But the heart of the unusual warmth concentrated in Plains, where some areas experienced temperatures 40 degrees above average.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:29 PM ET, 01/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:20 AM ET, 01/05/2012

Florida shivers, crops freeze in record breaking cold (PHOTOS)
By Jason Samenow
Arctic high pressure that settled over the Southeast brought the Sunshine state record setting low temperatures Wednesday morning.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:20 AM ET, 01/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Photography

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 01/04/2012

Winter weather to continue only teasing U.S.; sustained cold elusive
By Greg Postel
Cold weather has descended upon locations east of the Mississippi in the past two days, but temperatures are poised to soar.

By Greg Postel  |  12:00 PM ET, 01/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 01:40 PM ET, 12/27/2011

Winter 2011-12 better for golfing than sledding or skiing so far
By Greg Postel
If you want winter weather in the Lower 48, maps showing regions covered by above and below normal temperatures around the globe aren’t very encouraging.

By Greg Postel  |  01:40 PM ET, 12/27/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:49 AM ET, 12/27/2011

Top 5 extreme weather events of 2011 in the U.S. from tornadoes to wildfires
By Andrew Freedman
In a year marked by a relentless assault of extreme weather, several events stand out. Some, like the tornado that leveled Joplin, Missouri on May 22, were extraordinarily devastating and deadly. Others, such as the “Snowtober” storm that buried the Northeast under a crushing load of heavy, wet snow were downright freakish. In a typical weather year, one might expect a few extreme events like these.

By Andrew Freedman  |  10:49 AM ET, 12/27/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Climate Change

Posted at 12:43 PM ET, 12/23/2011

Who’s getting a White Christmas in the U.S.?
By Jason Samenow
It’s become abundantly clear that Washington, D.C. and much of the East Coast will not have a White Christmas this year. But who will?

By Jason Samenow  |  12:43 PM ET, 12/23/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Holidays, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:11 PM ET, 12/20/2011

Mild finish to December for much of U.S.
By Greg Postel
In so many places around much of the country where it’s supposed to be cold and snowy, it’s not, it hasn’t been, and won’t be for a while.

By Greg Postel  |  02:11 PM ET, 12/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:59 AM ET, 12/20/2011

Deadly blizzard socks Southwest, southern Rockies and Great Plains
By Jason Samenow
A dangerous combination of powerful winds and blinding snow raged through the Southwest, Southern Rockies and Great Plains Monday and Monday night.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:59 AM ET, 12/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:26 PM ET, 12/19/2011

Blizzard rolling into southern Plains
By Jason Samenow
A potent area of low pressure ejecting from the Southwest promises to bring a dangerous combination of wind and snow to parts of the Southern Plains.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:26 PM ET, 12/19/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:49 PM ET, 12/14/2011

Capital Weather Gang interview with Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel
By Jason Samenow
Watch the Washington Post’s Jason Samenow interview Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore, in Washington, D.C. to commemorate his 25 years covering weather.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:49 PM ET, 12/14/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Media, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:52 PM ET, 12/13/2011

For large part of U.S., winter on hold
By Greg Postel
With a sustained polar-air delivery unlikely anytime soon, a relatively mild weather regime is expected to remain entrenched across much of the Lower 48 for the next one to two weeks at least.

By Greg Postel  |  02:52 PM ET, 12/13/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:57 PM ET, 12/12/2011

U.S. sees most severe precipitation extremes on record in 2011 (so far); link to “superjets”?
By Jason Samenow
Through November, 2011 has experienced the most extensive coverage of severe drought and abnormally wet conditions on record.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:57 PM ET, 12/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:01 PM ET, 12/07/2011

NOAA: 2011 sets record for billion dollar weather disasters in the U.S.
By Jason Samenow
2011 has established a new benchmark for extreme weather in the U.S. NOAA reports that the U.S. has experienced the most billion dollar weather disasters on record this year.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:01 PM ET, 12/07/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Government

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 12/06/2011

Weather pattern overview: Colder air coming East but only briefly
By Greg Postel
From Raleigh to Boston, a taste of winter-like temperatures arrives by the weekend, but a warm-up is likely next week.

By Greg Postel  |  11:00 AM ET, 12/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:46 PM ET, 12/02/2011

Wind storm diminishing in West, but strong gusts linger in Southern California
By Jason Samenow
The winds from storm that caused widespread damage from southern California to western Colorado have gradually diminished. However, gusty Santa Ana winds are expected to ramp back up today in some of Los Angeles’ surrounding mountains.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:46 PM ET, 12/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:57 AM ET, 12/02/2011

Arctic air poised to strike U.S. next week, but core may miss mid-Atlantic and Southeast
By Greg Postel
Blasts of frigid air are expected to strike the U.S. next week but may spare the Southeast and mid-Atlantic from the core chill.

By Greg Postel  |  10:57 AM ET, 12/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:40 PM ET, 12/01/2011

Massive wind storm batters West
By Jason Samenow
A wind storm producing gusts exceeding hurricane force has spread across six western states. High wind warnings and wind advisories are currently posted in parts of California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:40 PM ET, 12/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:42 AM ET, 11/29/2011

Unusual November snow whitens mid-South
By Jason Samenow
An unusually cold disturbance at upper levels of atmosphere rolled through the mid-South last night, producing snow in parts of northwest Alabama, northeast Mississippi, northwest Arkansas, southern Missouri, and southwest Tennessee.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:42 AM ET, 11/29/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:53 AM ET, 11/28/2011

South braces for rare November snow
By Jason Samenow
There’s something about the end of the month and rare early season snow this fall. In late October, parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast got pasted. Now, parts of the South may well see some unusual snowflakes to close out November. A potent upper level low pressure system will dig into the mid-South tonight, with a pool of cold air sufficient to support snow in areas unaccustomed to it, especially at this time of the year.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:53 AM ET, 11/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:54 PM ET, 11/23/2011

Pacific Northwest pounded by wet, windy storm
By Jason Samenow
An “extraordinary” storm has smashed into the Pacific Northwest, carrying ashore flooding rain, hurricane-force wind gusts and heavy mountain snow.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:54 PM ET, 11/23/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:54 PM ET, 11/22/2011

Eastern U.S. to trend towards cooler pattern in coming weeks
By Greg Postel
The days of unseasonably mild air in the eastern third of the nation are numbered. The transition away from the current regime, which has recently featured mild weather over much of the eastern half of North America, towards one that will deliver repeated chilly spells over the Ohio Valley will likely become obvious in the last couple of days of the month. Before then, however, exceptionally mild air will once again surge from the Plains to the East Coast late this week and bring a very warm start to the Thanksgiving weekend for many locations east of the Rockies.

By Greg Postel  |  02:54 PM ET, 11/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:01 PM ET, 11/21/2011

Thanksgiving travel weather: Soaking for East, big storm for Pacific Northwest
By Jason Samenow
Are you ready to get out of town for Thanksgiving? You may want to allow some extra time if you’re traveling in the East and Pacific Northwest Tuesday and Wednesday.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:01 PM ET, 11/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Holidays, Latest

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 11/21/2011

Latest Texas drought outlook: grim with a few drops of hope
By Andrew Freedman
Among the long list of billion dollar weather-related disasters during 2011, there is one event that is still ongoing, with no end in sight, its economic ramifications growing with each passing day. The Texas drought - already the Lone Star State’s worst one-year drought on record - is now expected to last through at least next summer, and perhaps far longer than that, according to the latest climate projections released by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center and recent testimony by the Texas state climatologist.

By Andrew Freedman  |  11:00 AM ET, 11/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Droughts, Climate Change, Freedman, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:48 PM ET, 11/17/2011

Record smashing cold in interior Alaska, Fairbanks
By Jason Samenow
A frigid Arctic air mass, unusual even by Alaska standards, is dropping the mercury in the state’s interior to unheard of levels in mid-November. Stunningly low temperatures in the -35 to -50 range have gripped the region since Tuesday. These temperatures are some 25 to 40 degrees colder than average.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:48 PM ET, 11/17/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:11 AM ET, 11/17/2011

Multiple tornadoes, violent storms tear across Southeast, killing 6
By Jason Samenow
As many as 16 tornadoes ripped through the Southeast Wednesday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens. Tornadoes touched down in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, states that have seen more than their share of tornado devastation in 2011.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:11 AM ET, 11/17/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:23 PM ET, 11/16/2011

Thanksgiving travel weather: Pacific Northwest and Southeast may be trouble spots
By Jason Samenow
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports during the five days around Thanksgiving, typically about 10.8 million trips are taken each day, nearly double the daily average. For air, rail, and road travel, inclement weather can create major headaches.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:23 PM ET, 11/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Holidays

Posted at 12:33 PM ET, 11/15/2011

Arctic air building in Alaska and Canada, will it stay there?
By Greg Postel
A core of exceptionally cold air has recently settled into parts of Northwestern Canada and Alaska. There are times when a temperature map like this one sends shivers down the spines of weather forecasters in the Lower 48. This is because in theory, it doesn’t require an unusual set of circumstances to drive that polar air into the United States. But this time around, the global weather pattern is in a shape that will likely keep most of that arctic air up there for a while.

By Greg Postel  |  12:33 PM ET, 11/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 02:05 PM ET, 11/11/2011

Wild rides: the 11/11/11 Great Blue Norther and the largest wave ever surfed
By Jason Samenow
Look out when giant waves come crashing down. That’s what happened in Chicago 100 years ago when the temperature dropped from a record high of 74 to a frigid 16 in the same day (November 11, 1911). Even more stunning, Springfield nose-dived from 80 to 8 degrees, a precipitous 72 degree drop.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:05 PM ET, 11/11/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, International Weather, History

Posted at 11:15 AM ET, 11/10/2011

Alaska storm still socking west coast, but “Snowicane” to weaken, exit
By Jason Samenow
The Bering Sea Superstorm, as deep and intense as many major hurricanes Wednesday, has gradually weakened, but continues raking parts of west and northwest Alaska.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:15 AM ET, 11/10/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:23 PM ET, 11/09/2011

Oklahoma weather stations record tornado measurements before destruction
By Jason Samenow
On Monday, several large, dangerous tornadoes ripped through southwest Oklahoma. Two of Oklahoma’s 120 automated weather stations in its “Mesonet” stood in the way and were taken out. But they recorded valuable data in the process demonstrating jaw-dropping pressure drops and wind accelerations.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:23 PM ET, 11/09/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:12 PM ET, 11/09/2011

Alaska storm brings epic wind, waves, coastal flooding and snow
By Jason Samenow
A storm of historic intensity continues to pound the west coast of Alaska today. Twice the size of Texas, the storm is as deep as a category 3 hurricane. The National Weather Service is calling it a “life-threatening epic storm” due to its dangerous combination of towering waves (observed at 40 feet in the Bering Sea), hurricane-force winds, storm surge flooding, and blinding snow.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:12 PM ET, 11/09/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:07 PM ET, 11/08/2011

The face of La Nina emerging
By Greg Postel
During the past few days, a new weather pattern has emerged that will likely stick around for the next one to two weeks at least. It will feature a strikingly different temperature and rainfall distribution than experienced during much of October.

By Greg Postel  |  03:07 PM ET, 11/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 11/08/2011

Alaska storm to produce “historic” hurricane-like conditions
By Jason Samenow
A ferocious, dangerous storm in the north Pacific is on a collision course with the west coast of Alaska. Referred to as the “Bering Sea Superstorm” by the National Weather Service Office in Fairbanks (NWS), damaging winds, severe beach erosion and major coastal flooding are expected. In some locations, heavy snow and blizzard conditions are also forecast.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:00 AM ET, 11/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:18 PM ET, 11/07/2011

Oklahoma earthquake: just one of state’s several record-setting natural events in 2011
By Jason Samenow
In the heart of tornado alley, Oklahoma is no stranger to mother nature’s wrath. But in 2011, extreme environmental conditions have risen to another level, with records set for a potpourri of natural hazards including earthquakes, heat, cold, wind, hail, and snow!

By Jason Samenow  |  03:18 PM ET, 11/07/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:28 PM ET, 11/02/2011

Denver double whammy: second 6” snowstorm in week
By Jason Samenow
Deja Vu for Denver. After six inches of heavy, wet snow weighed down the mile high city last Tuesday night and Wednesday, six inches of more powdery flakes stacked up exactly one week later.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:28 PM ET, 11/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:39 AM ET, 11/01/2011

Global warming and extreme weather: Northeast heavy precipitation spiking in winter
By Jason Samenow
Was the weekend’s “epic” storm in the Northeast part of a long-term trend? It’s certainly not inconsistent with the region’s experience in recent years. Data from the National Climatic Data Center indicate heavy cold season (October to March) precipitation events are intensifying.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:39 AM ET, 11/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Climate Change, Winter Storms, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:02 AM ET, 10/31/2011

Historic October Northeast storm: Epic. Incredible. Downright ridiculous.
By Andrew Freedman
Epic. Incredible. Downright ridiculous. These words best describe the historic snowstorm that delivered a crippling wallop to parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast over the weekend. Widely referred to by its social media moniker, “Snowtober,” the storm smashed records that had stood since the beginning of the reliable instrument record in the late 1800s (and in some cases, even longer than that), and upended assumptions about what a fall nor’easter can do. The heavy, wet snow pasted onto trees still bearing foliage in many areas, weighed down power lines and caused more than three million power outages.

By Andrew Freedman  |  11:02 AM ET, 10/31/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Winter Storms, U.S. Weather, Freedman

Posted at 01:55 PM ET, 10/28/2011

Nor’easter poses big snow, power outage risk to interior mid-Atlantic and Northeast
By Jason Samenow
A powerful fall storm, more characteristic of winter, promises to bring a large swath of heavy snow for interior sections of the mid-Atlantic, and locations just west of I-95 in New England. According to NOAA, 25 million people are under winter storm watches.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:55 PM ET, 10/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest, Winter Storms

Posted at 12:56 PM ET, 10/20/2011

NOAA winter outlook: Drought to deepen in Texas; cold and stormy across northern U.S.
By Jason Samenow
Suffering its worst drought on record, dry, warm conditions are predicted to persist through winter across Texas according to NOAA’s winter outlook, released this morning. The outlook is based on the redevelopment of La Nina, an episodic cooling of the tropical Pacific ocean, which often brings warmer and drier than average conditions across the South, and cold, stormy conditions across the northern tier.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:56 PM ET, 10/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:02 AM ET, 10/20/2011

Chicago’s amazing wind and waves
By Jason Samenow
As low pressure over the Ohio Valley rapidly deepened over the last 24 hours, screaming winds wrapped around its backside, creating tropical storm-like conditions in Chicago. The counter clockwise flow around the low drove raging winds southbound over Lake Michigan, piling up the water on Chicago’s shorelines.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:02 AM ET, 10/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:08 PM ET, 10/19/2011

South Florida tornado and Chicago waves: big East Coast storm hits hardest on its edges
By Jason Samenow
Spanning from the Florida Keys to eastern Maine and as far west as Wisconsin, a sprawling storm system with two areas of low pressure is producing a wide range of inclement weather conditions. Interestingly, the storm system is packing its biggest punch near its extremities. The Florida Keys have been inundated with rain, a devasting tornado ripped through Broward county in south Florida and Chicago’s lake front is already being pounded by massive waves.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:08 PM ET, 10/19/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:35 AM ET, 10/18/2011

Dust storm (haboob) blasts Lubbock, Texas (video)
By Jason Samenow
A cold front slicing through the Texas panhandle Monday carried a wall of dust that plastered the Texas South Plains during the afternoon and evening. The dust storm dropped visibility to near zero and was accompanied by wind gusts over 60 mph, resulting in power outages and tree and property damage.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:35 AM ET, 10/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:04 PM ET, 10/17/2011

An East Coast rainmaker with tropical pedigree, coming midweek
By Greg Postel
A wet and windy rainstorm will be moving northward along the East Coast this week, giving some highly populated areas from south Florida to Downeast Maine gusty winds and excessive rains.

By Greg Postel  |  02:04 PM ET, 10/17/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Tropical Weather

Posted at 11:38 AM ET, 10/10/2011

Texas rain storm just a drop in deep bucket; drought continues
By Andrew Freedman
It finally happened – in the midst of Texas’ worst one-year drought on record, it actually rained in parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. As in, actual drops of liquid fell from the sky.

By Andrew Freedman  |  11:38 AM ET, 10/10/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather, Freedman

Posted at 02:00 PM ET, 10/06/2011

Potential Florida subtropical system could be East Coast rainmaker next week
By Greg Postel and Jason Samenow

By Greg Postel and Jason Samenow  |  02:00 PM ET, 10/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Tropical Weather, Latest

Posted at 03:40 PM ET, 09/28/2011

Weather forecast for pivotal Major League Baseball wild card race games
By Jason Samenow
Four key major league baseball games tonight have big playoff implications. Will weather be a factor? Well, not in Tampa, where the Rays-Yankees game will be played under a dome. But in nearby Baltimore as well as Houston and Atlanta, the games are in the open air, so let’s look at what to expect...

By Jason Samenow  |  03:40 PM ET, 09/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:00 PM ET, 09/15/2011

Cold front sweeps across country; new record lows set in Minnesota
By Jason Samenow
A powerful early fall (or late summer) cold front has plowed across the U.S., resulting in widespread frost and freezes in the Upper Midwest and northern Great Lakes while bringing welcome relief from record heat in the south central U.S.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:00 PM ET, 09/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 02:00 PM ET, 09/13/2011

Second hottest summer on record in U.S.; Texas continues sizzling
By Jason Samenow
As much of the country awaits its first real taste of autumn air, the news from NOAA is that the summer was the second hottest on record in the U.S. The average summertime temperature was 74.5 degrees F, 2.4 degrees above average.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:00 PM ET, 09/13/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 02:15 PM ET, 09/12/2011

Historic flooding recedes in Pennsylvania, New York; at least 15 dead
By Andrew Freedman
Residents of hard-hit communities in northeastern Pennsylvania and areas of neighboring New York State began the long recovery process following devastating flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee. The Susquehanna River continued receding after setting new all-time records in Binghamton, New York and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The storm is being blamed for seven deaths in Pennsylvania, where rainfall amounts reached more than 15 inches in Lancaster County.

By Andrew Freedman  |  02:15 PM ET, 09/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Climate Change, Floods, Freedman, U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 09/06/2011

Drought-fueled wildfires burn out of control in Texas
By Andrew Freedman
Swift-moving wildfires killed two in Texas this weekend and burned thousands of acres, as the impacts of the worst one-year drought in state history continue to escalate. The drought is expected to cost several billion dollars, mainly from agricultural impacts. Texas Governor Rick Perry, a leading contendor for the Republican presidential nomination, left the campaign trail this weekend to help coordinate response efforts in his home state.

By Andrew Freedman  |  12:30 PM ET, 09/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Freedman, Climate Change, Latest

Posted at 03:30 PM ET, 09/02/2011

The Southern Plain’s stunning summer heat
By Jason Samenow
September cannot progress quickly enough in the Southern Plains after a summer of unprecendented and punishing heat.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:30 PM ET, 09/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 12:15 PM ET, 08/18/2011

Breathtaking photos/video of waterspout at Carolina Beach, NC (from this morning)
By Jason Samenow
A waterspout formed off the coast of Carolina Beach in southern North Carolina this morning. As it came ashore, residents and beachgoers captured some amazing photos shown in this post.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:15 PM ET, 08/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Photography, Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 03:30 PM ET, 08/17/2011

New heat records fall in toasted Texas towns of Houston, Dallas, Wichita Falls
By Jason Samenow
Seldom a day goes by without a new heat milestone being reached in the Lonestar state. In the last several days, various significant heat records have been set in Houston, Wichita Falls, and Dallas.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:30 PM ET, 08/17/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 08/17/2011

With extreme weather off the charts, National Weather Service launches Weather-ready initiative
By Jason Samenow
You’ve heard the saying a million times (and I almost cringe to repeat it): “everybody loves talking about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” The National Weather Service announced today, however, that it’s serious about preparing our nation for extreme weather. Its new “Weather-ready” nation intiative promises to “to make America safer by saving more lives and protecting livelihoods as communities across the country become increasingly vulnerable to severe weather events, such as tornado outbreaks, intense heat waves, flooding, active hurricane seasons, and solar storms that threaten electrical and communication systems.”

By Jason Samenow  |  12:30 PM ET, 08/17/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Government, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:30 AM ET, 08/16/2011

Climate scientist cautions against reading too much into this summer’s extreme heat
By Andrew Freedman
The heat this summer has been relentless in many parts of the country, particularly in the South Central states, where Oklahoma and Texas had their warmest months on record in July. In fact, as previously noted on this blog, Oklahoma’s statewide average temperature was the warmest monthly statewide average temperature ever recorded in the United States during any month. To learn more about how the extreme heat this summer may shed light on what we can expect as the world warms due to climate change, I turned to Noah Diffenbaugh, a researcher at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment.

By Andrew Freedman  |  11:30 AM ET, 08/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Extreme Heat, Freedman, Climate Change, U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 01:50 PM ET, 08/15/2011

Sunday rain in New York City breaks records
By Jason Samenow
New York’s JFK airport received 7.8” of rain Sunday, its soggiest day since records began in 1948. Its single-day rainfall output was about twice its average monthly total.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:50 PM ET, 08/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 08/15/2011

Indiana stage collapse: was it preventable?
By Jason Samenow
A severe, but not uncommon, line of thunderstorms swept into Indianapolis Saturday evening, toppling a large stage at the Indiana State Fair, killing five and injuring dozens. Watching the video footage is horrifying. The tragedy raises all sorts of questions: Was there adequate notice? Was the notice received and acted upon? Was the incident preventable

By Jason Samenow  |  12:00 PM ET, 08/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 08/09/2011

July: most extreme and 4th warmest in US; Oklahoma hottest ever state average temperature
By Jason Samenow
NOAA released the July “State of the Climate” update for the U.S., and, no surprise, reported blistering heat torched large parts of the country. The average temperature of 77 was the fourth warmest since 1895. Amazingly, Oklahoma’s average July temperature was 88.9 degrees - the warmest to occur in any state for any month on record. In NOAA’s index that examines the percentage of the U.S. impacted by a full range of extreme weather conditions, July ranked highest on record since 1910.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:30 AM ET, 08/09/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 11:15 AM ET, 08/05/2011

Relentless heat still baking south and south central U.S. – mid-Atlantic catches a lucky break
By Justin Grieser and Jason Samenow
Record-setting heat has been the “hot” topic of conversation across much of the country this summer. Nearly 9000 heat records were set in July, and parts of the south central U.S. (including the state of Oklahoma) and mid-Atlantic (including Washington, D.C.) had their hottest months on record. For the mid-Atlantic, relief has arrived - at least for the short term. Yet much of the southern and central U.S. continues to bake in record heat, extending impressive streaks of triple-digit days in some locations.

By Justin Grieser and Jason Samenow  |  11:15 AM ET, 08/05/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Extreme Heat, U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 07:00 PM ET, 08/02/2011

Queens, New York: Hail that had to hurt
By Jason Samenow
Baseball sized hail battered sections of Queens, New York Monday night.

By Jason Samenow  |  07:00 PM ET, 08/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 08/02/2011

Severe U.S. drought sets another record; costs to U.S. economy upward of $1.5 billion
By Andrew Freedman
Instead of receding during this sizzling, humid summer, the intense drought that has ensnared much of the southern tier of the nation during the past several months has only intensified, reaching record levels during July. According to new data, the area of the country covered by “exceptional drought” conditions was the largest since such records began more than a decade ago.

By Andrew Freedman  |  10:30 AM ET, 08/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Droughts, Extreme Heat, Freedman, U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 08/01/2011

Extreme July weather: hottest ever in D.C., Philadelphia, and Austin; record wettest in Chicago
By Jason Samenow
Washington, D.C. wasn’t the only city to suffer through a record hot July. Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Atlantic City did too. In the south central U.S., Austin and Wichita Falls, Tx. as well as Oklahoma City, Ok. experienced record hot months. And along the northern fringe of the heat bubble, Chicago was deluged with its wettest July on record.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:00 PM ET, 08/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Extreme Heat, U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 02:30 PM ET, 07/26/2011

2011 ties record for most billion dollar weather disasters in United States
By Jason Samenow
Add the flooding of the Missouri River to the list of billion dollar weather disasters in the U.S. in 2011. The economic toll from that historic flood - which is ongoing - brings the total number of billion dollar weather events in 2011 to nine, tying 2008 for the most on record since 1980. And hurricane season still remains.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:30 PM ET, 07/26/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 07/25/2011

Heat wave 2011: humidity the stunning hallmark
By Andrew Freedman
The intense heat wave of 2011 will long be remembered for its brutal combination of high heat and humidity. The geographic extent of the heat wave was highly unusual, with temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater stretching — and heat indices much higher than that — stretching from Texas to North Dakota, and eastward all the way to Maine.

By Andrew Freedman  |  10:30 AM ET, 07/25/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest, Freedman, Climate Change, Extreme Heat

Posted at 11:20 AM ET, 07/22/2011

Heat wave bakes East Coast, Washington D.C. at epi-center
By Jason Samenow
The core of the heat wave that has broiled much of the eastern two thirds of nation this week concentrates on the East Coast today, with the most extreme levels focused on the mid-Atlantic. The combination of near-record heat and oppressive humidity will produce heat index values of 115-120 from Richmond to Philadelphia. NOAA reports 132 million people in 29 states and Washington, D.C. are under heat advisories or excessive heat warning today.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:20 AM ET, 07/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Extreme Heat, U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 12:55 PM ET, 07/20/2011

Heat wave heads east after historic high humidity hits Minnesota
By Jason Samenow
Today alone, 141 million Americans are under heat advisories or heat warnings from the Midwest to the Ohio Valley. That’s after 78 million were afflicted by extreme heat Tuesday over an area the size of Mexico. By far, the most impressive heat and humidity records yesterday fell in Minnesota, where Minneapolis had its most humid day on record.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:55 PM ET, 07/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Extreme Heat, Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 04:50 AM ET, 07/20/2011

2011 Hurricane Tracking Center
By Capital Weather Gang
Hurricane tracking maps, 2011 storm names and more.

By Capital Weather Gang  |  04:50 AM ET, 07/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Tropical Weather, U.S. Weather, Capital Weather Gang

Posted at 11:10 AM ET, 07/19/2011

Stifling heat wave continues over Midwest while spreading east
By Jason Samenow
While setting hundreds of new heat records, the most notable aspect of the current heat wave gripping the central U.S. and spreading east is the associated humidity. In the upper Midwest Monday, the combination of heat and humidity brought widespread heat index values of 110+, with numerous 120 degree readings. The peak heat index occurred in Knoxville, Iowa, which reached a suffocating 131 degrees.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:10 AM ET, 07/19/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Extreme Heat, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:50 AM ET, 07/18/2011

Massive heat wave scorches central U.S. and expands east, as drought continues in South
By Andrew Freedman
A life-threatening heat wave is scorching a vast stretch of the country, from Texas to North Dakota, with temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and heat indices soaring as high as 126 F. The heat event will last all week, with the hottest weather slowly moving eastward into the mid-Atlantic by Wednesday, and sticking around into the weekend.

By Andrew Freedman  |  10:50 AM ET, 07/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Extreme Heat, U.S. Weather, Droughts, Climate Change, Freedman, Latest

Posted at 02:15 PM ET, 07/14/2011

Massive heat wave eyes Midwest, East Coast
By Jason Samenow
This weekend, a huge dome of heat will envelop the central part of the country, stretching from the Gulf Coast to the Canadian border. And by early next week, the heat will spread towards the East Coast. Computer model forecasts indicate this is likely to be a long-lived, dangerous mid-summer heat wave.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:15 PM ET, 07/14/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Extreme Heat, Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:10 AM ET, 07/13/2011

Munich Re: Unprecedented year for natural disasters
By Jason Samenow
After just six months, natural catastrophes have already resulted in a record $265 billion in global damages, surpassing the entirety of 2005, the previous record-holder, according to German reinsurer Munich Re.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:10 AM ET, 07/13/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  International Weather, U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 11:45 AM ET, 07/11/2011

Chicago blasted by violent line of thunderstorms, known as derecho
By Jason Samenow
A ferocious line of thunderstorms with winds to hurricane strength tore through Chicago this morning, knocking out power to more than 660,000 residents. The Weather Channel reports that power provider ComEd is saying this could be one of the top five outages in their system’s history.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:45 AM ET, 07/11/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 12:10 PM ET, 07/08/2011

Record snowpack across Rockies continues its midsummer melt
By Justin Grieser
After record snowfall inundated parts of the Rockies last winter and well into spring, many western states are feeling the effects of a rapidly melting snowpack. As an area of high pressure developed over the West last week, soaring temperatures have accelerated snowmelt and continued to send torrents of water down local rivers and streams.

By Justin Grieser  |  12:10 PM ET, 07/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 07/08/2011

Weather cooperates for Atlantis launch
By Jason Samenow
The last launch in NASA’s 30-year space flight program is set for 11:26 a.m. today, weather permitting. The official Atlantic (STS-135) launch weather forecast assigns a 70 percent probability that weather will prohibit the launch. This post contains weather updates every 15-30 minutes as the launch time approaches.

By Jason Samenow  |  10:30 AM ET, 07/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest, Astronomy, Space

Posted at 11:30 AM ET, 07/07/2011

Rainy weather likely to delay NASA’s Atlantis shuttle launch Friday
By Jason Samenow
A tropical wave gliding into the Florida peninsula Friday threatens to push back the final flight of U.S. space shuttle Atlantis. The launch is scheduled for 11:26 a.m. Friday, coinciding with the possible arrival of showers and thunderstorms.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:30 AM ET, 07/07/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 07/06/2011

Inside the Phoenix, Arizona dust storm, or “haboob”
By Jason Samenow
Video of the dust storm which enveloped Phoenix has gone viral. What caused the massive onslaught of sand?

By Jason Samenow  |  12:30 PM ET, 07/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 01:45 PM ET, 07/01/2011

Las Conchas fire near Los Alamos largest in New Mexico history
By Jason Samenow
The Las Conchas wildfire burning along the western edge of Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico has grown to more than 103,800 acres (according to the Associated Press), making it the largest forest fire in New Mexico history. This new record has been set less than a month after the Wallow fire in Arizona became the largest in state history, burning more than 470,000 acres. And firefighters have responded to nearly 1500 wildfires in Texas this year, which have burned a record 3.3 million acres. The old Texas record was 1.98 million acres in 2006 (records have been kept for 25 years).

By Jason Samenow  |  01:45 PM ET, 07/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:10 AM ET, 07/01/2011

Chicago struck by violent thunderstorm with golf-ball size hail
By Jason Samenow
An intense thunderstorm complex ripped through Chicago off of Lake Michigan late Thursday producing damaging winds, dazzling lightning, and ping-pong to golf-ball size hail.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:10 AM ET, 07/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 06/30/2011

Texas drought a disaster, while Arlene drenches southern tip
By Jason Samenow
Finally a little good news for drought-plagued Texas: when tropical storm Arlene struck northeastern Mexico early this morning, it brought ashore vast amounts of deep, tropical moisture. A very large tropical storm, Arlene’s outer rain bands stretched into extreme south Texas, providing desperately needed rain. If only it could have extended its reach into rest of the drought-stricken state, recently declared a disaster area by the U.S. Department of Agriculture...

By Jason Samenow  |  03:00 PM ET, 06/30/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest, Tropical Weather

Posted at 03:32 PM ET, 06/23/2011

Minot, North Dakota flood waters keep rising as Souris River nears record levels
By Jason Samenow
Levels along the raging Souris River, continue rising and are approaching record levels in Minot, North Dakota. Since yesterday, the waters have been overtopping levees there, and more than 11,000 people - or a quarter of the city’s population - has been forced to leave their homes. The National Weather Service predicts the river will exceed record levels early Friday and crest on Sunday - rising seven feet from the current stage. The previous record was set back in 1881.

By Jason Samenow  |  03:32 PM ET, 06/23/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 01:00 PM ET, 06/22/2011

Historic flood overtopping levees in Minot, North Dakota
By Jason Samenow
From the Mississippi River to the Missouri, river flooding has been relentless in 2011. Now, the Souris River, which curls from Canada through north central North Dakota back into Canada, is reaching levels never before witnessed.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:00 PM ET, 06/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, U.S. Weather

Posted at 11:20 AM ET, 06/20/2011

After severe spring, a thin line separates wet from dry in the U.S.
By Andrew Freedman
When it comes to weather, there’s a general notion that an extreme event in one location will be “balanced out” by an opposite, extreme event in another location. So if there’s a flood in the Mid-Atlantic, then at the same time you might expect a drought to be occurring on the West Coast of the US, or halfway around the world. And this drought might be connected to the flood in some way.

By Andrew Freedman  |  11:20 AM ET, 06/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Climate Change, Latest, U.S. Weather, Freedman

Posted at 12:15 PM ET, 06/17/2011

Billion dollar weather disasters in U.S. off to record-setting start in 2011
By Jason Samenow
Through mid-June 2011, eight extreme weather events have become billion-dollar disasters in the U.S. according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). No other year on record (since 1980) has experienced this many such disasters year-to-date.

By Jason Samenow  |  12:15 PM ET, 06/17/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 11:15 AM ET, 06/16/2011

Spring extreme weather events in 2011 in U.S.: historic and record setting
By Jason Samenow
Spring 2011 may well go down in the weather history books as the most extreme on record. From the massive April tornado swarm, to record Mississippi river levels, to exceptional drought and wildfires in the Southwest, weather extremes were violent, relentless, and frequently recording-setting, taking a terrible toll on human life and the economy.

By Jason Samenow  |  11:15 AM ET, 06/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 02:20 PM ET, 06/14/2011

Arizona Wallow fire largest in state history; climate change projections suggest far worse in pipeline
By Jason Samenow
Firefighters in Arizona are reporting the Wallow fire, which has consumed nearly 470,000 acres, is now the most extensive in the state on record, surpassing the Rodeo Chediski fire of 2002. Experts project numerous factors have contributed to the fire’s severity, ranging from forest management practices to this year’s drought. Perhaps more troubling, a report from the National Academy of Sciences published last summer highlights research indicating climate warming as little as one degree celsius may lead to startling increases in wildfire impacts in the West.

By Jason Samenow  |  02:20 PM ET, 06/14/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Climate Change, U.S. Weather, Latest

Posted at 02:04 PM ET, 06/10/2011

CNN interview on weather modification & tornadoes: the rest of the story
By Steve Tracton
Just after the devastating Joplin tornado outbreak two weeks ago, I was asked and agreed to do an interview for CNN addressing the seemingly timeless question: Can we do anything to control these devastating demonstrations of Mother Nature’s fury, especially of course, when pitted against the people and infrastructure that dares to get in their way? The interview was motivated by my recent post, Killing killer tornadoes before they strike: Is it possible? What I found most interesting from this experience was less from what was aired than what was not.

By Steve Tracton  |  02:04 PM ET, 06/10/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Latest, Tracton, Thunderstorms, Media, Capital Weather Gang, U.S. Weather

Posted at 01:00 PM ET, 06/10/2011

Extreme temperature swings: midnight heat burst in Wichita; mercury tanks in Chicago, Minneapolis
By Jason Samenow
Since June began, no doubt the 1400-plus new heat records set across the U.S. have impressed. But consider the following: between midnight and 1 a.m. Thursday morning, the temperature in Wichita, Kansas spiked from 81 and 101 degrees. Yes- the temperature ROSE 20 degrees in one hour in the middle of the night, passing the century mark. To the north, across the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest, there were some remarkable - though not nearly as dramatic - temperature declines.

By Jason Samenow  |  01:00 PM ET, 06/10/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Extreme Heat, U.S. Weather, Latest