Severe thunderstorm warning for parts of New York, Vermont and Ohio Valley as regions still deal with floodingSevere thunderstorms are likely today across eastern New York and western Vermont, extending into parts of the Ohio Valley, the National Weather Service’s storm prediction center said.
Damaging winds, large hail, and perhaps a couple of tornadoes are possible in these areas, it said.
It also said that additional severe thunderstorms are likely today across portions of the southern and central Plains. Large hail and damaging winds will be the primary hazards with these storms, along with a tornado or two possible.
Severe thunderstorms are likely today across eastern New York and western Vermont, extending into parts of the Ohio Valley. Damaging winds, large hail, and perhaps a couple of tornadoes are possible in these areas. pic.twitter.com/Vv1fwOZYZK
— NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) July 13, 2023 Key events
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Gabrielle Canon
Delivery drivers struggle in 110F heat in Phoenix, Arizona
In the throes of Amazon Prime Day — the retail giant’s mega sales event that ended Wednesday — millions are awaiting packages delivered on a dime.
In Phoenix, Arizona, where temperatures have remained above 110F all week, delivery drivers are still rushing to get boxes to doorsteps in the sweltering heat.
“This last week was the hottest week on record — it’s crazy,” Gabe Castle told The Guardian, as he helped shuttle armfuls of packages to another truck that rumbled nearby before taking his allotted 15-minute break.
A man wipes his brow as he walks under misters, in downtown Phoenix Photograph: Matt York/APThe other driver had been given a raffle-ticket for a $500 drawing in order to pick up some of his load, an initiative by their employer to ensure no one falls too far behind schedule.
Castle is accustomed to working in heat. A former handyman with a construction background, he left his business after suffering some health issues and back problems.
He appreciates the health coverage he gets as a driver, even if it means 10-hour shifts during the hottest parts of the day. He comes prepared.
In his van he’s packed a cooler with 15 ready-to-drink water bottles, 6 frozen water bottles, and 5 Gatorades. He fills every other bottle with a packet of electrolyte mix. He stashes one of two small towels on ice — and switches them out between deliveries to drape over his head and neck. “This is my AC,” he said, gesturing to the moistened material around his shoulders as sweat and runoff darken his blue shirt.
“It can be rough,” he admits. “If you aren’t doing everything you can to mitigate it you’re going to have a problem.”
Erum Salam
In California, steps are being taken to protect children from the extreme heat.
Today, governor Gavin Newsom announced a new $47m initiative funded by CAL FIRE to replace asphalt on school grounds with more greenery, making outdoor spaces cooler for children who are disproportionately impacted by extreme heat.
The move is part of Newsom’s Extreme Heat Action Plan announced in 2022.
In a press release, Newsom said:
California is heading into a hotter, drier future and extreme heat will only become more dangerous. We’re taking action to protect our kids – especially in underserved communities – from hotter temperatures with our best defense: nature. We’re helping schools tear out asphalt that can reach 140 degrees on hot days – planting trees for shade and adding other plants to provide kids with safer, cooler spaces at school.
California is battling a major heatwave that will bring triple-digit temperatures. Temperatures as high as 125 -130 degrees are expected in California’s Death Valley this weekend.
Edward Helmore
Fish are not the only type of wildlife that get displaced.
Eldridge’s wife noticed a number of displaced skunks in Montpelier in the immediate aftermath of this week’s flood. They had likely been nesting in the banks of the Winooski River and its tributary streams before they were flooded. Muskrats and weasels, too, were likely displaced.
One of the most distressing sights around Montpelier in recent days have been the bodies of beavers hit by cars on the roads. Tyler Brown, a wildlife specialist with the department who specializes in beavers and runs the beaver baffle project, which helps to protect beaver-created habitats and studies how their dams can help slow flooding, says the Vermont floods this week will have displaced the beaver population – but only temporarily.
When we get this amount rainfall in so short a time it is likely that beavers will have been displaced from their dams because it’s not likely that a beaver dam could withstand that amount of water,” Brown says. “When it comes to normal thunderstorm-type flooding, beaver dams hold and add capacity for capturing water, and allow water to spill over into wetland areas and release it slowly.” But in a catastrophic flood like on Monday, he says, “it depends on where the dams are in the watershed.”
While it is possible some beavers may have died in the flooding – there were reports of beavers swimming around during the high-water period of the storm – Brown predicts the overall population will be just fine.
“Like humans, beavers are pretty resilient, so they’re likely already rebuilding to re-create their habitats,” he said.
We will just leave them be and let them figure it out. They know their habitat pretty well, so they’re going to move back to suitable sites in their wetland habitats where there are a lot of young trees – willows, alders, maples – to eat the phloem, or inner layer of bark.
Overall, wildlife populations tend to bounce back after flooding events while populations of bears, dear and turkey tend to move temporarily to higher ground.
“Our wildlife populations in Vermont are really healthy, abundant and sustainable,” Brown emphasized, “so they’ll be able to rebound.”
Edward Helmore
The toll to wildlife from climate crisis-related weather events is an area that often gets overlooked in their immediate aftermath.
But after the flooding in Vermont this week, previous weather calamities – including Tropical Storm Irene, in 2011 – can offer some clues.
Fish in Vermont’s rivers, primarily species of trout – brook, rainbow and brown – have been found to move upriver during increased water flow to less turbulent areas, including tributaries or flooded fields, or find refuge behind fallen trees or rocks.
“This is definitely unprecedented, but studies of smaller floods show that often fish are not displaced and are in the same pools before and after a flood,” said Will Eldridge, an aquatic habitat biologist with Vermont’s fish and wildlife department. “They can often survive in place by finding some refuge behind a structure or ride the edges of the flow up into the flood plain.”
After Hurricane Irene, though, some fish populations fell by 50%, Eldridge says.
But the silver lining is that fish populations do recover pretty quickly, and they can do that because there is less impact in the headwaters and smaller streams, or they can migrate and recolonize areas that have been impacted,” he continued. “So we work hard to protect those headwaters and also provide connectivity between streams and systems.
With the National Weather Service forecasting triple-digit temperatures for the coming days, officials in Sacramento, California, are activating cooling centers to offer relief from the heat.
Some spaces are opening specifically as weather respite centers, while others are offering extended hours in public lobbies or are available for this use during regular business hours.
Public libraries and city community centers are open during their regular business hours for people to use these air-conditioned buildings as places to cool off.
The city also is activating the outreach and engagement center as a weather respite location, offering space for pets and belongings in addition to water, snacks and device recharging.
Erum Salam
The severe thunderstorm watch issued until this evening for large swaths of the east coast and parts of the midwest will also affect already hard-hit Vermont.
New worries come amid the clean up efforts in the state, which is recovering from this week’s historic heavy floods that destroyed homes and businesses and left debris in their wake.
“This is not expected to be a repeat of Monday and Tuesday, but it will be dangerous in the areas that experience flash flooding,” Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison said Thursday.
Morrison confirmed there were no deaths reported from earlier floods.
Governor Phil Scott issued a warning to “remain vigilant and have a plan.”
There is a chance for strong thunderstorms this afternoon, bringing more rain. Vermonters need to remain vigilant and have a plan. Flash floods are expected, and they’re unpredictable. Do not take unnecessary risks
— Governor Phil Scott (@GovPhilScott) July 13, 2023 Heat dome to bring triple-digit temperatures to CaliforniaMaanvi Singh
A heat dome over California is expected to bring triple-digit temperatures and heightened fire danger.
All but California’s coastal regions will be facing extreme temperatures. In the agricultural Central Valley, the towns of Bakersfield, Fresno and Merced could see temperatures of up to 109F (43C) on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Predictions for some parts of the valley could reach up to 117F.
“Dangerous heat will result in a major to extreme risk for heat-related illnesses for much of the population, especially those who are heat sensitive and those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration,” warned the National Weather Service.
In Death Valley, temperatures could break the 2021 record of 130F.
The dry heat will desiccate brush, creating the ideal conditions for wildfire. Though strong winds are not expected though most of inland California, gusty conditions along the state’s Interstate 5 could exacerbate risks of a runaway blaze.
The NWS is warning residents to stay indoors, in cooled environments.
Widespread MAJOR HeatRisk is expected this weekend and all individuals without access to proper cooling/hydration will be affected.
Consider rescheduling outdoor plans for cooler parts of the day and have a plan to stay cool and hydrated!#CAwx pic.twitter.com/yOJEcIJcPj
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) July 13, 2023 Here are the latest images from the newswires showing the damage wreaked by a possible tornado in Colon, Michigan.
Debris from storm damage is seen on Thursday. Photograph: J Scott Park/APIn southern Michigan, a team from the weather service and local emergency management will survey damage from a possible tornado that was reported Wednesday night. Photograph: J Scott Park/APThe National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia until 9 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/P6P8pg8umT
— NWS Severe Tstorm (@NWSSevereTstorm) July 13, 2023 Emergency crews in Ottawa, Canada, are responding to reports of a possible tornado in a suburb in the city’s south end.
Ottawa fire services said it had reports of a tornado in Barrhaven, and photos and videos posted to social media reportedly showed a funnel ground touching down in the area.
Environment Canada issued a tornado warning for Ottawa earlier today, warning of a “dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation” and urged residents to take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches. In a statement, the weather agency said:
Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a severe thunderstorm that is possibly producing a tornado. Damaging winds, large hail and locally intense rainfall are also possible.
Oliver Milman
The developing Niño has been closely watched by scientists as it is compounding the excess heat spurred by human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels.
Last week was, preliminary data suggests, the hottest week ever reliably recorded, following a June that was the hottest ever documented globally.
The developing Niño is likely to push the world towards even more record-breaking temperatures, scientists warn, as the tangible impacts of the climate crisis continue to unfold.
Michael Mann, a climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, said:
We have a major El Niño event on our hands, it will certainly continue to develop, and it will almost certainly contribute to 2023 being the hottest year on record.
The combination of human-caused warming and this emerging event is already wreaking havoc across the northern hemisphere this summer in the form of record heat, drought, wildfires and floods.
Oliver Milman
Mild El Niño climatic conditions brewing in the Pacific Ocean will strengthen throughout the year, with an outside chance of a record-breaking event that will further turbocharge already sweltering temperatures around the globe, scientists have forecast.
Last month saw a “weak” El Niño form, a periodic climatic event where the circulation of the equatorial Pacific Ocean shifts and its temperature rises, causing knock-on heat around the world, according to an update from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa).
This Niño, which has replaced a three-year period of its reverse condition, La Niña, which typically cools the globe, will almost certainly strengthen throughout the year, with an 81% chance it will peak with a “moderate to strong intensity” between November and January, Noaa said.
There is a one-in-five chance that this event will be of “historic” strength, rivaling the major one experienced in 1997, Noaa said. Even if the record is not threatened, however, “El Niños tend to elevate global mean temperatures, so I would not expect this event to be an exception,” said Michelle L’Heureux, a Noaa meteorologist.