Mysterious smoke ring in Kansas was likely man-made
"Let me start off by saying, it's been a little crazy," Camren said in a video message to AccuWeather on Facebook. "It's a smoke ring. I don't know what caused it. I've heard all sorts of stuff, from portals to aliens invading."
Camren said that a friend of his sent the video to KAKE news in Wichita, which they uploaded to Facebook, and the rest is history. That video now has 1.2 million views.
A rare, but typically man-made event
While no one has a definitive answer for this particular event yet, most smoke rings have turned out to be man-made. Causes of similar rings range from a pyrotechnic effect called "Dragon's Breath" to a firework test in England.
A video from Burning Man in 2008 showed a homemade "trash can smoke ring" machine that created the effect. In 2012, an electrical transformer blew in Chicago, creating a smoke ring.
Nature can make smoke rings as well, but most commonly these form due to volcanoes emitting gases, forming rising, white smoke rings. Most recently, multiple volcanic smoke rings were seen over Mt. Etna in Italy on April 5, 2024.
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38 minutes ago
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Hurricane Erin moves up East Coast, with Virginia's effects coming Thursday
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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Watch Huge Waves From Hurricane Erin Batter Beach Homes in North Carolina
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Several videos shared across social media this week show massive waves from Hurricane Erin battering abandoned beachfront properties in North Carolina's Outer Banks. Why It Matters As of Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Erin was a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. Although it won't make landfall in the U.S., the large storm is passing close enough to the East Coast to generate massive waves and life-threatening rip currents. Earlier this week, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the Outer Banks as officials feared that overwash would flood important roads. A stock photo shows Hurricane Florence causing enormous waves and winds in North Carolina's Outer Banks in September 2018. A stock photo shows Hurricane Florence causing enormous waves and winds in North Carolina's Outer Banks in September 2018. IndigoSurf Photography/Getty What To Know Meteorologists have warned of 20-foot waves this week, with the Outer Banks likely to see some of the strongest waves. "Will these homes survive #HurricaneErin? With 15-20' waves forecast, these abandoned houses in Rodanthe, NC could be taken out later this week," FOX Weather meteorologist Mike Seidel posted on X on Monday night. Will these homes survive #HurricaneErin? With 15-20' waves forecast, these abandoned houses in Rodanthe, NC could be taken out later this week. Live coverage on @foxweather starts at 7 AM ET with @thekatiebyrne from Jacksonville Beach, FL #OBX #Tropical — Mike Seidel (@mikeseidel) August 19, 2025 By Wednesday, videos of waves lashing the homes began to make the rounds on social media. "The Outer Banks of North Carolina are swept by massive swells kicked up by Hurricane #Erin Coastal flooding remains possible as Erin nears the North Carolina coast, with the worst of the impacts expected Thursday. The ENTIRE East Coast should remain vigilant, as massive waves will affect all eastern seaboard beaches." WeatherNation posted on X on Wednesday morning. NEW: The Outer Banks of North Carolina are swept by massive swells kicked up by Hurricane #Erin Coastal flooding remains possible as Erin nears the North Carolina coast, with the worst of the impacts expected Thursday. The ENTIRE East Coast should remain vigilant, as massive… — WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 20, 2025 The accompanying video shows strong waves lashing the abandoned properties. "Powerful waves from Hurricane Erin hit beachside homes and flooded streets along North Carolina's Outer Banks on Tuesday," AccuWeather posted with a similar video. Powerful waves from Hurricane Erin hit beachside homes and flooded streets along North Carolina's Outer Banks on Tuesday. — AccuWeather (@accuweather) August 20, 2025 Some social media users criticized the latter posts as not including all vital information, such as the fact that the homes had been abandoned. "These homes were abandoned and the homeowners compensated due to the construction of the new bridge several years ago," one user posted on the WeatherNation video. "This is disingenuous "news" for shock factor only. Pretty pathetic." A comment on the AccuWeather said the homes were deemed uninhabitable years ago. What People Are Saying NWS meteorologist Ryan Fucheck told Newsweek: "As far as waves go, we are really expecting things to ramp up this evening. The biggest impacts from the storm will be overnight tonight and through Thursday. We are still going to continue to see waves around 10-plus feet, especially in the Outer Banks north of Cape Hatteras through Friday. As we get to the weekend, conditions will gradually improve." NWS Morehead City, in a high surf advisory: "Extreme beach and coastal damage is likely along the oceanside, resulting in a significant threat to life and property. Large dangerous waves will likely inundate and destroy protective dune structures. Severe flooding will likely extend inland from the waterfront causing flooding of many homes and businesses with some structural damage possible. Numerous roads will likely be impassable under several feet of water and vehicles will likely be submerged. Actions will need to be taken to protect life and property. Extremely dangerous swimming and surfing conditions expected, as well as the wave action resulting in significant beach erosion." What Happens Next Weather warnings related to Hurricane Erin are expected to remain in place along the East Coast through much of this week. People were urged to remain out of the ocean on the East Coast, as numerous water rescues have already occurred for people caught in rip currents related to the storm.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Flooding downpours to unfold in Northeast as Hurricane Erin spins offshore
Tropical moisture sent northward by Hurricane Erin will trigger downpours that can lead to flash flooding in parts of the Appalachians and Northeast from Wednesday into Wednesday night, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. The heaviest rain will come from a stalled weather front draped across the region, rather than directly from Hurricane Erin. A pocket a dry weather could separate the two areas of rain. "In a worst-case scenario, several inches of rain could fall in just a few hours along the boundary of tropical moisture, leading to major flooding in urban areas and along smaller streams," said AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin. Rainfall rates may reach 1 to 2 inches per hour, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 8 inches expected for this event. Should these conditions materialize, significant flash flooding could result, inundating some highways and low-lying neighborhoods with deep water, potentially stranding vehicles and severely disrupting travel. From Wednesday into Wednesday night, the primary area of concern for heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding extends from upstate New York and southern New England to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Torrential downpours are expected to be highly localized, but forecasters anticipate pockets where a more concentrated swath of heavy rainfall could lead to an elevated flood the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+ The highest risk for concentrated downpours is expected in parts of central and eastern New York, with another corridor extending from southern New Jersey and the Philadelphia area to Long Island, southern Connecticut and Rhode Island. A separate narrow band of heavy rainfall may also develop along the Allegheny Mountains, stretching from western New York through western Pennsylvania into northern West Virginia. As tropical moisture shifts northward, the zone of torrential downpours is expected to lift into New England before gradually diminishing by Thursday. Around that time, moisture on the periphery of Hurricane Erin may bring occasional wind-driven showers to portions of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coasts. Thursday is also expected to bring the most hazardous surf conditions along much of the Northeast coastline. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
