US Weather Boss During ‘Sharpiegate' Nears Return to a Shrinking Agency
It's a hard balance to strike. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has sole responsibility for issuing life-saving weather alerts in the US. The agency — which once employed 12,000 — is reeling from the departure of hundreds of staff. Dozens of forecasting offices are without a chief meteorologist or a warning coordinator who communicates with emergency managers ahead of dangerous storms. The Commerce Department has opened inquiries into the effectiveness of the Texas flood warnings and whether the agency is ready to respond to future disasters; the agency is likely to be tested again very soon, as the heart of hurricane season nears.
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31 minutes ago
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Southeast Wisconsin severe flooding, power outages
The Brief The NWS announced several flood warnings, advisories, watches, and river flood warnings. The NWS also issued severe thunderstorm warnings for some areas on Saturday. Flooding has been reported across the viewing area, impacting roadways, basements backing up, and even forcing the Wisconsin State Fair to close down early. MILWAUKEE - Flooding is impacting several counties in southeast Wisconsin on Sunday. Check the FOX6 Weather Alert Page for the latest weather alerts, as they are updated frequently during severe weather. More rain is expected on Sunday. Severe flooding | 5:40 a.m. update (Aug. 10) The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District initiated a combined sewer overflow just before 10 p.m. Saturday night. As of 5:40 a.m., the Deep Tunnel is nearly at capacity and both reclamation facilities are operating at capacity. We Energies is reporting tens of thousands of power outages, concentrated mostly in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties. Parts of the freeway system experienced flash flooding, including Brewers Boulevard, stranding several drivers. Check 511 for the latest road conditions. The Wisconsin State Fair will not reopen on Sunday, Aug. 10. The USA Triathlon events scheduled for Sunday have also been canceled. Flash flood warning | 8:10 p.m. update The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Milwaukee County and part of Waukesha County until 2 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10. Small creeks and streams, along with urban areas and low-lying areas with poor drainage, could experience flash floods. WisDOT cameras deep water near the Stadium Interchange starting shortly before 9 p.m. Flood watch | 7 p.m. update The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth and Waukesha counties through 7 a.m. Monday morning, Aug. 11. While the watch is in effect, excessive rainfall could cause flash floods. Excessive runoff may also result in flooded rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying or flood-prone areas. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Severe thunderstorm warning | 5:45 p.m. update The National Weather Service extended severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of Milwaukee and Waukesha counties until 6:30 p.m. Wind gusts could reach 60 mph, and penny-sized hail is possible. Expect damage to roofs, siding and trees. Severe thunderstorm warning | 5:10 p.m. update The National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of Milwaukee, Ozaukee and Waukesha counties on Saturday, Aug. 9. The warnings are expected to expire at 5:45 p.m. During the warning, wind gusts could reach 60 mph and damage to roofs, siding and trees is possible. FOX6 Weather Extras Local perspective Meanwhile, offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following: FOX6 Storm Center app Download for Android Download for iOS FOX LOCAL Mobile app Download for Android Download for iOS FOX Weather app Download for Android Download for iOS What is the FOX Model? FOX Weather Maps and radar We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it's all there. School and business closings When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin. FOX6 Weather Experts in social media CLICK HERE to "Like" the FOX6 Weather Team on Facebook CLICK HERE to "Like" Rob Haswell on Facebook CLICK HERE to "Like" Tom Wachs on Facebook CLICK HERE to "Like" Stephanie Barichello on Facebook CLICK HERE to "Like" Lisa Michaels on Facebook CLICK HERE to "Like" Holly Baker on Facebook CLICK HERE to "Follow" the FOX6 Weather Team on X CLICK HERE to "Follow" Rob Haswell on X CLICK HERE to "Follow" Tom Wachs on X CLICK HERE to "Follow" Stephanie Barichello on X CLICK HERE to "Follow" Lisa Michaels on X CLICK HERE to "Follow" Holly Baker on X The Source Information in this report is from the FOX6 Weather Experts and National Weather Service.
Yahoo
an hour ago
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California firefighters fight new flames, prompting evacuations
Another wildfire is burning in California, this one in the mountains north of Los Angeles. The Canyon Fire has already burned through thousands of acres and forced evacuations after igniting Thursday afternoon. CBS News Los Angeles' Nik Zecevic has the latest. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
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Milwaukee contends with flash flooding, state fair and airport affected, with more rain expected Sunday
Excessive rainfall in Wisconsin caused flash flooding this weekend, leading to inundated roads, flooded basements and an early closure of the region's beloved state fair. Milwaukee received 5.74' of rain in just hours Saturday – a month and a half's worth of rain, setting a new daily record for the region. Flash flooding was reported in multiple areas, including basements, creeks and streets, where some vehicles were reported stranded, according to the National Weather Service. The Milwaukee River hit a record high crest of 11.19 feet. The previous record was 10.48 in July 2010. The severe weather is part of the same storm system that brought strong winds with gusts higher than 80 mph to Nebraska, where one person was killed and another was seriously injured by a large cottonwood tree that toppled onto their vehicle. The Wisconsin State Fair was forced to shut down early on the penultimate day of its 11-day run, canceling a performance by famed rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Fair organizers urged caution as they directed visitors to exit the park as safely as possible. Video from CNN affiliate WDJT shows visitors wading through waist-deep water as they made their way from the fairgrounds to the parking lot. The flooding also hit Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, where runways, taxiways and an underpass tunnel were flooded, the weather service said. Storms are continuing Sunday, with the potential for flash floods and street flooding, the National Weather Service office in Milwaukee said, urging caution on the roads. Milwaukee is under a level 2 of 4 risk for excessive rainfall Sunday and is under a flood watch. The area is forecast to pick up an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain on top of what they have already received and some isolated locations could see up to 5 inches of additional rainfall through early Monday.
