Stormy night in Texas was a harbinger of the weather to come this week
Damaging thunderstorms raced across North Texas from Sunday night into Monday, bringing wind gusts of around 80 mph, downing trees and power lines north and east of Dallas-Fort Worth and causing thousands of power outages. The stormy night was a harbinger of the weather to come this week, with rounds of storms and possible flooding expected for Texas, but some severe weather also possible for a swath of the country from Louisiana to New York on Monday.
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Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
The most destructive tornado in New England history struck Worcester 70 years ago. Here's what happened.
The violent tornado was on the ground for 84 minutes and grew to over a mile wide, claiming 94 lives. Thousands of buildings were destroyed. Back then, F4 tornadoes were estimated to have maximum wind speeds between 207 and 260 mph. (Since 2007, when the Enhanced Fujita scale came out, both wind speed and destruction are considered when rating a tornado. There's a good chance that the Worcester tornado would have been rated an EF-5 based on the updated system.) There has only been one tornado since that has claimed more lives: the Joplin, Missouri twister of 2011, which killed more than 100 people. Weather setup Advertisement The Worcester tornado was one of four to strike the region that afternoon, spawning from a strong area of low pressure with a powerful cold front interacting with excessive humidity. According to reports from that day, dew points were well into the 70s, priming the atmosphere for explosive storms. When you forecast the possibility of tornadoes, you need four main ingredients — wind shear, lift, instability, and moisture. Wind shear is the change in wind speed and direction with height in the atmosphere. Lift refers to a mechanism to drive moist, warm air upwards in the atmosphere. Instability and moisture are more obvious, but the more humid it is, the more unstable the atmosphere becomes. All four ingredients were present across New England that day. Advertisement It was also the first-ever tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service (known as the U.S. Weather Bureau back then) in New England, but the warning came only after the twister had touched down — debris was already falling out of the sky at the Blue Hill observatory deck — meaning it was too late for many people to seek shelter. A very strong area of low pressure highlighted the surface weather map of New England on June 9, 1953. NWS Path of destruction The monster tornado began its path of destruction over the Quabbin Reservoir near Petersham around 4:30 p.m., tracking to the southeast and crashing into the towns of Barre and Rutland. By the time the clock struck 5 p.m., the tornado had strengthened significantly in Holden, leveling whole neighborhoods. The path of the 1953 Worcester tornado. TornadoTalk The tornado reached maximum strength and severity when hitting Worcester, with Assumption College in its crosshairs. The northern side of the campus, made of heavy brick walls, was leveled. Assumption College just after 5 p.m. on June 9, 1953. Assumption University What's interesting here is that the Worcester hills, specifically Burncoat, may have amplified wind speeds at this point in the tornado's life, increasing the damage and possibly reaching F5 intensity. Hills can impact a tornado's strength, and increasing elevation could have led to stronger winds. The massive tornado continued into Shrewsbury and Westborough, destroying many homes and businesses until finally fading near the Southborough/Framingham line. Three other tornadoes formed that same day, one in Southeastern Mass., an F3, and two in Southeastern New Hampshire — an F3 and F1. Aftermath To put into context just how powerful this tornado was, debris was found as far away as Eastham on Cape Cod, a signal of just how strong the vortex and updraft were from this storm. Books were found — confirmed to be from Worcester — in Provincetown. Advertisement It took years for the region to recover. More than 4,000 buildings were destroyed by the nearly hour-and-a-half tornado, causing the equivalent of $550 million in damage if the event occurred in 2025. June 10, 1953: The worst tornado in New England's history ripped a 25-mile path of death and destruction through six Central Massachusetts communities on June 9, 1953. The tornado which touched down at 4:25 near the town of Petersham continued for 84 minutes ultimately killing 94 people and leaving over 15,000 homeless. This picture from Burncoat Street in Worcester shows the pile of debris left in its wake. The Boston Globe/Boston Globe Assumption College was relocated to Salisbury Street, while Quinsigamond Community College was built in the years after on the land where Assumption once stood. The Worcester tornado bookmarked a multiday severe weather event across the country, spawning epic tornadoes that have now been cemented in the weather history books. The event in early June 1953 spearheaded rapid changes to how the country handled forecasting, including the development of a storm spotter network that dramatically improved the timing of tornado warnings to help people find cover sooner. Ken Mahan can be reached at
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows 2 States Where Children Warned of Breathing Difficulties
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. Air quality alerts continued on Tuesday, with children in two states being warned of "breathing difficulties" if they are exposed to poor air quality. Weather conditions such as light winds and higher temperatures are causing smoke from Canadian wildfires to settle in Ohio, pushing air quality into the unhealthy range, National Weather Service (NWS) observing program leader Brian Mitchell told Newsweek. Why It Matters Smoke from Canadian wildfires prompted widespread air quality alerts across the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast regions over the past few weeks. As of Tuesday, most of the smoke has moved out of the region. However, air quality alerts remain in parts of Ohio and Arizona for fine particulate matter and ozone pollution, respectively. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, which includes children and the elderly, in the affected regions. What to Know When inhaled, particles can lodge deep in the lungs and trigger inflammation, while ozone irritates the respiratory system and can exacerbate asthma. Children are particularly vulnerable to the impacts because of their developing respiratory systems and tendency to spend more time outdoors. In Ohio, the air quality alert was issued by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and warns of ground-level fine particles affecting the air quality in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit Counties. A stock image shows a child coughing while outside. A stock image shows a child coughing while outside. AaronAmat/Getty "Air quality levels will be unhealthy for sensitive groups during this period. If you are in the sensitive groups category of children, the elderly and those with breathing difficulties, please monitor your outdoor activity and check air quality readings at In Arizona, an Ozone High Pollution Advisory was in place for Maricopa County, including more than a million people who live in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Sunlight can contribute to higher ozone levels, making these alerts more common in the summertime. "This means that forecast weather conditions combined with existing ozone levels are expected to result in local maximum 8-hour ozone concentrations that pose a health risk. Adverse health effects increase as air quality deteriorates," the alert said. "Ozone is an air contaminant which can cause breathing difficulties for children, older adults, as well as persons with respiratory problems. A decrease in physical activity is recommended." In both states, people were urged to avoid worsening air quality levels by driving less, not idling in their vehicles, refilling their gas tanks after sunset, and waiting to mow the lawn. An air quality alert also was in place for parts of Michigan, although people in that state were not warned of breathing difficulties. What People Are Saying Air quality alert in Arizona: "You are urged to car pool, telecommute or use mass transit. The use of gasoline-powered equipment should be reduced or done late in the day." Air quality alert for Michigan: "Surface temperatures well into the 80s, ample sunlight, and west-southwest winds will create a conducive environment for Ozone development along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Residual wildfire smoke in the region may also enhance Ozone development over Lake Michigan." What Happens Next Both alerts are in place throughout Tuesday. More air quality alerts could be issued as smoke is expected to return on Wednesday.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Louisiana summer: How high are temperatures expected to be? Here's the forecasted heat index
For this summer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted hotter-than-average temperatures across the U.S. Summer heat is expected to reach its peak in July, with a chance that more long-time high-temperature records may be broken, according to the Farmer's Almanac. In Louisiana, summer heat typically reaches its peak during July and August, as high temperatures can frequently exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. This year, Louisiana is expected to experience a brutal summer with high temperatures in the 90s and heat indices feeling like 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Heat indices, or a heat index, is a measure of how hot it feels to the human body when the air temperature and relative humidity are combined, according to the National Weather Service. The average summer heat index in Louisiana typically ranges from the high 80s to the mid-90s, with humidity playing a significant role. Due to Louisiana's humid subtropical climate, the humidity can make the summer heat feel much more intense. Currently, the forecasted average summer heat index for Louisiana ranges from 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the NOAA's heat index forecasts. Humidity is generally high in Louisiana during the summer, with the average relative humidity ranging from 89% to 92%. The hottest, and most humid, months in Louisiana are typically June, July and August. During high humidity, temperatures can feel much hotter, as the body's ability to cool itself through evaporation is reduced. This summer, heat index temperatures in Louisiana are expected to climb into the triple digits due to heat and humidity, according to Alorair Crawlspace. When a heat index is high, especially when it's above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, being outdoors can be dangerous because of increased risks of heat-related illnesses. During a high heat index, when it's harder for the body to cool down, the likelihood of heat cramps, exhaustion and even stroke is increased, according to the National Weather Service. Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@ This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: How hot will it be this summer in Louisiana? Average heat and humidity
