
More flash floods forecast to hit Texas and immigration enforcement in Puerto Rico: Morning Rundown
Here's what to know today.
At least 81 dead in Texas floods as search for missing people goes on
The National Weather Service is warning more flash floods could hit central Texas.
The death toll rose to 81 across six counties as of 2 a.m ET. In Kerr County, officials reported 40 adults and 28 children had died. Officials said 10 children are still missing from Camp Mystic. The catastrophic flooding struck on Friday, causing a surge of 20 to 26 feet on the Guadalupe River near Kerrville and leading to widespread damage and washing out roads. As the flooding in Texas became a fight for survival, some residents clung to trees and meter boxes to stay alive.
Within hours of the deluge early Friday, some Texas officials were critical of the NWS, saying forecasts underestimated the rainfall. Yesterday, President Donald Trump rejected the idea of investigating whether NWS cuts had left key vacancies, and the White House said claims that NWS cuts had anything to do with the tragedy were 'disgusting.'
Independent meteorologists and a former NWS official said warnings issued in the run-up to the flooding were about as timely and accurate as could be expected with the weather data available in real time. Predicting extreme rain and flash flooding beyond several hours is challenging, they said, and it is also not easy to ensure urgent warnings reach those most at risk. The meteorologists said they did not think understaffed offices were a primary factor in the tragic outcome, even though the NWS has leadership gaps after a rash of staffing cuts.
What happens with prices after the summer sales events is anyone's guess. Retail executives, including at Walmart, and major consumer brands have warned that tariff-fueled price increases are likely as the year wears on and the inventories they've built up dwindle.
To reduce some of the guesswork for shoppers, NBC News is tracking online price levels for dozens of items at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Home Depot to determine when and how much they may fluctuate throughout the rest of the year. The NBC News Price Tracker is powered by the e-commerce price-tracking platform Bright Data, which is monitoring 27 to 61 items for each of the five retailers.
Residents in Puerto Rico fear that President Donald Trump's efforts to carry out mass deportations will fundamentally change how immigration policies are enforced in a U.S. territory that had long been perceived as a sanctuary for immigrants.
That perception was first shattered on Jan. 27, the same week Trump took office. Immigration authorities raided Barrio Obrero and arrested more than 40 people. Witnesses told Telemundo Puerto Rico, NBC's sister station on the island, that they saw agents break down the doors of several homes and businesses. Detainees were handcuffed, placed in vans and taken away, they said. In his 40 years living in Puerto Rico, Ramón Muñoz, a Dominican immigrant, had seen authorities sporadically detain undocumented people but never 'with the aggressiveness' displayed during that raid.
Complicating matters for immigrants in Puerto Rico, detainees are transferred to the mainland U.S. — an ocean away from their families and attorneys managing their immigration cases — because there are no permanent detention centers on the island that can hold them for prolonged periods, according to Rebecca González-Ramos, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Juan.
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Ozzy Osbourne, with Parkinson's disease and a spine held together with screws and plates, forced his battered body through one last concert with Black Sabbath, capping a 10-hour marathon featuring the biggest names in hard rock.
Women suffering rare genital disorder that can cause intense pain, burning, buzzing, tingling often go undiagnosed.
Staff Pick: Eurotrip 2025 — cheaper flights, pricier dinners
Airfares to European destinations are falling, offering last-minute summer travelers some bargains. But the good news ends at the customs gate, thanks to exchange rates that haven't been too kind to U.S. visitors. The dollar has seen its worst half-year performance since 1973, eroding Americans' spending power in the U.K., E.U. and elsewhere. Take a three-night Barcelona hotel bill of €850 — it worked out to about $965 as recently as a month ago but will set you back $1,002 today. But, as Harriet Baskas reports, consumers looking to travel this summer have more on their minds than just currency swings.
— Rich Bellis, senior business editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
The NBC Select team played with the Nintendo Switch 2 for a few weeks to see if it was a worthwhile successor to the original Switch console. Here's the verdict. Plus, don't shouldn't peel your sunburn, and try these dermatologist-approved treatments instead.

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The Independent
15 hours ago
- The Independent
Here's why record-high flash flood warnings were issued in U.S. this year
There has been a record-high number of flash flood warnings issued in the U.S. this year, which can be linked to climate change and improved weather systems. The catastrophic and deadly flash flooding in central Texas earlier this month has brought attention to the increasing intensity of these weather events and how Americans can prepare for them. More than 130 people, including dozens of children, died after the Guadalupe River burst its banks on July 4, and many more are still missing. Following the disaster, questions have been raised about whether officials could have done more to protect Texans, including installing flood warning sirens in the area. But floods are not unique to Texas. NBC News reported, citing data from Iowa State University, there was a record number of more than 3,000 flash flood warnings issued in the U.S. from January 1 to July 15. A flash flood warning is issued by the National Weather Service when a sudden violent flood is imminent or occurring. The outlet previously reported there were at least four one-in-1,000-year rainfall events from July 4 to 8, flooding parts of Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico and Chicago. Climate change can make river floods larger or more frequent in some places, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 'As warmer temperatures cause more water to evaporate from the land and oceans, changes in the size and frequency of heavy precipitation events may in turn affect the size and frequency of river flooding,' the EPA wrote on its website. But one expert explained another reason why there are more flash flood alerts than ever before. Amir AghaKouchak, director of the Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing at the University of California, Irvine, told NBC News radar systems and weather models have significantly improved over the last 40 years. 'The system that was implemented back in the '80s is not the same as the system that we have now,' he said. 'We have many, many more radars, and we have many different sources of data.' 'So naturally you expect more warnings just because our systems are getting better and better,' the expert added.


Time Out
a day ago
- Time Out
The heat advisory is still in effect in NYC today, with humid temps hitting the 100-degree mark
New York City is baking and not in the bagel-scented, Brooklyn-brunch kind of way. A heat advisory remains in effect through 10 pm tonight, July 17, as temps soar into the mid-90s and humidity pushes the heat index past the 100-degree mark. If you're stepping outside today, expect to feel like you're walking into a steam room with subway delays. According to FOX 5 NY's Mike Woods, Thursday marks the peak of the current heat wave, with scattered thunderstorms looming later this afternoon. The risk includes sudden downpours, damaging wind gusts and flash flooding—the kind that recently turned some subway stations into impromptu water rides. Mayor Eric Adams took to social media to warn New Yorkers earlier this week and the National Weather Service is urging everyone to hydrate (stick to water, not margaritas), avoid strenuous activity outdoors and seek out cooling centers if needed. Even Queens Public Library reminded residents, 'We're here to help!', with air conditioning included. Heads up, New Yorkers. We could see another heat wave starting tomorrow, meaning multiple days of dangerous heat. While the forecast could change, it's always a good idea to prepare. Find the best tips to "Beat the Heat" here: — Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) July 15, 2025 If you're keeping score, this isn't just another hot day in July. It's part of what meteorologists are calling the 'year of the flood,' thanks to record-setting rainfall and tropical-style humidity driven by unusually warm Atlantic and Gulf waters. Two people died in New Jersey just days ago when flooding swept away their vehicle, making today's weather not just uncomfortable, but potentially dangerous. The good news is that relief is coming. Friday promises drier air and highs in the mid-80s, while Saturday dips into the low 80s with overcast skies and evening showers. Until then, grab your water bottle, cancel that afternoon jog and maybe postpone that uptown subway ride. For now, it's best to keep cool, stay safe and remember: NYC's street heat is undefeated—but so is your local bodega's freezer aisle.


The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Trump admin is dismantling ‘critical' parts of California's response to wildfires
Donald Trump has been dismantling 'critical' parts of California 's response to wildfires as the state braces for peak wildfire season, according to a new report. The Trump administration has cut thousands of employees from the federal workforce in the name of government efficiency. One government entity that has been a target of these cuts is the National Weather Service, which keeps Americans informed of weather forecasts in the hopes of preventing catastrophic outcomes from natural disasters. Tom Fahy, legislative director of the NWS Employees Organization, told the Los Angeles Times in a Wednesday article that the weather service's staff has decreased from 4,369 to 3,757 employees thanks to layoffs and buyouts. 'This draws attention that we have a lot of critical, critical staff shortages,' Fahy said. An official from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which houses the NWS, told The Independent it has implemented short-term assignments to fill key vacancies at the weather service. NOAA has also announced opportunities for its employees to apply and quickly be permanently reassigned to weather offices that need it the most, according to the official. The official says strategic hiring and reforming how the NWS delivers value to the American people will improve the service in the long term. Staffing shortages at NWS offices in California could lead to problems in the coming months, when the state experiences the worst of its wildfires. California is still recovering from devastating wildfires that raged through Los Angeles County in January. The Palisades and Eaton fires led to 30 deaths and saw thousands of structures destroyed. The Hanford office, which covers the San Joaquin Valley, including Fresno and Bakersfield, has five meteorologists and eight vacancies, the LA Times reported, citing data from the NWS Employees Organization. Fahy said the office's 62 percent vacancy rate is the worst in the country. The Sacramento office, which also covers Stockton, Modesto, Vallejo, Chico and Redding, follows the Hanford office with the second-worst vacancy rate in the country. That office has eight meteorologists and eight vacancies, according to Fahy. This week, calls made to the Handford office from around midnight to 6 a.m. local time were handled by the San Diego office thanks to the cuts. Alex Tardy, the former warning coordination meteorologist for the weather service's San Diego office, told the LA Times this was 'unheard of' and a 'big deal.' 'I worked for 32 years [with the National Weather Service], I worked a solo midnight shift a few times, and even that was frowned safety reasons,' he said. Staffing shortages could lead to issues this wildfire season, with the role the NWS plays when the state is dealing with this type of weather event. Each weather office is required to have an incident meteorologist available when there's a wildfire in California to head an incident command post, Tardy said. This means weather offices are down another forecaster while the incident meteorologist is busy with the wildfire, which could possibly be for weeks, according to Tardy. There could also be delays in key weather alerts if weather offices are understaffed.