Why storms keep slamming Central Ohio
Why it matters: Recent tragedies in Texas, the Northeast and New Mexico show how intense storms can quickly turn dangerous and deadly.
Scientists who spoke to Axios say the events underscore the risk that climate change can worsen extreme rainstorms.
The big picture: Flash flood warnings are issued when a flood is imminent or already occurring.
NWS offices issued 3,160 nationwide this year through last Wednesday, according to a tracker at Iowa State University's Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
That's the most for that period in any year since tracking began in 1986.
The latest: The Wilmington, Ohio, office that covers Central Ohio has issued 36 warnings this year, with 11 so far in July.
Zoom in: On Thursday, some Buckeye Lake neighborhoods flooded. Two weekends ago, intense storms knocked out power for thousands of local residents, flooding parts of northern Franklin and Delaware counties.
Between the lines: Warmer air holds more water. As our planet gets hotter, that's why storms are getting more intense and dropping more rain.
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CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Expected excessive heat Friday prompts First Alert Weather Day. Check the forecast.
We're headed for a First Alert Weather Day Friday due to potentially extreme heat. Wednesday, we remain in a bit of a holding pattern, with high pressure still in control, but that's going to change quickly. The heat and humidity build Thursday into Friday, and some areas—especially parts of northeast New Jersey, New York City western Long Island, and the Lower Hudson Valley—could flirt with heat warning criteria by Friday afternoon. The National Weather Service already issued advisories and watches that go into effect Friday for parts of the Tri-State. An Extreme Heat Watch goes into effect at 10 a.m. Friday and lasts until 8 p.m. A Heat Advisory goes into effect at 11 a.m. and lasts until 8 p.m. Heat Advisories kick in any time the heat index of 95-99 degrees for two consecutive days, or 100-104 degrees for any length of time. An Excessive Heat Watch kicks in if there's a heat index of 105 degrees or more for two consecutive hours or greater. A cold front arrives Friday evening, bringing our next shot at strong to possibly severe storms, though there's still some uncertainty on storm strength. Saturday looks hot and humid again, but a bit less intense depending on cloud cover. Another front may bring showers or storms from late Sunday into Monday. Click here to check the latest watches, warnings and alerts.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Warning Issued About Hurricane Season as Experts Track New System
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. As National Hurricane Center (NHC) experts have started tracking a new disturbance in the Gulf, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned people in hurricane-prone areas that there's still a "long season to go" when it comes to storms. Newsweek reached out to the NHC via email for comment. Why It Matters The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and runs through November 30. The last storm to materialize was Tropical Storm Chantal in early July, which brought flooding rainfall across parts of the East Coast. The next storm will be named Dexter. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting from 13 to 19 named storms for this year's Atlantic hurricane season, with six to 10 strengthening into hurricanes and three to five into major hurricanes. Agency forecasters are 70 percent confident in the ranges, the report said. What To Know After a relatively active start, the Atlantic Ocean has been somewhat quiet throughout much of July. However, the NWS issued a warning on Tuesday that the hurricane season is far from over. "On average, 86% of all named tropical systems in the Atlantic occur after August 2, and the first hurricane doesn't form until August 11," the NWS said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "We have a long season to go." On average, 86% of all named tropical systems in the Atlantic occur after August 2, and the first hurricane doesn't form until August 11. We have a long season to go. Prepare now, and learn more about how at — National Weather Service (@NWS) July 22, 2025 The warning comes as meteorologists with the NHC begin to track a new system that has a low chance of emerging in the Gulf within the next week. A tropical weather outlook shows the disturbance currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center. A tropical weather outlook shows the disturbance currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center. National Hurricane Center As of the most recent update from the NHC, the disturbance is a "trough of low pressure near northern Florida," which is producing showers and thunderstorms in the area. A forecast from the NWS office in Jacksonville, Florida, shows that no active weather alerts are in place, although the region was expecting some rain on Wednesday. "Over the next day or two, this system is forecast to move west-southwestward into the north-central portion of the Gulf where some slow development is possible," the NHC said. Formation chances remain low, at 10 percent, for the next 48 hours as well as over the next seven days. What People Are Saying NHC, in a tropical weather outlook: "By this weekend, the system is likely to move inland, ending its chances for development. Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, locally heavy rainfall is possible for portions of Florida over the next day or so, and for the northern Gulf coast through this weekend." NWS said on a hurricane preparedness website: "While hurricanes pose the greatest threat to life and property, tropical storms and depression also can be devastating. The primary hazards from tropical cyclones (which include tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes) are storm surge flooding, inland flooding from heavy rains, destructive winds, tornadoes, and high surf and rip currents." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the disturbance will strengthen into Tropical Storm Dexter, although chances remain low. People in hurricane-prone areas are urged to prepare before a storm takes shape.
3 hours ago
'Science just isn't there yet' to predict severity of storms that caused deadly Texas flooding, meteorologist says
The severity of the flash flooding that killed more than 130 people in Texas's Hill Country was difficult to predict because the science is not yet available, a local meteorologist testified during Wednesday's special legislative session. The "prolific" flooding was made possible by the moisture leftover from Tropical Storm Barry, which made landfall on the east coast of Mexico on June 29, Pat Cavlin, a meteorologist at Houston CBS affiliate KHOU, said during Wednesday's session. The moisture then moved up to Texas and interacted with a slow-moving batch of storms over the middle of the state, combining over "one of the worst parts of the state when it comes to flash flooding events," Calvin said. Texas Hill Country is often colloquially referred to as "Flash Flood Alley" because the weather and landscape in the south-central Texas region work together to produce rapid flood events, according to the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI). What made the situation unique was the presence of a mesoscale convective vortex (MCV) -- "basically a mini area of low pressure" -- that was slow-moving and stationary over Central Texas at the time of the torrential rains that caused the flash flooding, according to Calvin. While meteorologists knew that the MCV would be in the area about 12 to 18 hours before the event unfolded, the amount of heavy rain that would be produced was not clear until just hours before Guadalupe River flooded, Calvin said. Meteorologists began issuing alerts on July 3 that indicated there was cause for concern about the potential flooding that would take place within the next 24 hours. Throughout the day, multiple National Weather Service (NWS) offices responsible for forecasting conditions in that region were highlighting in various forecast alerts and warnings that there was an elevated risk for flash flooding in south-central Texas due to the current weather pattern in place. On the morning of July 3, the NWS Weather Prediction Center (WPC) upgraded the portion of south-central Texas, including Kerr County and surrounding areas. At 1:18 p.m. on July 3, a Flood Watch was issued by the NWS Austin/San Antonio office, including Kerr County and surrounding areas through Friday morning. That alert mentioned that local heavy rainfall could cause flash flooding in the region, with isolated amounts of 5 inches to 7 inches possible, adding that "excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations." At 6:10 p.m., the WPC highlighted the south-central Texas region, including Hill Country, as an area of increasing concern for slow-moving, training thunderstorms, or rounds of thunderstorms that remain in the same area, with the potential for rainfall rate exceeding 3 inches per hour into the evening hours and beyond. The first flash flooding warning was issued at 1 a.m. on July 4 as thunderstorms began to roll in. At 4:03 a.m., a "rare" flash flood emergency warning was issued -- indicating an imminent, ongoing threat to life and public property. Around 4:20 a.m., the Guadalupe River hit a major flood stage, Calvin said. While flash flood warnings are common in the region, flash flood emergencies are not, he added. "This is an extreme event," Calvin said. "It's a freak event, really." Calvin noted that scientific and technological limitations make predicting a storm of this magnitude challenging. "The science just isn't there yet," he said. "We are not at a point yet where we can identify where these individual pockets that lead to this life-threatening flash flooding can happen until pretty much it's starting to happen." The deadly flooding over the Fourth of July weekend killed at least 136 people, including dozens of girls at Camp Mystic, situated on the Guadalupe River, Texas officials announced on Wednesday. Four people remain missing -- include one adult male and one girl from Camp Mystic in Kerr County, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Phillips is among the missing, and another person from Travis County, Abbott said. Lawmakers filled House Bill 165 on Tuesday, which aims to create a model guide for local officials to follow regarding disaster response and recovery. The bill addresses contracting for debris removal; obtaining federal disaster funding; determining availability and construction of short-term and long-term housing and obtaining assistance from volunteer organizations. Abbott called the special session in the wake of the flooding. "We must ensure better preparation in the future," Abbott said in a statement. The special session is scheduled to last for 30 days. Other items on the agenda for the special legislative session include a congressional redistricting plan, which could create more seats for Republicans, and a second attempt at regulating THC, the psychoactive compound found marijuana.
