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Officials declare state of emergency as deadly storm ravages southern states and takes at least 42 lives: 'It's the worst I've ever seen'

Officials declare state of emergency as deadly storm ravages southern states and takes at least 42 lives: 'It's the worst I've ever seen'

Yahoo18-03-2025
A year already full of weather-related carnage is seeing more disasters added to the tally, this time in America's South and Midwest. According to USA Today, tornadoes, dust storms, and wildfires have killed at least 42 people. The BBC noted the storms have triggered emergency declarations in parts of Arkansas, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
The severe weather last weekend knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of residents as high wind flipped cars while twister and flood warnings continued to accumulate.
"It's the worst I've ever seen," Texas Public Safety Department Sgt. Cindy Barkley, per the BBC. A deadly 38-car pileup resulted after a dust storm there.
In Oklahoma, 130 wildfires were reported last Friday, according to the BBC.
While every calamity isn't a direct result of our overheating planet, NASA experts have linked the warming to increased risks for severe weather. For reference, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association reported that Earth's average temperature has increased by about 2 degrees since 1850.
The association with greater tornado chances is still being studied by experts, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. It cited research indicating that storm conditions from which twisters are produced are more likely with rising mercury. Global warming "may also cause a shift" of severe thunderstorm seasons and where they happen.
Weather experts have been sounding the alarm that the so-called Tornado Alley is moving out of the plains toward more populated eastern parts of the country, per the Guardian.
Nearly 20 tornadoes hit Missouri as part of the recent bout of churning weather, per the BBC. Regardless of the cause, the shifting weather patterns will be a greater factor for different parts of the country — and at great cost.
Last year, there were 27 natural disasters that caused at least $1 billion worth of damage each. The cost estimates include consumer price index adjustments. A map provided by the NOAA showed them mostly grouped slightly to the country's center-right region, extending from the Canadian border to the southern coast. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe weather are the top disasters. The number of billion-dollar events has been trending upward since the 1980s, when the average was 3.3 a year. Nearly 17,000 people have been killed as a result of the storms during the last 45 years, per the NOAA.
What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home?
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There has been an increase in properties damaged, and insurance coverage availability and premiums are being impacted.
Staying educated on where they are most likely to happen can help you make informed decisions on where to live and work.
Ingenious inventions that make homes more fireproof and durable are being introduced. FloodJack literally lifts houses above rising waters, for example. South Korean experts are using advanced computers to study weather data to better predict when floods will occur, providing earlier warnings.
Contributing to a cooler world is also worthwhile. Simply switching to LEDs can save you hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs. They produce five times less air pollution than traditional bulbs as well.
What's more, collecting rainwater in a barrel can provide you with free H2O for your garden and yard while also helping to prevent community flooding.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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Hurricane Erin Bringing Surge Flooding, Life-Threatening Rip Currents To North Carolina, East Coast
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Hurricane Erin Bringing Surge Flooding, Life-Threatening Rip Currents To North Carolina, East Coast

Hurricane Erin is battering the East Coast with coastal flooding, life-threatening rip currents and high surf, and in a few places, tropical storm force winds, particularly in North Carolina and the Virginia Tidewater. (MORE: Erin Maps Tracker - Spaghetti Models, Forecasts, More) Where Erin Is Now Erin's center is about 200 miles east-southeast of Hatteras, North Carolina, its closest approach to the Outer Banks, and is now beginning its anticipated turn toward the northeast. While the hurricane's maximum sustained winds have not changed much since Wednesday afternoon, the size of Erin's tropical-storm- and hurricane-force winds has increased dramatically over the past few days, as expected. Winds have been gusting between 40 and 50 mph on the Outer Banks, and a NOAA buoy about 170 miles east of Hatteras near the center reported winds gusting to 85 mph and up to 40 foot waves early Thursday morning. (MORE: Why A Hurricane's Size Matters) Watches And Warnings Tropical storm warnings are in effect from Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia, including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds in eastern North Carolina. A storm surge warning is also in effect in the Outer Banks from Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina. These warnings mean tropical storm conditions and storm surge flooding are expected. A tropical storm watch continues for Bermuda. This means that tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours. Path, Intensity Forecast As the forecast path graphic below shows, Erin's center will turn northeastward between North Carolina and Bermuda and south of Atlantic Canada. While Erin's peak winds may have leveled off, its large and growing size means tropical-storm-force winds are likely in outer rainbands for the Outer Banks of North Carolina and possibly in Bermuda. We even can't rule out a few stronger gusts making their way farther up the East Coast into the mid-Atlantic or even southeast New England. That said, Erin's strongest hurricane-force winds will remain over the ocean and not affect any land areas. U.S. Impacts High Surf, Rip Currents Erin will generate life-threatening, dangerous high surf and rip currents all along the East Coast, from Florida to Maine. This will last through the weekend, even as Erin moves into the open waters of the North Atlantic. Monday, 60 to 90 rip current rescues were required at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Another 15 rescues were conducted Tuesday. Of all hurricane hazards, 16% of fatalities come from rip currents and rough seas. Heed all advice from lifeguards, local officials and any warning flags flying at the beach. If in doubt, stay out of the surf on Atlantic beaches this week. Storm Surge Erin's large size means it will push water from the ocean toward coastal areas, leading to flooding of normally dry areas near and at high tide, especially in the Outer Banks, southern Chesapeake Bay, coastal Delaware and southern New Jersey. The high tide where coastal flooding may be most expansive and significant appears to be That's when inundation may reach the values shown in the map below, flooding roads and possibly some properties, particularly in the Outer Banks. This will strongly affect Highway 12 in the Outer Banks with overwash and washouts. Minor to moderate coastal flooding is also expected farther up the Jersey shore and in parts of coastal New England at high tide through Friday evening. This succession of coastal flooding over multiple high tide cycles, accompanied by battering waves at the coast, may lead to beach erosion, as well. Winds The core of Erin's strongest hurricane winds will not affect any part of the U.S. East Coast, Bermuda or Canada. However, given Erin's size, tropical-storm-force winds are expected Thursday in eastern North Carolina and parts of southeast Virginia, even though the center will remain well offshore. These winds may down some tree limbs and could knock out power in a few areas. There's also a chance of at least a few stronger gusts farther up the Eastern Seaboard from the Delmarva Peninsula to southeast New England Thursday into early Friday. In Bermuda, tropical storm force winds are possible Thursday and Friday. Erin's History Meteorologists first began watching the area of instability that eventually formed Hurricane Erin several days before the storm was named Monday of this past week. The system remained a tropical storm as it traveled westward across the Atlantic, weakening slightly mid-week as it battled cooler waters. Thanks to warmer waters in the western Atlantic, Erin began a period of explosive rapid intensification starting on Friday, going from a tropical storm to Category 5 in just under 30 hours, and from a Category 3 to a Category 5 in just under 6 hours. Erin has also joined a rare group of only five hurricanes that have wind speeds of at least 145 mph by August 16 since 1970, according to Dr. Phil Klotzbach. Erin is the first Category 5 hurricane since Milton and Beryl in 2024. Erin began to undergo an eyewall replacement cycle on Saturday, setting off a period of fluctuation in intensity and bringing the storm back to Category 4 intensity by Saturday evening. While Erin has been skirting around islands in the Caribbean, a wind gust of 57 mph was recorded on the island Tortola in the British Virgin Islands Saturday evening, but sustained tropical storm force winds have remained to the north of the islands so far. Erin dumped up to 6 inches of rain in Puerto Rico and up to 7 inches of rain in the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the National Weather Service. Winds gusted to 53 mph in the Turks and Caicos, as Erin passed near the group of islands southeast of the Bahamas earlier this week, according to the National Hurricane Center. Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades. Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.

U.S., Canada East Coast braces for Erin's dangerous swells, rip currents
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U.S., Canada East Coast braces for Erin's dangerous swells, rip currents

Hurricane Erin is forecast to generate dangerous surf and rip currents over the next several days, affecting beaches in the Bahamas, much of the U.S. East Coast, Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada. The U.S. National Weather Service is warning beachgoers in these regions to heed guidance from lifeguards, local authorities, and posted beach warning flags. Despite dropping to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday, Erin is expected become even larger while moving over the Western Atlantic throughout the week. DON'T MISS: A tropical storm warning is in effect from Beaufort Inlet to Duck, N.C., including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds. A storm surge warning is currently in effect for Cape Lookout to Duck, N.C. Meanwhile, the tropical storm watch has been extended northward along the U.S. Atlantic coast, from north of Cape Charles Light, Va., to Chincoteague, Va. It is also in effect for Bermuda. SEE ALSO: According to the forecast track, the centre of Erin will pass east of the Bahamas on Tuesday night before moving over the Western Atlantic between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda on Wednesday and Thursday. Fluctuations in strength are possible over the next few days. SEE ALSO: Rainfall will be diminishing across the Turk and Caicos, and the Bahamas Tuesday night. Heavy rainfall is possible on the Outer Banks of North Carolina Wednesday night into Thursday, with the potential for 25-50 mm. Erin is a large hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up 130 km from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 370 km. Watching for large swells over Atlantic Canada According to the Canadian Hurricane Centre (CHC), given the large size of Erin, it is likely to bring heavy wave activity to Eastern Canadian waters and also to the south-facing Atlantic coastlines of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Friday and Saturday. "At this stage we don't expect the storm to impact land other than the ocean swell, which will likely create hazardous surf conditions including rip currents - of particular risk along the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia Friday," said the CHC in the Tuesday statement. RELATED: Key offshore areas to monitor closely include George's Bank, the Scotian Slope, Laurentian Fan and the Southern Grand Banks. Storm-force winds are also possible over southern portions of these forecast zones. Swells from Erin are forecast to impact the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the U.S. East Coast over the next several days. These elevated ocean conditions are likely to create life-threatening surf and rip currents. STAY SAFE: Always heed the advice and orders of local officials and stay out of the water if there's a threat for rip currents. Don't panic if you're ever caught in a rip current. If you can't swim, calmly signal for help and tread water until assistance arrives. Swimmers should swim parallel to the beach until you're out of the rip current, then swim back to shore. Thumbnail courtesy of NOAA. WATCH: Surfers await Hurricane Erin's mighty waves in Nova Scotia Click here to view the video

Hurricane Erin spaghetti models, tracker. Who is feeling impacts and where will it go next?
Hurricane Erin spaghetti models, tracker. Who is feeling impacts and where will it go next?

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Hurricane Erin spaghetti models, tracker. Who is feeling impacts and where will it go next?

Hurricane Erin is beginning to move away from the North Carolina coast, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. While Erin's eye is well north of Florida Thursday morning, Aug. 21, conditions along the coast remain dangerous and beachgoers at most U.S. east coast beaches were cautioned against going in the water. ➤ Track all active storms ➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location The National Weather Service in Morehead City, North Carolina, posted on X Wednesday night Highway 12 was completely submerged north of Hatteras Village. At 5 a.m., Erin was located 205 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Maximum sustained winds were 105 mph. ➤ Don't have a hurricane supply kit? From the basics to the extras, here's what you need Where is Hurricane Erin going? See projected path Special note on the NHC cone: The forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Hurricane Erin spaghetti models Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. ➤ Track Hurricane Erin ➤ How often has Florida been impacted, threatened by August hurricanes? We took a look back Hurricane Erin storm tracker, path Satellite view of Hurricane Erin Expected peak storm surge expected from Hurricane Erin See coastal flood advisories, warnings and watches for Aug. 21 Track all active Atlantic storms and disturbances What should you do now to prepare for hurricane season? Officials regularly encourage Florida residents to prepare for storms before a hurricane is approaching while shelves are full stocked and you aren't battling crowds all rushing to the store at the same time. ➤ Don't have a hurricane supply kit? From the basics to the extras, here's what you need "It only takes one storm to make it an impactful year for your community," the National Hurricane Center Miami posted on X. "Hurricane season is a marathon, not a sprint." On Aug. 1, specific hurricane supplies became permanently tax free in Florida, ranging from batteries to generators. ➤ See list of emergency supplies you can now buy tax free Florida weather radar for Aug. 21, 2025 Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida When is the Atlantic hurricane season? The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Ninety-seven percent of tropical cyclone activity occurs during this time period, NOAA said. The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories. When is the peak of hurricane season? The peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center. Hurricane names for 2025 season Here are the names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, along with how to pronounce them: Andrea (June 20) Barry (June 29) Chantal (July 5) Dexter (Aug. 3) Erin: AIR-rin (Tropical storm: Aug. 11; Hurricane: Aug. 15; Major hurricane Aug. 16) Fernand: fair-NAHN Gabrielle: ga-bree-ELL Humberto: oom-BAIR-toh Imelda: ee-MEHL-dah Jerry: JEHR-ee Karen: KAIR-ren Lorenzo: loh-REN-zoh Melissa: meh-LIH-suh Nestor: NES-tor Olga: OAL-guh Pablo: PAHB-lo Rebekah: reh-BEH-kuh Sebastien: se-BAS-tee-en Tanya: TAHN-yuh Van: van Wendy: WEN-dee Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text What's next? We will update our tropical weather coverage daily. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Hurricane Erin spaghetti models, tracker, path for Category 2 storm

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