Latest news with #BernadetteWoodsPlacky
The Hill
11-08-2025
- Climate
- The Hill
Feel sticky this summer? It's been record muggy East of the Rockies
More than 70 million Americans sweated through the muggiest first two months of summer on record as climate change has noticeably dialed up the Eastern United States' humidity in recent decades, an Associated Press data analysis shows. And that meant uncomfortably warm and potentially dangerous nights in many cities the last several weeks, the National Weather Service said. Parts of 27 states and Washington, D.C., had a record amount of days that meteorologists call uncomfortable — with average daily dew points of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher — in June and July, according to data derived from the Copernicus Climate Service. And that's just the daily average. In much of the East, the mugginess kept rising to near tropical levels for a few humid hours. Philadelphia had 29 days, Washington had 27 days and Baltimore had 24 days where the highest dew point simmered to at least 75 degrees, which even the the weather service office in Tampa calls oppressive, according to weather service data. Dew point is a measure of moisture in the air expressed in degrees that many meteorologists call the most accurate way to describe humidity. The summer of 2025 so far has had dew points that average at least 6 degrees higher than the 1951-2020 normals in Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Columbus and St. Louis, the AP calculations show. The average June and July humidity for the entire country east of the Rockies rose to more than 66 degrees, higher than any year since measurements started in 1950. 'This has been a very muggy summer. The humid heat has been way up,' said Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at Climate Central. Twice this summer climate scientist and humidity expert Cameron Lee of Kent State University measured dew points of about 82 degrees at his home weather station in Ohio. That's off the various charts that the weather service uses to describe what dew points feel like. 'There are parts of the United States that are experiencing not only greater average humidity, especially in the spring and summer, but also more extreme humid days,' Lee said. He said super sticky days are now stretching out over more days and more land. High humidity doesn't allow the air to cool at night as much as it usually does, and the stickiness contributed to multiple nighttime temperature records from the Ohio Valley through the Mid-Atlantic and up and down coastal states, said Zack Taylor, forecast operations chief at the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, Virginia Beach, Va., and Wilmington, N.C., all reached records for the hottest overnight lows. New York City, Columbus, Atlanta, Richmond, Knoxville, Tennessee and Concord, New Hampshire came close, he said. 'What really impacts the body is that nighttime temperature,' Taylor said. 'So if there's no cooling at night or if there's a lack of cooling it doesn't allow your body to cool off and recover from what was probably a really hot afternoon. And so when you start seeing that over several days, that can really wear out the body, especially of course if you don't have access to cooling centers or air conditioning.' An extra hot and rainy summer weather pattern is combining with climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, Woods Placky said. The area east of the Rockies has on average gained about 2.5 degrees in summer dew point since 1950, the AP analysis of Copernicus data shows. In the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and part of the 1990s, the eastern half of the country had an average dew point in the low 60s, what the weather service calls noticeable but OK. In four of the last six years that number has been near and even over the uncomfortable line of 65. 'It's huge,' Lee said of the 75-year trend. 'This is showing a massive increase over a relatively short period of time.' That seemingly small increase in average dew points really means the worst ultra-sticky days that used to happen once a year, now happen several times a summer, which is what affects people, Lee said. Higher humidity and heat feed on each other. A basic law of physics is that the atmosphere holds an extra 4% more water for every degree Fahrenheit (7% for every degree Celsius) warmer it gets, meteorologists said. For most of the summer, the Midwest and East were stuck under either incredibly hot high pressure systems, which boosted temperatures, or getting heavy and persistent rain in amounts much higher than average, Taylor said. What was mostly missing was the occasional cool front that pushes out the most oppressive heat and humidity. That finally came in August and brought relief, he said. Humidity varies by region. The West is much drier. The South gets more 65-degree dew points in the summer than the North. But that's changing. University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd said uncomfortable humidity is moving further north, into places where people are less used to it. Summers now, he said, 'are not your grandparents' summers.'
10-08-2025
- Climate
Feel sticky this summer? That's because it's been record muggy East of the Rockies
More than 70 million Americans sweated through the muggiest first two months of summer on record as climate change has noticeably dialed up the Eastern United States' humidity in recent decades, an Associated Press data analysis shows. And that meant uncomfortably warm and potentially dangerous nights in many cities the last several weeks, the National Weather Service said. Parts of 27 states and Washington, D.C., had a record amount of days that meteorologists call uncomfortable — with average daily dew points of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher — in June and July, according to data derived from the Copernicus Climate Service. And that's just the daily average. In much of the East, the mugginess kept rising to near tropical levels for a few humid hours. Philadelphia had 29 days, Washington had 27 days and Baltimore had 24 days where the highest dew point simmered to at least 75 degrees, which even the the weather service office in Tampa calls oppressive, according to weather service data. Dew point is a measure of moisture in the air expressed in degrees that many meteorologists call the most accurate way to describe humidity. The summer of 2025 so far has had dew points that average at least 6 degrees higher than the 1951-2020 normals in Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Columbus and St. Louis, the AP calculations show. The average June and July humidity for the entire country east of the Rockies rose to more than 66 degrees, higher than any year since measurements started in 1950. 'This has been a very muggy summer. The humid heat has been way up,' said Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at Climate Central. Twice this summer climate scientist and humidity expert Cameron Lee of Kent State University measured dew points of about 82 degrees at his home weather station in Ohio. That's off the various charts that the weather service uses to describe what dew points feel like. 'There are parts of the United States that are experiencing not only greater average humidity, especially in the spring and summer, but also more extreme humid days,' Lee said. He said super sticky days are now stretching out over more days and more land. High humidity doesn't allow the air to cool at night as much as it usually does, and the stickiness contributed to multiple nighttime temperature records from the Ohio Valley through the Mid-Atlantic and up and down coastal states, said Zack Taylor, forecast operations chief at the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, Virginia Beach, Va., and Wilmington, N.C., all reached records for the hottest overnight lows. New York City, Columbus, Atlanta, Richmond, Knoxville, Tennessee and Concord, New Hampshire came close, he said. 'What really impacts the body is that nighttime temperature,' Taylor said. 'So if there's no cooling at night or if there's a lack of cooling it doesn't allow your body to cool off and recover from what was probably a really hot afternoon. And so when you start seeing that over several days, that can really wear out the body, especially of course if you don't have access to cooling centers or air conditioning.' An extra hot and rainy summer weather pattern is combining with climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, Woods Placky said. The area east of the Rockies has on average gained about 2.5 degrees in summer dew point since 1950, the AP analysis of Copernicus data shows. In the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and part of the 1990s, the eastern half of the country had an average dew point in the low 60s, what the weather service calls noticeable but OK. In four of the last six years that number has been near and even over the uncomfortable line of 65. 'It's huge,' Lee said of the 75-year trend. 'This is showing a massive increase over a relatively short period of time.' That seemingly small increase in average dew points really means the worst ultra-sticky days that used to happen once a year, now happen several times a summer, which is what affects people, Lee said. Higher humidity and heat feed on each other. A basic law of physics is that the atmosphere holds an extra 4% more water for every degree Fahrenheit (7% for every degree Celsius) warmer it gets, meteorologists said. For most of the summer, the Midwest and East were stuck under either incredibly hot high pressure systems, which boosted temperatures, or getting heavy and persistent rain in amounts much higher than average, Taylor said. What was mostly missing was the occasional cool front that pushes out the most oppressive heat and humidity. That finally came in August and brought relief, he said. Humidity varies by region. The West is much drier. The South gets more 65-degree dew points in the summer than the North. But that's changing. University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd said uncomfortable humidity is moving further north, into places where people are less used to it. Summers now, he said, 'are not your grandparents' summers.' Borenstein reported from Washington and Wildeman reported from Hartford, Connecticut. ___
San Francisco Chronicle
10-08-2025
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
Feel sticky this summer? That's because it's been record muggy East of the Rockies
More than 70 million Americans sweated through the muggiest first two months of summer on record as climate change has noticeably dialed up the Eastern United States' humidity in recent decades, an Associated Press data analysis shows. And that meant uncomfortably warm and potentially dangerous nights in many cities the last several weeks, the National Weather Service said. Parts of 27 states and Washington, D.C., had a record amount of days that meteorologists call uncomfortable — with average daily dew points of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher — in June and July, according to data derived from the Copernicus Climate Service. And that's just the daily average. In much of the East, the mugginess kept rising to near tropical levels for a few humid hours. Philadelphia had 29 days, Washington had 27 days and Baltimore had 24 days where the highest dew point simmered to at least 75 degrees, which even the the weather service office in Tampa calls oppressive, according to weather service data. Dew point is a measure of moisture in the air expressed in degrees that many meteorologists call the most accurate way to describe humidity. The summer of 2025 so far has had dew points that average at least 6 degrees higher than the 1951-2020 normals in Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Columbus and St. Louis, the AP calculations show. The average June and July humidity for the entire country east of the Rockies rose to more than 66 degrees, higher than any year since measurements started in 1950. 'This has been a very muggy summer. The humid heat has been way up,' said Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at Climate Central. Twice this summer climate scientist and humidity expert Cameron Lee of Kent State University measured dew points of about 82 degrees at his home weather station in Ohio. That's off the various charts that the weather service uses to describe what dew points feel like. 'There are parts of the United States that are experiencing not only greater average humidity, especially in the spring and summer, but also more extreme humid days,' Lee said. He said super sticky days are now stretching out over more days and more land. High humidity doesn't allow the air to cool at night as much as it usually does, and the stickiness contributed to multiple nighttime temperature records from the Ohio Valley through the Mid-Atlantic and up and down coastal states, said Zack Taylor, forecast operations chief at the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, Virginia Beach, Va., and Wilmington, N.C., all reached records for the hottest overnight lows. New York City, Columbus, Atlanta, Richmond, Knoxville, Tennessee and Concord, New Hampshire came close, he said. 'What really impacts the body is that nighttime temperature,' Taylor said. 'So if there's no cooling at night or if there's a lack of cooling it doesn't allow your body to cool off and recover from what was probably a really hot afternoon. And so when you start seeing that over several days, that can really wear out the body, especially of course if you don't have access to cooling centers or air conditioning.' An extra hot and rainy summer weather pattern is combining with climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, Woods Placky said. The area east of the Rockies has on average gained about 2.5 degrees in summer dew point since 1950, the AP analysis of Copernicus data shows. In the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and part of the 1990s, the eastern half of the country had an average dew point in the low 60s, what the weather service calls noticeable but OK. In four of the last six years that number has been near and even over the uncomfortable line of 65. 'It's huge,' Lee said of the 75-year trend. 'This is showing a massive increase over a relatively short period of time.' That seemingly small increase in average dew points really means the worst ultra-sticky days that used to happen once a year, now happen several times a summer, which is what affects people, Lee said. Higher humidity and heat feed on each other. A basic law of physics is that the atmosphere holds an extra 4% more water for every degree Fahrenheit (7% for every degree Celsius) warmer it gets, meteorologists said. For most of the summer, the Midwest and East were stuck under either incredibly hot high pressure systems, which boosted temperatures, or getting heavy and persistent rain in amounts much higher than average, Taylor said. What was mostly missing was the occasional cool front that pushes out the most oppressive heat and humidity. That finally came in August and brought relief, he said. Humidity varies by region. The West is much drier. The South gets more 65-degree dew points in the summer than the North. But that's changing. Summers now, he said, 'are not your grandparents' summers.' ___ Borenstein reported from Washington and Wildeman reported from Hartford, Connecticut. ___
Winnipeg Free Press
10-08-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Feel sticky this summer? That's because it's been record muggy East of the Rockies
More than 70 million Americans sweated through the muggiest first two months of summer on record as climate change has noticeably dialed up the Eastern United States' humidity in recent decades, an Associated Press data analysis shows. And that meant uncomfortably warm and potentially dangerous nights in many cities the last several weeks, the National Weather Service said. Parts of 27 states and Washington, D.C., had a record amount of days that meteorologists call uncomfortable — with average daily dew points of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher — in June and July, according to data derived from the Copernicus Climate Service. And that's just the daily average. In much of the East, the mugginess kept rising to near tropical levels for a few humid hours. Philadelphia had 29 days, Washington had 27 days and Baltimore had 24 days where the highest dew point simmered to at least 75 degrees, which even the the weather service office in Tampa calls oppressive, according to weather service data. Dew point is a measure of moisture in the air expressed in degrees that many meteorologists call the most accurate way to describe humidity. The summer of 2025 so far has had dew points that average at least 6 degrees higher than the 1951-2020 normals in Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Columbus and St. Louis, the AP calculations show. The average June and July humidity for the entire country east of the Rockies rose to more than 66 degrees, higher than any year since measurements started in 1950. 'This has been a very muggy summer. The humid heat has been way up,' said Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at Climate Central. Twice this summer climate scientist and humidity expert Cameron Lee of Kent State University measured dew points of about 82 degrees at his home weather station in Ohio. That's off the various charts that the weather service uses to describe what dew points feel like. 'There are parts of the United States that are experiencing not only greater average humidity, especially in the spring and summer, but also more extreme humid days,' Lee said. He said super sticky days are now stretching out over more days and more land. High humidity doesn't allow the air to cool at night as much as it usually does, and the stickiness contributed to multiple nighttime temperature records from the Ohio Valley through the Mid-Atlantic and up and down coastal states, said Zack Taylor, forecast operations chief at the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, Virginia Beach, Va., and Wilmington, N.C., all reached records for the hottest overnight lows. New York City, Columbus, Atlanta, Richmond, Knoxville, Tennessee and Concord, New Hampshire came close, he said. 'What really impacts the body is that nighttime temperature,' Taylor said. 'So if there's no cooling at night or if there's a lack of cooling it doesn't allow your body to cool off and recover from what was probably a really hot afternoon. And so when you start seeing that over several days, that can really wear out the body, especially of course if you don't have access to cooling centers or air conditioning.' An extra hot and rainy summer weather pattern is combining with climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, Woods Placky said. The area east of the Rockies has on average gained about 2.5 degrees in summer dew point since 1950, the AP analysis of Copernicus data shows. In the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and part of the 1990s, the eastern half of the country had an average dew point in the low 60s, what the weather service calls noticeable but OK. In four of the last six years that number has been near and even over the uncomfortable line of 65. 'It's huge,' Lee said of the 75-year trend. 'This is showing a massive increase over a relatively short period of time.' That seemingly small increase in average dew points really means the worst ultra-sticky days that used to happen once a year, now happen several times a summer, which is what affects people, Lee said. Higher humidity and heat feed on each other. A basic law of physics is that the atmosphere holds an extra 4% more water for every degree Fahrenheit (7% for every degree Celsius) warmer it gets, meteorologists said. For most of the summer, the Midwest and East were stuck under either incredibly hot high pressure systems, which boosted temperatures, or getting heavy and persistent rain in amounts much higher than average, Taylor said. What was mostly missing was the occasional cool front that pushes out the most oppressive heat and humidity. That finally came in August and brought relief, he said. Humidity varies by region. The West is much drier. The South gets more 65-degree dew points in the summer than the North. But that's changing. University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd said uncomfortable humidity is moving further north, into places where people are less used to it. Summers now, he said, 'are not your grandparents' summers.' ___ Borenstein reported from Washington and Wildeman reported from Hartford, Connecticut. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
CNN
09-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Live updates: Texas flooding rescue efforts, climbing death toll, latest on Camp Mystic
Update: Date: 8 min ago Title: Before-and-after images show destruction from Texas floods Content: New before-and-after satellite images reveal the extensive destruction caused by catastrophic flooding in central Texas over the weekend. New before and after satellite images show the massive destruction left behind from catastrophic flooding in central Texas. #cnn #news #texas Update: Date: 12 min ago Title: Texas officials will hold a news conference in about an hour. These are some of the questions they may face Content: Texas officials are facing heated questions from reporters and community members over how much was — or was not — done in the overnight hours of Friday as the Guadalupe River flooded, sweeping away buildings and people in its path. But five days after the flooding, officials still have not provided a clear timeline. At a briefing yesterday, several deflected or got defensive when asked about how Kerr County's response unfolded. 'We're in the process of trying to put a together a timeline; that's going to take a little bit of time,' County Sheriff Larry Leitha said. More than 110 are dead and 170 others are missing in the catastrophic flooding. As search efforts continue, questions linger about what happened during those crucial hours, if existing warning systems had worked and whether additional preparations before the flooding could have saved lives. At the local level, there's a key, three-hour gap where it's unclear if alerts sent by the National Weather Service were relayed to local officials; and at a summer-camp level, there are questions about policies that included banning cellphones and limiting walkie-talkie use, according to a counselor. These are the questions that still need to be answered: Update: Date: 1 min ago Title: Experts warn extreme weather is just a snapshot of what's to come. Listen to CNN's "One Thing" podcast Content: As rescue and recovery efforts continue in central Texas, climate scientists are stressing we will see extreme weather events like this more often as the planet heats up. Hear why Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at the nonprofit Climate Central, thinks federal cuts to climate science and weather office are hindering preparations for the future. Check out the podcast here. Update: Date: 1 hr 36 min ago Title: Mules carry heavy equipment and assist in searches along Guadalupe River Content: Mission Mules, a Christian nonprofit organization that uses mules to provide disaster relief, arrived on scene of the flooding disaster in central Texas on Tuesday, going straight to work, founder Mike Toberer told CNN. A team of six mules have helped to get gear into tough locations for multiple chainsaw crews and have assisted in searches along the Guadalupe River since their arrival, according to the organization. Toberer said the first thing he noticed when they got on scene was the large volume of water that had come through the area. 'If you look across this river here, you see how high the water mark is. Some of that stuff is 30 and 35 (feet) off the ground,' Toberer said of the debris carried by the water. The mules, who also assisted in recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, are able to climb what remains in the washed-out riverbed, which includes often large rocks, Toberer told CNN. Update: Date: 1 hr 55 min ago Title: Cajun Navy coordinator believes weather conditions are making it "harder to survive" for those still missing Content: Teams are still working through brutal heat and humidity today in the ongoing search for at least 170 people missing in Texas. Ryan Logue, an incident coordinator with the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer rescue and relief group, just spoke with CNN's Sara Sidner. His group is based on the Guadalupe River, downriver from several RV parks and campgrounds, which were likely filled for the Fourth of July holiday, Logue said. 'All of those locations that I've gone and visited, there's nothing remaining there,' he said. While teams are still looking for the missing, no one has been found alive since Friday. 'I will never ever give up hope on a single soul that is out there, but at the same time if I'm somebody in their situation, had to live through what I've been living through the last couple days with this weather, it would be getting increasingly, increasingly harder to survive,' he said. Update: Date: 1 hr 37 min ago Title: Everyone inside cabin swept away by floodwaters in Texas escapes safely Content: A cabin at Camp La Junta was captured on video floating along the Guadalupe River on Friday during the catastrophic flooding event with camp staff inside. Seth Stover told CNN his son was among those in the cabin at the time. 'They were woken up around 4am to the sound of the breakers flipping,' Stover said. 'They didn't know they were floating at first.' Stover, who was a camper at Camp La Junta in the 80s, says the cabin had four men inside, ages 19 to 22. His son, 19, is a member of staff at the camp and can be seen inthe doorway of the cabin in the video, according to Stover. The cabin was ripped off its foundation and floated along the waters for only about 30 seconds, according to Stover. He says he imagines to his son it felt a lot longer. The cabin eventually hit a tree and got wedged between the tree and a stone wall, bringing the cabin to a stop. 'It was pure luck that the cabin was stopped,' Stover said. All the men inside were eventually able to exit the cabin safely and evacuated from camp. Stover says he received a message from the camp that morning that all campers and staff were safe but when he saw the video he couldn't help but worry. Eventually, his son called him around 7 a.m. to let him know he was safe and had been evacuated. Stover and his wife traveled to the area on Saturday to pick up their son. Stover credited the bravery of the other staff members and camp counselors who did everything they could for the campers. 'The courage and sacrifices that all the camp counselors and staff did throughout the entire incident, keeping the kids safe,' he said. 'The stories of what they did for these kids are amazing.' CNN's David Williams contributed to this report. This post has been updated with additional information. Update: Date: 3 hr 53 min ago Title: Family of Texas flood victim Tim Walker confirms death Content: The family of Texas flood victim Tim Walker has confirmed his death. 'My father's body was recovered,' Walker's daughter, Bronwyn Walker, posted on Facebook. 'I'm sharing a brief update here to thank the masses for getting the word out through my earlier post. My family and I are deeply moved by your support.' More than 110 people have died as a result of the tragic holiday weekend flooding, officials have confirmed. CNN spoke with Bronwyn Walker earlier and has reached out for more information. Update: Date: 4 hr ago Title: HUD announces foreclosure relief for Texans impacted by floods Content: The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced a 90-day freeze on foreclosures for Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed single-family mortgages in Kerr County, Texas, after devastating floods hit central Texas, killing more than 100 people. The announcement comes after President Donald Trump declared the flood zone to be a major disaster area. In Kerr County, the hardest-hit region, search efforts continue for more than 160 people still unaccounted for as of Tuesday. There are more than 900 FHA-insured mortgages in the declared disaster area for Kerr County, HUD said in its statement Tuesday. 'HUD is working with mortgage servicers and others to assess the extent of properties with FHA-insured mortgages in the designated area that have been severely damaged or destroyed,' it said. 'Our hearts break as we witness the catastrophe unfolding in Texas,' HUD Secretary Scott Turner said. 'The flash floods have claimed the lives of more than 100 Americans and displaced countless others. It is an unfathomable tragedy, and HUD will continue to provide resources and support as we pray for the Texas Hill Country community.' Update: Date: 2 hr 36 min ago Title: Here's what we learned yesterday about the catastrophic flooding in Central Texas Content: More than 110 people have died in the catastrophic flooding in central Texas, according to officials. In the hard-hit Kerr County, at least 161 people are reported missing, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said yesterday after touring the scenes of destruction. Now, as search and rescue efforts continue, questions linger about existing warning systems and whether additional preparations could have saved lives. Here's the latest: At least 161 people are known to be missing in Kerr County as a result of the flood, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who cited 'combined law enforcement efforts.' #CNN #News You can also watch this video on YoutTube Shorts. Update: Date: 4 hr 29 min ago Title: No one has been found alive in Kerr County since Friday, police officer says Content: No one has been found alive since Friday in Kerr County, Texas, as rescuers carry out search operations, Sgt. Jonathan Lamb of the Kerrville Police Department said. While crews go through the debris and destruction, Lamb said the more time that passes 'it becomes harder and harder to become optimistic.' He said regardless of if it is a rescue to a recovery operation, the goal of responders will stay the same. 'We're going to continue to search and look to try to reunite families, because that's where our focus is; on reuniting families with their missing loved ones and bringing them closure,' Lamb said. Responding to CNN reporting that officials have known for a couple of days that the number of people missing was much higher than had been publicly disclosed by local authorities, Lamb pointed to the number of RV's camped in the area. 'If nobody reports them missing, if nobody is looking for them, we may not know that they're missing — and that really has been the big challenge for this thing,' Lamb said. 'Getting a handle on exactly how many people we're looking for has been tough,' he added. Update: Date: 2 hr 28 min ago Title: Camp Mystic counselors did not have walkie talkies during flood, counselor says Content: Counselors at Camp Mystic, the youth camp devastated by deadly flash flooding last week, did not have access to walkie talkies in the event of a disaster, according to one counselor at the camp. The owners of the camp and a few leaders in the camp office did have access to communication devices, she told CNN. The counselor also indicated to CNN that they had not received evacuation training. Other communication issues came to light earlier in the week. Camp Mystic has a no screen policy and counselors must turn their phones off when they are at work, according to one counselor, Caroline Cutrona. Because of this policy, Cutrona did not get the weather emergency alerts sent out, she previously told CNN's Anderson Cooper. Despite the lack of communication, many counselors jumped into action by themselves, including several who helped campers escape their cabin, guiding them through chest deep water. The mother of three of those campers says the counselors saved the lives of her children, calling them heroes. 'Two counselors were in the rapids and one on the dry hill moving the kids from hand to hand,' the mother told CNN. 'A lot of them lost their shoes and then climbed up the rocky hill to safety.' Once safe, the children cuddled because they were cold and wet as they sang songs and prayed, she said.
