Latest news with #ColinMcCarthy
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Science
- Newsweek
Hurricane Erin Seen From Space in Satellite Camera's Live Video Stream
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. Video footage from a camera on the International Space Station (ISS) has captured Hurricane Erin swirling above the Atlantic Ocean. Why It Matters Erin is the fifth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic season, as well as the first hurricane. Forecasters have warned of "life-threatening" conditions across the U.S. East Coast as the system traverses the Atlantic. What To Know The footage of Erin was captured by the Sen SpaceTV-1 camera system mounted on the International Space Station in low Earth orbit. The space streaming company Sen says its SpaceTV-1 mission launched to the ISS in 2024, and its public livestream began in December that year. According to NASA, the ISS completes approximately 16 orbits each day, with each one taking between 90 and 93 minutes. The agency says that there may be less than 16 orbits depending on the station's altitude. As of Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Erin was located about 205 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Although it described the system as a "large and growing hurricane," the agency said that gradual weakening was forecast "during the next couple of days." A spectacular view of Hurricane Erin swirling north as lightning flashes throughout the system. — CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) August 21, 2025 Behind Erin, the NHC was also monitoring two disturbances in the Atlantic associated with tropical waves. The first—located near the Leeward Islands—was given a "high" 70 percent chance of cyclone formation through seven days, with the NHC saying a tropical depression could form this weekend. The second, further to the east, was given a 40 percent chance of development. An NHC graphic highlights features being monitored in the Atlantic. An NHC graphic highlights features being monitored in the Atlantic. National Hurricane Center What People Are Saying The National Hurricane Center said in a post on X on Thursday: "Erin just beginning to move away from the North Carolina coast. Beachgoers are cautioned against swimming at most U.S. East Coast beaches due to life-threatening surf and rip currents." Storm chaser Colin McCarthy said on X, Wednesday: "Hurricane Erin is absolutely massive, looming off the East Coast and stretching over 800 miles across. "To put that in perspective, if it were placed over the United States, it would span from Chicago all the way to New York City." NASA said in a post on X, Wednesday: "Erin went through a period of rapid intensification, strengthening from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane in around 24 hours." What Happens Next The NHC expects Hurricane Erin to move between the East Coast of the U.S. and Bermuda early Friday, then pass south of Atlantic Canada on Friday and Saturday. A livestream of footage from SpaceTV-1 can be found here.
Newsweek
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
Watch California's Biggest Reservoir Fill Up in Timelapse Video
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. Lake Shasta, California's largest reservoir, is nearing full capacity for the third consecutive year, signaling a dramatic recovery from the drought-stricken years of the early 2020s. A timelapse video shared on social media earlier this week shows the impressive change the reservoir has undergone over the last three years. Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the reservoir, by email for comment. Why It Matters Lake Shasta is a critical part of California's water infrastructure. As the largest reservoir in the state, it represents 41 percent of the water in the Central Valley Project, a system that serves farms, homes and industry in the Central Valley, San Joaquin Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. The reservoir's current condition is a marked contrast from late 2022, when the lake was just 31 percent full after several years of below-average rainfall. Thanks to a series of wet winters and robust snowpack, the state's biggest reservoir has steadily recovered—reaching full capacity in May 2023 and 2024. A stock photo of Lake Shasta at full capacity. A stock photo of Lake Shasta at full capacity. Kirpal Kooner/Getty What to Know A timelapse shared on X, formerly Twitter, earlier this week shows images of the lake taken in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. "California's largest reservoir, Shasta Lake, is virtually full for the third straight year," extreme weather chaser Colin McCarthy posted with the video. California's largest reservoir, Shasta Lake, is virtually full for the third straight year. The reservoir holds nearly 1.5 trillion gallons of water, which is enough to cover the entire state of California in half an inch of water. — Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) April 30, 2025 Parts of the lakebed can be seen in the satellite image from 2022, and the images for the following years showcase the lake's recovery. As of May 2, the reservoir's surface elevation stands at 1,061.41 feet—just 5.59 feet below its full pool of 1,067 feet, according to Lakes Online. The lake has been steadily rising since November. At the beginning of 2022, Lake Shasta's water level sat at just 913.5 feet. By January 1, 2023, it was at 928 feet. A record-setting wet season during winter 2022-2023 brought an influx of runoff, lifting the lake above 1,062.9 feet by the end of April 2023. The 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 winters followed with similarly wet conditions, including near-normal Sierra Nevada snowpack in early 2025. By April 1, California's snowpack was at 96 percent of the historical average, a key contributor to continued high inflows into Shasta and other major reservoirs. Many of California's other reservoirs are also performing well, including Lake Oroville, which is expected to reach capacity for the third year in a row this year, the first time such a milestone has been reached. What People Are Saying A USBR spokesperson told Newsweek on April 28: "As of today, we are 5.11 feet from full at 97% and an elevation of 1,061.89. the last time we had three consecutive years of being full were 2010, 2011, 2012." McCarthy said in his post: "The reservoir holds nearly 1.5 trillion gallons of water, which is enough to cover the entire state of California in half an inch of water." What Happens Next During 2023 and 2024, Lake Shasta peaked in early May. State water agencies are continuing to monitor Lake Shasta's levels closely. Officials have cautioned that despite current high water levels, preparation for future drought conditions remains a priority.
