Latest news with #Doppler
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Update: Flash flood warning affecting 3 Massachusetts counties until Friday evening triggered by thunderstorms
On Friday at 5:05 p.m. an updated flash flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until 8:15 p.m. for Franklin, Hampshire and Worcester counties. "At 5:05 p.m., Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 to 2 inches in 1 hour. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly," states the weather service. "Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas." Locations impacted by the warning include Amherst, Greenfield, Orange, Deerfield, Belchertown, Athol, Winchendon, Montague, Templeton, Hadley, Sunderland, Hatfield, Northfield, Bernardston, Conway, Leverett, Erving, Shutesbury, Phillipston and Gill. The weather service states, "Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles." Flash flood warning: Take action! A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood-prone area, move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain. Flood warning: Take action! A flood warning is declared when flooding is on the verge of happening or is already underway. Flood advisory: Be aware: A flood advisory is released when flooding is not expected to reach a severity level necessitating a warning. Nonetheless, it can still cause considerable inconvenience and, without exercising caution, potentially lead to situations that threaten life and/or property. Flood watch: Be prepared: A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It doesn't guarantee that flooding will occur, but it signifies that the possibility exists. In flood-prone regions or while camping in low-lying areas, understanding and following the weather service flood safety guidelines can be a lifesaver: Move to higher ground: If you reside in a flood-prone region or are camping in low-lying terrain, the first step to safety is relocating to higher ground. Follow evacuation orders: If local authorities issue an evacuation order, heed it promptly. Prior to leaving, secure your home by locking it. Disconnect utilities and appliances: If time permits, disconnect your utilities and appliances. This precaution minimizes electrical hazards during flooding. Steer clear of flooded basements and submerged areas: Avoid basements or rooms submerged in water with electrical outlets or cords. Preventing electrical accidents is crucial. Swift evacuation for your safety: If you notice sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping, or popping sounds, evacuate without delay. Do not enter water that may carry an electrical charge. Refrain from walking in floodwaters: Never attempt to walk through floodwaters. Even just 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet. Seek higher ground when trapped: In the event you become trapped by moving water, make your way to the highest point available and contact emergency services by calling 911. During periods of heavy rainfall, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas, the risk of flooding escalates. Remember this crucial advice: never attempt to drive through water on the road, even if it appears shallow. According to the weather service, as little as 12 inches of rapidly flowing water can carry away most vehicles. Prioritize your safety by staying informed and prepared. Rain can turn roads into hazards. Stay informed and follow these tips from the weather service to ensure safety during heavy rainfall: Beware of swollen waterways: During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk. Maintain safe driving distances: Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness. Reduce speed and drive cautiously: On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding. Choose your lane wisely: Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes. Prioritize visibility: Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them. Watch out for slippery roads: The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period. Keep a safe distance from large vehicles: Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely. Mind your windshield wipers: Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely limits your sight, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or protected spots. If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position. By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound. Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service. Flash flood warning: Take action! A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood-prone area, move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain. Flood warning: Take action! A flood warning is declared when flooding is on the verge of happening or is already underway. Flood advisory: Be aware: A flood advisory is released when flooding is not expected to reach a severity level necessitating a warning. Nonetheless, it can still cause considerable inconvenience and, without exercising caution, potentially lead to situations that threaten life and/or property. Flood watch: Be prepared: A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It doesn't guarantee that flooding will occur, but it signifies that the possibility exists. In flood-prone regions or while camping in low-lying areas, understanding and following the weather service flood safety guidelines can be a lifesaver: Move to higher ground: If you reside in a flood-prone region or are camping in low-lying terrain, the first step to safety is relocating to higher ground. Follow evacuation orders: If local authorities issue an evacuation order, heed it promptly. Prior to leaving, secure your home by locking it. Disconnect utilities and appliances: If time permits, disconnect your utilities and appliances. This precaution minimizes electrical hazards during flooding. Steer clear of flooded basements and submerged areas: Avoid basements or rooms submerged in water with electrical outlets or cords. Preventing electrical accidents is crucial. Swift evacuation for your safety: If you notice sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping, or popping sounds, evacuate without delay. Do not enter water that may carry an electrical charge. Refrain from walking in floodwaters: Never attempt to walk through floodwaters. Even just 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet. Seek higher ground when trapped: In the event you become trapped by moving water, make your way to the highest point available and contact emergency services by calling 911. During periods of heavy rainfall, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas, the risk of flooding escalates. Remember this crucial advice: never attempt to drive through water on the road, even if it appears shallow. According to the weather service, as little as 12 inches of rapidly flowing water can carry away most vehicles. Prioritize your safety by staying informed and prepared. Rain can turn roads into hazards. Stay informed and follow these tips from the weather service to ensure safety during heavy rainfall: Beware of swollen waterways: During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk. Maintain safe driving distances: Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness. Reduce speed and drive cautiously: On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding. Choose your lane wisely: Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes. Prioritize visibility: Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them. Watch out for slippery roads: The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period. Keep a safe distance from large vehicles: Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely. Mind your windshield wipers: Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely limits your sight, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or protected spots. If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position. By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound. Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Physicists use AI to hunt for UAPs and UFOs
An international team of physicists has developed a new methodology to aid NASA and other government agencies in their ongoing investigations into unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs). The result is a novel strategy integrating a specially designed artificial intelligence program that was partially inspired by the physicists' own hunt for elusive dark matter. More popularly known as unidentified flying objects or UFOs, UAPs aren't necessarily considered as outlandish as they were decades ago. Setting aside the various theories that point to mysterious visitors from another planet, analysis increasingly centers on determining more worldly explanations. UAPs are often explained by classified experimental aircraft, astronomical events, or simply a case of mistaken drone identity. Meanwhile, a small percentage of sightings continue to baffle experts. Over the last few years, the US government has attempted to present a more transparent approach to its UAP research, while the military continues a campaign to destigmatize reporting sightings among its ranks. In November 2024, Congress held a publicly televised joint subcommittee hearing about UAPs featuring a former US Navy rear admiral and NASA administrator. While not without its fair share of criticism, these and similar events are shifting the overarching narrative around unidentified aerial phenomenon. Researchers like Matthew Syzdagis at the University of Albany have followed this evolving discourse for years. An associate professor of physics focused on dark matter, Syzdagis recently began collaborating with over 30 colleagues around the world to determine if this approach to hunting dark matter could be adapted to the search for UAPs. Their results, published this month in the journal Progress in Aerospace Studies, offer a new interdisciplinary methodology to review the past and future UAP sightings. 'As this process moves forward, it's critical that future study of UAPs follows a rigorous, repeatable method that can be tested and confirmed by other researchers,' Syzdagis said in a statement. 'We aim to establish a roadmap for these efforts with this paper.' The team relied on an array of datasets and tools to build their framework, including publicly available Doppler weather information from the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS data was used to corroborate observations from additional equipment and determine if any of them simultaneously recorded a given anomaly. They then utilized Cosmic Watch, a radiation-detection system, to assess if a target UAP observed by infrared cameras was accompanied by ionizing radiation. To help analyze the infrared data, Szydagis created a new software program called Custom Target Analysis Protocol (C-TAP) that utilizes machine learning alongside human verification to review individual camera frames on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Inspired by similar strategies used to scan for direct evidence of dark matter, C-TAP then flags and separates actual UAP observations from any digital noise. Finally, these results were overlaid with trigonometric calculations to exclude any known objects in the sky like satellites or the International Space Station. To test it all out, Szydagis and colleagues used their new methodology to review observable light and infrared images collected on a 2021 field expedition around Laguna Beach, California, amid a period of heightened UAP reports. In total, the team reviewed about one hour of triggered visible and night-vision video footage along with over 600 hours of infrared data and 55 hours of background radiation measurements. Of the multiple anomalies initially flagged, researchers were able to offer plausible and likely explanations for all sightings except for one—a collection of bright white dots inside a dark spot recorded across multiple videos. And even then, it seems unlikely that the UAP event was unique. 'At this point, none can be classified as true anomalies, although further study of remaining ambiguities may alter this conclusion,' the study's authors wrote in their conclusion. Moving forward, the team hopes their methodology will help more researchers around the world continue to vet UAP sightings on a scientific, unbiased basis. 'Given the longstanding, global nature of the UAP/UFO question, [and] the air safety and security implications of their presence… studying and understanding these phenomena is of great and urgent importance,' added University of Albany physics professor and study lead author Kevin Knuth.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
UPDATE Flash flood warning in effect for parts of Coal Region; Strong thunderstorms to hit Valley this afternoon
Strong thunderstorms are forecast to develop across the Susquehanna Valley this afternoon as a slow-moving cold front moves into the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania. According to the National Weather Service, potentially severe thunderstorms will move out of Ohio. These storms will be moving east at around 25 mph and will affect the Laurel Highlands, including Somerset and Johnstown this morning, before sliding east into the Interstate 99 corridor, including State College, Altoona and Bedford between 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. The NWS has issued a flash flood warning for parts of Columbia, Northumberland and Schuylkill counties until 3:30 p.m. According to NWS, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the area, where there has already been more than an inch of rain, additional rainfall amounts up to an inch are possible. NWS Tweet Some locations that will experience flash flooding include Mount Carmel, Kulpmont, Ashland, Lavelle, Aristes, Fountain Springs, Wilburton Number One, Locustdale, Beurys Lake, Wilburton Number Two, Gordon, Marion Heights, Centralia, Pitman and the Schuylkill County Airport, according to the warning. The storms will likely intensify as they approach and impact the Middle Susquehanna Valley and Interstate 81 corridor between 1 and 3 p.m., NWS reports Wind gusts up to 55 MPH are possible with these storms, along with nickel-size hail in some locations. This is a developing story. More details will be published when they become available.
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Business Standard
6 hours ago
- Science
- Business Standard
Sharp detection, no noise: China tests breakthrough radar technology
During the tests, the silent Cessna, using the new radar tech, identified ground targets with over 20 decibels greater clarity than traditional techniques New Delhi In a breakthrough that could reshape the future of military operations, Chinese scientists have developed a radar system that can detect moving targets without making a sound — even in the noisiest environments. The technology, developed by a team led by radar scientist Li Zhongyu, uses passive bistatic airborne radar and advanced signal processing to detect targets while remaining undetectable itself, reported South China Morning Post. The test Scientists in China tested a new type of radar technology using two small planes (Cessna-208 Caravans) flying in formation, separated by altitude. The one above sent out radar signals, and the other, flying silently below, gathered echoes without emitting any signals. They aimed to detect three vehicles moving far ahead over uneven terrain covered with dense vegetation and structures. For traditional radar systems, detection in such conditions is difficult because radar signals bounce all over the place in these environments. This creates clutter on radar screens, making it difficult to distinguish actual targets. Problems faced by traditional radar When two radar units operate separately, the reflected signals from targets don't stay aligned—they get spread out over different distances, known as range migration. This scattering causes the target's signal to blur, making it harder to detect clearly. Additionally, the Doppler effect, which helps identify moving objects, gets distorted as these frequency shifts spread over a wide range. This creates a lot of background noise that drowns out the actual signals from targets. Moreover, the unnecessary echoes change unpredictably depending on the distance, making it very difficult for conventional radar systems to filter them out effectively. How the new radar solves them The new approach uses three steps for clear detection: Motion correction: The researchers used techniques called Keystone transform and high-order compensation to gather the dispersed target signals into precise range spots. This focused energy made the targets easier to identify, aided by a process known as motion correction. Spectrum compression: This step refines blurred Doppler signals to sharpen the radar's ability to identify motion, improving target resolution. Space-time decoupling: Their breakthrough technology, called the 'space-time decoupling two-channel clutter cancellation method,' uses a special matrix (a math formula) to separate the clutter's non-linear knots. By aligning spatial frequencies to zero while preserving relative speed profiles, it allows perfect cancellation of environmental clutter between dual-channel echoes. During the tests, the silent Cessna identified ground targets with over 20 decibels greater clarity than traditional techniques, reported SCMP. The first tests for this novel tech were conducted five years ago. Military and strategic implications If and when implemented, the new radar technology could help military planes spot targets — vehicles, ships, missiles — at long range without being detected, even through clouds or darkness. Li's innovation also eliminates the exposure risks of low-probability-of-intercept (LPI) radars. LPI radars minimise the chance of being detected by operating at lower power levels or changing frequencies, but they still carry a risk of discovery. 'According to our knowledge, this is a world first,' Li claimed about the innovation.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Missouri tornado tracker: When will twister hit St Louis, Chesterfield, St Peters?
Several cities in Missouri were under a tornado warning on Wednesday. Areas affected by the National Weather Service (NWS) notice included portions of St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County. The tornado warning was issued through 4 PM local time. The warning follows a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado, located over Bridgeton and moving northeast at 20 mph, posing significant risks to residents and infrastructure, per NWS St. Louis. This alert comes amid heightened regional concerns after the devastating May 16, 2025, EF3 tornado that killed five in St. Louis. Meanwhile, several videos on social media showed a tornado approaching Chesterfield. 'Another confirmed tornado ongoing in St Louis, MO metro, just NE of Chesterfield, moving NE. strong rotation (upper right panel) in Doppler velocity data. Debris lofted into radar signal (lower left panel) shown in dual pol correlation coefficient data,' one local wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. The NWS confirmed radar-indicated rotation, signaling a potential tornado that could produce flying debris, damage or destroy mobile homes, harm roofs, windows, and vehicles, and cause tree damage, per Maximum hail size is less than 1 inch, reducing hail-related risks, but the tornado threat remains critical. Location and Path: At 3:21 PM CDT, the storm was centered over Bridgeton, moving northeast at 20 mph. Affected areas include St. Charles, Florissant, Alton, Maryland Heights, Hazelwood, Godfrey, Bridgeton, West Alton, Portage Des Sioux, and Orchard Farms, as well as the First Missouri State Capitol Historic Site and Interstate 70 between exits 227 and 231. The warning covers densely populated suburbs and key infrastructure, raising concerns after recent storms damaged 5,000 buildings in St. Louis. The NWS advised residents to: Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. If outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, seek the nearest substantial shelter to avoid flying debris.
