Latest news with #Grymes
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
National Weather Service hiring again following layoffs
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The National Weather Service is offering some reassurance amid cuts from the federal government. The local office tells WGNO it shouldn't affect its operations this hurricane season. 'Even with their shortage of manpower, the Weather Service is doing everything they can to maintain the quality of their forecast,' said Louisiana State Climatologist Jay Grymes. Just months after nearly 600 people were laid off at the National Weather Service, it was announced that over 100 jobs would be returning. Coastal isolated showers, storms for Thursdays along with triple digit heat index Grymes says even though it could take weeks or even months to fill the roles, he is thankful that cuts in Louisiana were not drastic. 'I don't expect to see much of a change in terms of manpower. We did pretty well on the front end in terms of that big reduction in force. I don't think we'll see huge impacts in terms of National Weather Service services for Louisiana through the hurricane season,' said Grymes. Across the country, weather balloons are being released to gather information. 'The whole point of doing two a day was to get the best picture possible in an economic and efficient way,' said Grymes. Although two are launched per day in Louisiana, Grymes says much of our state's weather starts in the west and northwest. Warm and muggy conditions continue, PM showers These are places where cuts have caused offices to launch one balloon daily. Grymes explains only time will tell how this could affect forecasts. 'Reducing the number of observations in the mid-levels of the atmosphere, it's going to bring the skill, the accuracy of the forecast down. What we can't say right now is how much it's going to bring that down,' said Grymes. Previously, in Louisiana, radars have gone down, which is why Grymes says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration checks them periodically, especially during hurricane season. 'They require, maintenance on a regular schedule, and then occasionally the radar will break down. Well, there is a unique group of electronic specialists in NOAA that handles that,' said Grymes. With an above-normal hurricane season ahead, Grymes and WGNO meteorologist Carrigan Chauvin say that even with the cuts, viewers can count on them. 'We have to be constantly communicating back and forth with each other to be able to provide the necessary key points to viewers, to residents, for what they need to know about storms on the way and, we have the manpower to forecast properly and to adapt properly to different circumstances and as a whole,' said Chauvin. Grymes says if you truly want to be prepared this hurricane season, make sure you have a plan for your family ahead of time.'Cheers' actor George Wendt's cause of death revealed: report Musk says Trump is named in Epstein files Aaron Rodgers plans to sign with Pittsburgh Steelers: reports Dr. Oz on Medicaid cuts: People should 'prove that you matter' National Weather Service hiring again following layoffs Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘Be ready': Louisiana Climatologist says above-average hurricane season likely
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana is less than a month away from hurricane season, and the state climatologist said an above-average stretch is likely. 'You need to be prepared,' said Jay Grymes, Louisiana's State Climatologist. Early forecasts from Colorado State University and others suggest at least 15 named storms could impact the United States from June 1 to Nov. 30. A portion of those will develop to Louisiana's south. 'Five or six storms in the Gulf of Mexico means there's a pretty good chance Louisiana has to deal with one,' Grymes said. Grymes said Louisiana is used to getting hammered by storms, and the state is doing a good job of getting the word out and responding when hurricanes make landfall. He said the last 24 years have spawned 29 named storms, which stands out when compared to previous stretches in the state's history. 'Twenty years is more than a blip,' Grymes said. 'The question becomes, is this the new norm?' Some industries are beginning to adapt to the possibility that it is. Construction is one. 'It's all about being proactive, being prepared,' said Rachael Gauthier, a meteorologist for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety Research (IBHS) in South Carolina. For more than a decade, IBHS scientists have studied how to strengthen building construction to handle strong storms. They run controlled tests against artificially-produced, hurricane-force winds, and they concluded the roof and garage door are the two biggest areas to focus on. The nonprofit has a program called 'FORTIFIED,' which includes recommendations to strengthen buildings to withstand Mother Nature. 'A big, important part of the fortified roof is just keeping the rain out,' Gauthier said. 'It also includes other things like special nailing patterns to keep the roof attached to your house.' Gauthier said a grant program called 'Louisiana Fortify Homes' could help qualified applicants afford to upgrade their roofs. People could pay as little as $500 under the right circumstances. 'If you qualify, you could receive up to $10,000 to upgrade your roof to a fortified roof,' Gauthier said. Gauthier said some easy ways to prepare are to trim overhanging tree branches, seal up cracks around windows and doors, and clean the gutters. 'You want any rain that hits your roof and goes into those gutters to be able to travel away from your house,' Gauthier said. Grymes said now is the time to start preparing. 'Be ready for at least one storm,' Grymes said. 'Be ready': Louisiana Climatologist says above-average hurricane season likely Three Democratic candidates running for House of Representatives seat People believe karma rewards them and punishes others: Study Elizabeth Smart kidnapper arrested after visiting Utah parks 16 facts about Zuckerberg's $500M superyacht in Hawaii waters Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Louisiana climatologist warns of flood threats from high Mississippi River levels
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana could see 'generational' flood threats as a result of excessive rain expected in the U.S., causing runoff to move down the Mississippi River. According to experts at the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center, portions of the Midwest and Mid-South are under a high risk of excessive rain with life-threatening flash flooding expected Friday afternoon through early Saturday and continuing through Sunday morning. 'This flooding event will be a marathon – not a sprint,' NWS wrote on X on April 3. Starting Saturday night, a severe weather threat with heavy rain, winds, and possible tornadoes is expected in the Baton Rouge area. State Climatologist Jay Grymes said a steady rise in the Mississippi River levels due to rain expected in the new few days could reach Baton Rouge and New Orleans by early to middle of next week. 'All gaging sites along the river in Louisiana will rise above flood stage. But remember, these stages do NOT take into account the protection of the levee system,' Grymes said. He said the latest 28-day forecast from the National Weather Service/Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center shows a rise at New Orleans continuing through April. He added that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could initiate the first flood fight phase around the middle of this month before possibly continuing to the second phase around April 22-25. In Baton Rouge, Grymes said the Mississippi River is expected to rise above flood stage (35 feet) in the next two weeks. He said there's a chance of the river climbing to or above 40 feet. 'That is still below the protection levels of BR's levees (~43-46 ft), but it is the highest the river has climbed for Baton Rouge since spring 2020,' Grymes said. Louisiana climatologist warns of flood threats from high Mississippi River levels USDA: Most states failing SNAP deadlines—but not Louisiana New Orleans nun who survived abduction in West Africa dies at 86 Trump administration weighs eliminating FEMA US must return Maryland father mistakenly deported to El Salvador prison, judge rules Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
