Latest news with #Lyden
Time of India
2 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Auckland rush hour turns into traffic nightmare as severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and 27km gridlock paralyze the city
A familiar commute turned into a nightmare for thousands of Auckland drivers on Monday(June 9) as severe weather and gridlocked traffic collided during the evening rush. From Papakura to Bombay, a 27‑kilometre crawl dominated the Southern Motorway. Normally a 28‑minute trip, commuters spent nearly three hours in their vehicles as a truck spill briefly shut all lanes south of the city. Across the city, even trips from Te Atatū to Manukau, a typical 22‑minute drive, stretched past two hours. Severe thunderstorm watch by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What Happens When You Massage Baking Soda Into Your Scalp Read More This gridlock coincided with a Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued by MetService , covering Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel, Waikato, Waitomo, and Taranaki until midnight. Meteorologist Devlin Lyden warned of a 'solid band' of storms, drifting in from the northwest at a rate of 25–40 mm/h, enough to trigger flash flooding, slips, and power outages. 'It's one solid slap,' Lyden said, though he cautioned that smaller storm cells could follow the main front. Live Events The peak hit Auckland and the Waikato around 6 pm, and this evening's rush intersected with the worst of it. Drivers described scenes of near‑standstill traffic, walls of water, and wipers struggling to clear drenched windshields. Motorists urged caution: 'If you're on the roads, drive to the conditions… maybe try and delay travel,' Lyden advised. This storm system comes on the heels of an earlier one that disrupted flights at Auckland Airport, canceling 15 domestic flights and delaying 30 more amid heavy fog. NIWA confirmed over 5,000 lightning strikes in the upper North Island last weekend; after one storm clears, others are likely to follow. Why should everyone pay attention? Safety first: Flash flooding can launch cars into streams, and gusty winds could topple tree branches Unpredictable timing: Forecasts say the heaviest rain will hit during peak commuting hours, so it's not just about inconvenience—it's a genuinely hazardous road environment. Previous floods: Auckland's worst‑ever floods in early 2023 caused mass evacuations, infrastructure damage, and lasting community trauma. Aucklanders are urged to stay weather-aware, allow extra travel time, avoid flash‑flood zones, and take forecasts seriously to avoid repeating costly mistakes.
CBS News
01-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Gopher gymnastics heads to NCAA Regionals in Salt Lake City as No. 12 seed
The Gopher gymnastics team spent Monday morning hard at work, preparing for the NCAA Salt Lake Regionals. They have dominated in the regular season winning 15 of their 18 meets. The team hopes to continue that momentum to propel them to the top of a competitive regionals against No. 5 UCLA, No. 23 Southern Utah and Boise State. "We're a climbing team. We get better each every week," said Mya Hooten, a 5th year senior on the Gopher gymnastics team. "All we've been saying is: it's just us out there. If we just focus on us and do our best, the results will show." Many will have their eyes on Hooten at regionals as she is one of the best gymnasts to come through Minnesota's program. This year, she earned her 12th All-American title, making the floor second team. It's one of her specialties, leading the Gophers in scoring on the floor and vault. "It's kind of an out of body experience, when you're out there and the crowd is just cheering for you, it's the best feeling in the world," said Hooten. The Woodbury native is rounding out her college career with six Big Ten championships, and having earned a perfect 10 score nine times. Even with all the individual accolades, she still focuses on others. "I love [the recognition], but I care more about winning as a team, and caring for my team and being there for my team. I just love my team. That's it," said Hooten. Another Gopher adding to the team's all around succes is Stillwater native and sophmore, Jordyn Lyden. She leads the team in scoring on the uneven bars and the beam. She also earned her first Big Ten honors this season. "I really enjoy pressure and I'm a really competitive person, so I love being up there and doing that," said Lyden. This team believes that a ranking doesn't control their outcome going forward. "We are underdogs and I feel like we always kind of are. It drives us," said Lyden. The Gophers need to finish as one of the top two teams this weekend in order to secure their spot at nationals. They will compete on April 3. The top two finishers from regional finals will compete for the national title in Dallas, April 17-19. If the Gophers are knocked out, individual gymnasts can still qualify to compete at nationals.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Salem father of three presumed dead in DC airline crash
Salem — Residents in Salem are mourning the loss of local youth soccer coach Casey Crafton, a father of three who is presumed to be one of the 67 people killed when a passenger jet collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Kevin Lyden, a family friend of the Crafton-Gadbois family and a member of the town's Board of Selectman said his tight knit community is struggling with the news. Lyden said townspeople are pulling together to provide any support they can for Crafton's wife, Rachel Crafton-Gadbois and her three young children. He's a wonderful member of our community, part of the Gadbois clan, a wonderful family. Our hearts go out to his family and any support that Rachel, his wife, and children need, the entire town will provide and will be glad to help," Lyden said. "It's a very, very tragic incident. We just have to be supportive. God bless them all." Crafton was a member of the town's recreation commission, Little League and a youth soccer coach in Montville. Lyden said people are coordinating meals for the family and in the process of organizing a fundraiser. "People want to show their support in town and there needs to be various ways to do it,' Lyden said. 'Being part of a small community, this touches everyone. It just makes you cry,' Lyden said. Crafton is among several people with Connecticut ties who were aboard the American Airlines flight that collided with the Army helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. There were 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the American Airlines plane coming from Wichita, Kansas, and three soldiers aboard the helicopter. The passengers of the plane included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members returning from a development camp that followed the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, the Associated Press reported. Tributes and condolences for Crafton have flooded social media. Montville youth soccer posted on Facebook: 'Coach Casey was a valued volunteer with Montville Youth Soccer who helped to enrich the lives of all those that he came in contact with. Our deepest condolences go out to his family during this tragic time.' A fundraiser to benefit Crafton's family is available at: The message with the fundraiser reads: "Please help Rachel and her three boys Greyson, Easton, and Knox as they grieve the loss of a loving husband and father Casey Crafton who tragically passed away in the recent DC plane crash on January 29, 2025. In a message on X, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont wrote: 'Salem has lost a dedicated father, husband, and community member. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.' A number of local groups, officials and residents including the The Salem Little League and Salem CT Seniors shared Facebook posts Thursday afternoon with the following message: "Our small town is heartbroken by a devastating tragedy involving one of our beloved Little League members. The Crafton family, deeply involved in all things Salem, has suffered an unimaginable loss. With heavy hearts, we share the news that Casey Crafton tragically passed away in the horrific airline crash in Washington DC. Please keep his family close to your hearts and in your prayers during this difficult time." According to his LinkedIn page, Crafton is a technical services manager for Guardian Jet LLC, a Guilford firm that finds, finds, buys, sells and appraises jet aircraft. A spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment on Friday. The Bob Jones University Alumni Facebook page lists Crafton as a 2008 graduate in Aviation Management. Crafton's wife is also listed as a 2008 graduate. "Please pray for Rachel, their 3 young sons and the rest of the family as they grieve the loss of Casey, the post reads. This is a developing story.
