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Forbes
6 hours ago
- Climate
- Forbes
Northern Lights: These 8 States Could See Aurora Borealis Thursday
The northern lights could make an appearance in eight northern U.S. states Thursday night, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ahead of an expected much weaker auroral showing Friday night. The northern lights have a small chance at showing in eight U.S. states. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. NOAA issued a Kp index of three for Thursday, meaning potential aurora borealis viewers can expect a 'quiet' aurora that 'can be quite pleasing to look at' for people in the right areas. The curved viewing line for Thursday goes as far as the North Dakota-South Dakota border, giving viewers a better chance at seeing the northern lights the farther north they are from the line. The northern lights are not forecast to be visible in the contiguous U.S. on Friday night, when the viewing line will be hundreds of miles north of the U.S.-Canada border alongside a Kp index of one. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts : We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here . States and areas within Thursday's viewing line include the majority of Alaska, the northeastern tip of Washington, the northern tip of Idaho, the northeastern part of Montana, much of North Dakota, the northern half of Minnesota, the northern tip of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Thursday night's viewing line. NOAA Try to get a look at the northern lights between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. in places with clear skies and little to no light pollution. High vantage points can increase chances at seeing auroral activity. What's The Best Way To Photograph The Northern Lights? Smartphone users should avoid using flash and use night mode instead. Traditional camera users should use wide-angle lenses and low apertures while shooting. Tripods can help smartphones and cameras grab better photos. Key Background Auroral activity has been heightened since last year, when the sun reached the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, which is a catalyst for coronal mass ejections and solar flares that contribute to stronger auroral activity. In 2024, the sun produced the strongest northern lights showings in the last 500 years, leading to displays in all 50 states. NOAA and NASA project the heightened auroral activity to last into 2026. Northern Lights Displays Hit A 500-Year Peak In 2024—Here's Where You Could Catch Aurora Borealis In 2025 (Forbes)
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Timelapse video captures dramatic rise of glacial lakes in Alaska that prompted floods
Timelapse video captured the dramatic increase in water level at a glacial lake near Alaska's capital city of Juneau, which was bracing for flooding after a "glacial outburst" inundated a nearby river. It's the third consecutive year that significant summer glacial flooding has threatened parts of the city of more than 30,000, as authorities warned Wednesday morning, Aug. 13, that the Juneau area would remain in "major flood stage area for several more hours." Scientists say each flood, including the current one, were all due to climate change. Alaska is warming faster than any other state, and its many glaciers are among the fastest melting, or retreating, glaciers on Earth, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Watch: Timelapse video captures dramatic water level increase Video footage captured rising water levels from July into August at Mendenhall Lake and a lake roughly 2.5 miles north of Nugget Creek. 'Glacial outbursts' have become more common in area Glacial lake outburst floods in Mendenhall Valley, where the majority of Juneau resides, have become a yearly occurrence since 2011, NOAA scientists say, as a once ice-covered basin formed from a retreating glacier above the city regularly fills with rain and snowmelt, similar to a lake. In this case, the Mendenhall Glacier north of Juneau acts as an ice dam for the meltwater that fills the basin, named Suicide Basin, but fails each summer amid higher temperatures. It gives way and sends waters that have collected in the Suicide Basin to drain past the glacial dam and empty into Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall River, increasingly leading to major flooding. As of the latest updates from the National Weather Service, Mendenhall River levels surpassed what was seen in 2023 and 2024, when a similiar glacial lake outburst flood, or GLOF, events set records and damaged dozens of homes and structures. As of 8:30 a.m. local time, the river stood at 15.92 feet and was falling after reaching 16.65 feet about an hour prior, according to monitors at the National Weather Service. City officials said in a statement that affected areas downriver would remain in major flood stage area for several more hours. City officials said in statements to social media that power has been cut to swaths of the city and said it will be restored once flood waters recede. During the 2023 flood, Mendenhall Lake reached a peak water level of 15 feet, and in 2024, it rose a foot higher to 16 feet. In the 2024 flood, which broke records at the time, scientists with the the University of Alaska and the U.S. Geological Survey said river flow jumped to 42,000 cubic feet per second − a 25% increase − about half the flow rate of Niagara Falls. Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a preemptive disaster declaration on Aug. 10, citing the devastation caused by "glacial outbursts" in 2023 and 2024. Juneau city officials, with federal assistance, installed emergency flood barriers over the past year along more than two miles of riverbanks in areas considered most at risk of overflowing from these glacial lake outburst floods. Although the new barriers are designed to hold back a flood of this potential magnitude, officials asked some residents to evacuate as a precaution. Official updates and resources are available at and mergency preparedness information can be found at Contributing: Trevor Hughes and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; Reuters Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timelapse video shows glacier lakes rise, causing Juneau floods Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
a day ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Tropical Storm Erin set to intensify into Hurricane - Check path, landfall location, weather forecast
Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said they expect it to be an above-average Atlantic hurricane season, with up to 18 total named storms by the time the it ends in November. A typical season has 14 named storms. This image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Tropical Storm Erin on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. (NOAA via AP) Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs There was cautious relief Wednesday as the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center showed a clearer picture of the path Tropical Storm Erin is expected to take over the next few days. By Friday, the storm is expected to intensify into the Atlantic season's first hurricane of the year and to pass north of the Caribbean Islands this weekend. But the models forecasters use to predict where a storm goes are starting to suggest it is likely to curve away from the East Coast of the United States early next remain cautious that the storm's trajectory could still warning or watches have been issued, but swells, which can produce dangerous rip currents, are expected to affect the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by the at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said they expect it to be an above-average Atlantic hurricane season, with up to 18 total named storms by the time the it ends in November. A typical season has 14 named Trump administration has slashed the number of employees at many of the agencies traditionally responsible for planning for and responding to natural disasters, including NOAA, the National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. So far, it is unclear how those cuts might affect the accuracy of forecasts. The weather service may begin hiring again soon.A1. A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone—a powerful storm system that forms over warm ocean waters, typically in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific.A2. Hurricanes develop when warm, moist air rises from the ocean surface, creating low pressure beneath. As this air continues to rise and cool, it forms clouds and thunderstorms. If conditions are right (including low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures), the system can grow into a hurricane with sustained winds of at least 74 mph (119 km/h).
USA Today
a day ago
- Climate
- USA Today
When does the first hurricane usually form? See charts
Tropical Storm Erin continues to travel west and is on track to become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season by the end of this week, the National Hurricane Center said. Typically, the first hurricane of the season forms in July or August, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Nearly 60 years of data shows that the average date of the first hurricane is Aug. 11. Colorado State University predicts 16 named storms and eight hurricanes to develop over the next three months – slightly above average for the season. Here's what you need to know about the Atlantic hurricane season and when it generally starts picking up. Tropical Storm Erin tracker: Storm to become major hurricane soon August is most common month for the first hurricane of the year The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1 and will last through the end of November. Data from NOAA analyzed by shows that since 1966, the first Atlantic hurricane of the season formed in August in 24 of the past 59 years. NOAA began full satellite coverage of the Atlantic Basin in 1966. Two hurricanes have developed out of hurricanes season: 1970 had it's first hurricane on May 20, 1970, and in 2016, the first hurricane formed on Jan. 14. Hurricane season: Forecasters predict an above-average hurricane season as Atlantic waters heat up. How do hurricanes form? Hurricanes are born in the tropics, above warm water. Clusters of thunderstorms can develop over the ocean when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression. A tropical depression becomes a named tropical storm once its sustained wind speeds reaches 39 mph. When its winds reach 74 mph, the storm officially becomes a hurricane. The ramp-up to a busy hurricane season Aug. 6-19 typically marks the beginning of the ramp-up for Atlantic tropical cyclone activity. The primary formation area for major hurricanes in early to mid-August is in the tropical Atlantic, east of the Lesser Antilles. Generally, earlier-season hurricanes form in the western Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean Sea, matching the areas that are favorable for development in June or early July, The Weather Channel reported. How can you prepare for hurricane season? For more suggestions, visit NOAA's hurricane preparations page. Contributing: Doyle Rice, Gabe Hauari
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Timelapse video captures dramatic rise of glacial lakes in Alaska that prompted floods
Timelapse video captured the dramatic increase in water level at a glacial lake near Alaska's capital city of Juneau, which was bracing for flooding after a "glacial outburst" inundated a nearby river. It's the third consecutive year that significant summer glacial flooding has threatened parts of the city of more than 30,000, as authorities warned Wednesday morning, Aug. 13, that the Juneau area would remain in "major flood stage area for several more hours." Scientists say each flood, including the current one, were all due to climate change. Alaska is warming faster than any other state, and its many glaciers are among the fastest melting, or retreating, glaciers on Earth, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Watch: Timelapse video captures dramatic water level increase Video footage captured rising water levels from July into August at Mendenhall Lake and a lake roughly 2.5 miles north of Nugget Creek. 'Glacial outbursts' have become more common in area Glacial lake outburst floods in Mendenhall Valley, where the majority of Juneau resides, have become a yearly occurrence since 2011, NOAA scientists say, as a once ice-covered basin formed from a retreating glacier above the city regularly fills with rain and snowmelt, similar to a lake. In this case, the Mendenhall Glacier north of Juneau acts as an ice dam for the meltwater that fills the basin, named Suicide Basin, but fails each summer amid higher temperatures. It gives way and sends waters that have collected in the Suicide Basin to drain past the glacial dam and empty into Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall River, increasingly leading to major flooding. As of the latest updates from the National Weather Service, Mendenhall River levels surpassed what was seen in 2023 and 2024, when a similiar glacial lake outburst flood, or GLOF, events set records and damaged dozens of homes and structures. As of 8:30 a.m. local time, the river stood at 15.92 feet and was falling after reaching 16.65 feet about an hour prior, according to monitors at the National Weather Service. City officials said in a statement that affected areas downriver would remain in major flood stage area for several more hours. City officials said in statements to social media that power has been cut to swaths of the city and said it will be restored once flood waters recede. During the 2023 flood, Mendenhall Lake reached a peak water level of 15 feet, and in 2024, it rose a foot higher to 16 feet. In the 2024 flood, which broke records at the time, scientists with the the University of Alaska and the U.S. Geological Survey said river flow jumped to 42,000 cubic feet per second − a 25% increase − about half the flow rate of Niagara Falls. Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a preemptive disaster declaration on Aug. 10, citing the devastation caused by "glacial outbursts" in 2023 and 2024. Juneau city officials, with federal assistance, installed emergency flood barriers over the past year along more than two miles of riverbanks in areas considered most at risk of overflowing from these glacial lake outburst floods. Although the new barriers are designed to hold back a flood of this potential magnitude, officials asked some residents to evacuate as a precaution. Official updates and resources are available at and mergency preparedness information can be found at Contributing: Trevor Hughes and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; Reuters Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timelapse video shows glacier lakes rise, causing Juneau floods
