Latest news with #NationalWeatherservice
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wichita metro area under flood warning. Here's how much rain has fallen, forecast
Drivers in the Wichita metro area are being asked to take caution Tuesday afternoon after heavy rainfall flooded streets and intersections. Shortly after 5 p.m., the Kansas Department of Transportation said drivers on Kellogg in Wichita should 'be aware that flooding has impacted multiple ramps in eastbound and westbound directions.' No ramps were closed, but KDOT said conditions could change rapidly. Just before 5, the National Weather service issued an updated flood warning effective until 11 p.m. for Wichita, Derby, El Dorado, Andover, Haysville, Augusta, Park City, Valley Center, Bel Aire, Goddard, Rose Hill, Maize, Towanda, Colwich, Benton, Kechi and Eastborough. The weather service initially issued at flood warning at 10 a.m. and later added a flash flood warning for southeastern Sedgwick County until 5:45 p.m. 'At 133 PM CDT, local law enforcement reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 4inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for along and east of I-135 in downtown Wichita into East Wichita. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!' the warning said. Areas that could have flash flooding include Wichita, Andover, Haysville, Bel Aire, Eastborough, east Wichita, McConnell Air Force Base, northeast Wichita, south Wichita, Jabara Airport and Oaklawn. In late morning, Valley Center Police chief Lloyd Newman said that officers and firefighters were out responding to stalled cars, and that a majority of the city's streets were flooded. He urged residents to not go out in their vehicles. 'Water's backed up on probably a majority of our streets, certainly on the east side of town,' Newman said over the phone. 'I think the storm drains are just having trouble keeping up with this amount of rain.' Over the past 12 hours, Valley Center had received 4.37 inches of rainfall, with 3.24 inches of that picked up over a three-hour period, National Weather Service Wichita meteorologist William Iwasko said at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. During the same time period, Wichita saw 0.96 inches of rainfall and minimal flooding. Just southeast of Valley Center, Park City closed off Broadway in front of 81 Speedway and south of 77th street because of high water, the city said in a social media post. 'Please be aware of the high water throughout the city, and do not drive into it,' the city said. Wednesday should offer a break from the rain with a sunny high between 73 and 77 degrees. Off-and-on chances for showers and thunderstorms will persist Thursday and into the weekend, but Iwakso said the heaviest rainfall was expected to end Tuesday. 'Tomorrow [Wednesday] during the daylight hours will be beautiful,' Iwasko said. Riverfest delayed Tuesday's events and activities due to the weather, but is updating festival-goers on its social platforms.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NOAA just released its 2025 hurricane forecast. Here's what to know.
As Tampa Bay continues to lick its wounds from last year's devastating hurricane season, storm experts Thursday said to gear up for what could be another active season. Hurricane experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said they are expecting an above normal Atlantic hurricane season. The agency said it is anticipating up 13 to 19 named storms, of which six to 10 could become hurricanes and three to five could ramp up into a major hurricane, a Category 3 storm or higher. Forecasters expect a 60% chance of an above normal season, a 30% chance of a near normal season and just a 10% chance of below normal season. The official start of the Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1. A typical hurricane season consists of 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The forecast, while still above normal, is not as fierce as last year's outlook, when the agency released its most aggressive preseason forecast in its history, which was driven by extreme ocean heat and a budding La Niña. 'Every thing is in place for an above average season,' said Ken Graham, the director of the National Weather service. 'What do we always say? It only takes one.' The 2025 federal outlook aligns with other early season forecasts released last month. Colorado State University, a school renowned for its hurricane research, said in April it expects 'above-normal' tropical activity this year. The university's early-season prediction stemmed from warm sea-surface temperatures, and the potential for conditions that kindle tropical activity. 'Forecasting the future is hard, whether you're forecasting weather, whether you're forecasting sporting events, political races, all that stuff,' Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at the university, said at the time. 'But we also find that you can see a lot by looking, basically by going back into the past,' Klotzbach said. 'There are clues in the atmosphere and ocean system that can tip us off as to whether the current hurricane season is going to have above or below normal activity.' • • • For Tampa Bay, Helene was the worst storm in a century More hurricanes are slamming the Gulf Coast. Is this the new normal? Want to know what areas are flooding in Tampa Bay? Here's where to look. Checklists for building all kinds of storm kits.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Weekend starting off sunny and dry, but expected to shift Sunday
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The week is ending on a high note! Temperatures are expected to reach the mid seventies today, with tomorrow almost hitting the eighties. Tonight, conditions will remain clear. Temperatures will get down to the mid forties, with only the slightest of breezes in the Grand Valley throughout the day. However, a shift in the weather is coming Saturday evening, so be prepared for a rainy start to next and thunderstorm activity will be more isolated across the southern mountains of Colorado this afternoon as drier and warmer air takes hold. Another weak disturbance and increasing moisture aloft will lift into the area Saturday afternoon and bring an uptick of showers and thunderstorms to the southern third of the County Watch Area. A bigger more impactful system arrives Sunday and beyond, bringing cooler temperatures and widespread precipitation to start the work week. High elevation snow and widespread shower and thunderstorm activity is expected well into early next coming from the north are not expected to hit the southern Colorado mountains this afternoon. Temperatures will be higher than average as dry air and sunny skies barrel down on the region. As the system that is protecting western Colorado slowly gets overtaken by the closed low coming in from the Pacific Northwest, a shift in conditions will cause some heavy potential for showers and thunderstorms to kick off Sunday and Monday, with chances for snow in the higher elevations also this system approaches moisture advection will raise precipitable water values to above normal across the region. The National Weather service says peak anomalies will be around 175 to 200 percent of normal looking possible Sunday afternoon and evening. As of right now, it seems as though that weather may be sticking around until at least Tuesday or Wednesday. Below normal temperatures can be expected through much of next week before rebounding late in the week. The shower activity has ended for the night and will not return until tomorrow afternoon over the southern mountains and adjacent expect a gorgeous day today and a great start to the weekend! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders helping tornado victims in Diaz
DIAZ, Ark. – Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will visit Diaz Thursday morning to help those affected by tornado damage. Sanders will sit with local leadership officials at the city hall to put together supply boxes for residents. Diaz community rebuilding after EF-4 tornado This comes after the city saw an EF-4 tornado during Friday's severe weather storm. National Weather service officials said the tornado had estimated peak winds of 190 mph, leaving the community broken. The governor will be in Diaz at 10:45 a.m. A live stream will be available in the player above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Will aurora borealis fill the Lower Hudson Valley's skies this spring? What we learned
Will we see the northern lights — aurora borealis — paint the Lower Hudson Valley skies this spring? It's conceivable, but a strong solar storm would be needed to make it more likely, said Shawn Dahl, a Space Weather Prediction Center service forecaster. Being farther from city lights would be crucial, too. March 20 is the spring, or vernal, equinox and 'some solar features and activity can become more pronounced during/around the equinoxes,' Dahl said. One such is called a Coronal Hole High Speed Stream. A moderately sized one recently rotated past the sun's central meridian, and the CH's high speed stream is anticipated to reach Earth by Saturday, March 8, Dahl said. 'This means the potential for enhanced geomagnetic activity on 8-9 March,' but the forecast is for likely a minor storm going into the weekend, he explained. It's worth monitoring the real-time solar wind situation on the Space Weather Prediction Center's website, Dahl said. How does an aurora become visible? Atoms in air molecules in Earth's magnetic field are stimulated when charged electrons from the sun collide with them, USA TODAY reported. When the particle stream from the sun interacts with gases in the planet's magnetic field, stunning auroras are produced. Green and red light are emitted by oxygen, while nitrogen is blue and purple. During March and September equinoxes, Earth's axis is parallel to the sun's. Magnetic fields of Earth and the solar wind momentarily coincide, creating "cracks" that allow charged particles to accelerate and intensify northern light displays, according to USA TODAY. Some forecasts give a general idea of what might be possible in the skies many days from now, but things can change significantly between now and then. The geomagnetic activity expected March 8 and 9 is likely 'not normally enough to spin up the aurora visibility odds in (the Lower Hudson Valley) area of New York,' he said. Dahl said clear and dry atmospheric skies are best for fainter auroras to be seen (according to the National Weather service, "mostly clear" skies are in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday nights in the Lower Hudson Valley). But as long as things are mainly cloud-free in the sky's northern areas, and geomagnetic conditions are enhanced enough and favorable, 'then the aurora might be seen or at least captured on digital technologies.' Contributing: USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Will we be able to see northern lights over Hudson Valley NY March 8?
