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<div>Lucy is originally from the Boston area but has spent the last four years forecasting and living in Colorado! She stayed in the northeast for her education, graduating Summa Cum Laude from SUNY Oswego with a B.S. in Meteorology. Just a few days after graduation, she made the cross country move to Colorado Springs, CO to begin her career at KKTV, the CBS affiliate. Lucy has covered historic blizzards, tornadoes, windstorms, the largest wildfires in Colorado state history and dust storms ... they truly "get it all" in Colorado! Lucy is excited to forecast on a national level and continue her passion of explaining the science behind the weather!</div>
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Lucy Bergemann

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Artist's concept of the NOAA Gulfstream G550. (Image credit: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation)The Hurricane Hunter fleet is getting an upgrade. NOAA announced Tuesday, July 16th, that it is awarding a 106 million dollar contract to Gulfstream Aerospace Company for a fully modified G550 aircraft that will measure the atmosphere around hurricanes and tropical storms starting in 2028. The aircraft is the second that NOAA has purchased from Gulfstream since 2019, with the first G550 to be delivered and operational in Spring 2025. The pair of new aircraft are replacements to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.omao.noaa.gov/aircraft-operations/noaa-hurricane-hunters">NOAA Hurricane Hunter fleet</a>, the Gulfstream IV-SP, operational since 1996. The Gulfstream IV-SP can, "fly high, fast and far with a range of 4,000 nautical miles and a cruising altitude of 45,000 ft., paint[ing] a detailed picture of weather systems in the upper atmosphere surrounding developing hurricanes." The aircraft also support a range of atmospheric missions, especially those over open waters where sensing of weather conditions is lacking. <div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1813271122076705247" src="https://x.com/NOAA_HurrHunter/status/1813271122076705247?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet"></div>Other aircraft in NOAA's hurricane aircraft fleet include two Lockheed Martin P-3 Orions which fly directly into hurricanes to measure the atmospheric composition. The three NOAA aircraft, together with the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.403wg.afrc.af.mil/About/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/192529/53rd-weather-reconnaissance-squadron-hurricane-hunters/">United States Air Force (USAF) 53rd Weather Reconssiance Squadron</a> based out of Biloxi, MS measure hurricanes and tropical storm conditions throughout the tropical season to bring valuable information to forecasters on land about storm strength, wind speed and motion. According to NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., “These new state-of-the-art aircraft will greatly enhance NOAA’s ability to gather data critical to hurricane research and forecasting, atmospheric river research and forecasting, climate studies, and other missions.” Sensors on the new Gulfstream 550 include a tail-mounted Doppler Radar System and will be able to fly at an altitude 6,000 feet higher than their predecessor. Better measurement from these aircraft will help forecasters improve intensity and track forecasts as well as provide the public with longer forecast lead times ahead of the storm.

New Aircraft Set to Join Hurricane Hunter Fleet

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If you had the feeling the start of the summer season has been busy from a weather standpoint, you'd be correct. NOAA and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Climate.gov">Climate.gov</a> have released their <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/features/us-climate-summary-june-2024">summary for June</a> including major weather events and additions to the Billion Dollar Disasters. In June, 4 new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/">Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters</a> were added to 2024, bringing the year-to-date total to 15 disasters. According to NOAA, the four confirmed billion-dollar disasters "include[e] two hail events that impacted Texas and Colorado at the end of April and end of May, respectively, one severe weather event that impacted the central, southern, and eastern U.S. in mid-May and a tornado outbreak that impacted portions of the Central U.S. in mid-May.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/07/billions-1720813584259.png"> Additional possible billion-dollar disasters from June and July are as follows:<ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Central Severe Weather</a>: Hail storms, high wind and tornadoes impact several central states on June 12-13.</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/a-foot-of-rain-leads-to-river-flooding-in-the-plains">High Plains and Midwest Flooding</a> in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/over-2-million-without-power-in-texas-from-hurricane-beryl">Hurricane Beryl</a> in late June and early July. Beryl became the earliest Category 5 storm ever on record and the first Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic Basin ever in June. </li></ul>The month of June was also extremely toasty with an average temperature in the lower 48 of 71.8°F, 3.4°F above average. This makes June 2024 the second warmest June in 130 years of record keeping. There were heat waves in the Southwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/07/us-climate-summary-june-temperature-anomalies-2024-07-11-1720813584257.png">Other notable weather events during June included the deadly South Fork Fire that forced the evacuation of the entire town of Ruidoso, NM, and claimed two lives. The fire was started by lightning. Tropical storm Alberto impacted far south Texas and northern Mexico with heavy rainfall, storm surge and damaging winds. According to NOAA, "Some Texas communities saw nearly three times their June average for rainfall over 48 hours from Tropical Storm Alberto, including the Gulf Coast-area city of Rockport, Texas, which received 9.97 inches of rain from the storm; its June average is 3.66 inches. Similarly, Alice, Texas, received 6.57 inches of rain—nearly triple its June average of 2.32 inches."The Lone Star State had its fair share of busy weather in June; early in the month huge hail struck the state. On June 2nd a hailstone over 6.25 inches in diameter hit the Texas Panhandle — this could be the new state record for largest hail diameter.

June Weather Recap: Active Start to the Summer

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The Dog Days of Summer officially began on July 3rd and continues through August 11th and is typically used to describe the most oppressive stretch of the summer in the Northern Hemisphere. However, you may be surprised to learn where it originated for the answer.&nbsp;We look to the stars during this time of the year, the sun occupies the same region as Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Major giving it the nickname of the "dog star", derived from the Greek word for scorching. The star is so bright that the ancient Greeks and Romans believed it gave off heat and added notable amounts of energy to the sun's warmth.&nbsp;&nbsp;On July 23 Sirius is in perfect synchrony with the sun. The "Dog Days" of summer classify the 20 days before and after this alignment, and the period typically turns out to be the hottest stretch of the summer. The extra heat has nothing to do with added energy from Sirius. In fact, because of how far away the star is its energy contribution is only about one billion of what the sun provides!<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m0K-EW7IBAQ" start="0"></iframe></div>If you're looking to protect your actual dogs (and cats) from the heat, here are a few tips to help our four-legged friends stay safe during the blistering heat.&nbsp;&nbsp;While pet paws are built to withstand tough walking surfaces, summer temperatures can make the ground too hot for walks. At an air temperature of 80 asphalt heats up to over 115 degrees. Opt for walks in the early morning hours or after sundown when the sidewalks are cooler. If you can’t wait, walk your pup on grassy surfaces or invest in booties to protect your pet’s feet.&nbsp;The inside of a car can also climb to over 100 degrees in just 10 minutes. Don’t leave your furry friend in the car and always look before you lock!If you’re thinking about giving your pet a summer haircut to ditch their winter coat, you might think again. According to veterinarian Dr. Barb Cardwell, “shaving is a no-no. You never want to shave your dog down to the skin. Now you can certainly trim them and decrease some of the fluff but the fur that they have is there for a reason and even the thicker coated breeds will trap a layer of cooler air at the surface of the skin and for about a half an inch or so from that surface outward that will help them maintain a cooler body temperature."&nbsp;It’s important to know the signs of overheating. If your pet displays any symptoms, move them to a cooler space and consult a vet immediately. Keeping your pets cool with plenty of fresh water and time in the shade or A/C will help both of you enjoy the summertime season.&nbsp;

Dog Days of Summer Underway

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Rob grew up in South Florida, where daily afternoon storms and hurricanes piqued his interest in meteorology early on. That interest was fostered by his teachers and his father, who one time brought him onto the roof of their home to watch a funnel cloud move through the Everglades several miles away. Years of filmmaking and tv production in high school gradually pushed him toward broadcast meteorology at Florida State University, where he joined and eventually led the student run daily weather show. After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Meteorology, he began his career at KESQ in Palm Springs, California before heading to KFSN in Fresno and WLOS in Asheville, North Carolina. He has covered a diverse array of extreme weather events, including haboobs and flash flooding in the desert, extreme snow in the Sierra, hurricanes, and Appalachian ice storms. He also enjoys telling stories and reporting about weather issues.

Connect with Rob on <a href="https://twitter.com/WxRobBradley">Twitter</a>

Rob Bradley

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The James Webb Telescope is celebrating two years of scientific operations with an incredible new image of two galaxies interacting 326 million light years away! We spoke to the project scientist for James Webb, Amber Straughn, Ph.D., about what Webb the image and what else Webb has discovered. <div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JfyWt0RD6Tw" start="0"></iframe></div> Webb, the world's largest and most powerful space telescope, was launched in 2021, but first began operating on July 12th, 2022, after the telescope unfolded from its compact launch fold, taking many months to calibrate its advanced tools. Since becoming operational, James Webb has been peering farther into space and time then previously possible, helping NASA unlock early mysteries of the universe. By looking farther and farther away from earth, James Webb peers through time due to the delay of light reaching earth from galaxies billions of light years away. This helps scientists see what the universe looked like during it's earliest stages of formation and expansion. This includes Webb's most recently released image of galaxies swirling around one another. Here is NASA's description of this incredible new image: "The distorted spiral galaxy at center, the Penguin, and the compact elliptical at left, the Egg, are locked in an active embrace. This near- and mid-infrared image combines data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), and marks the telescope’s second year of science. Webb’s view shows that their interaction is marked by a glow of scattered stars represented in blue. Known jointly as Arp 142, the galaxies made their first pass by one another between 25 and 75 million years ago, causing “fireworks,” or new star formation, in the Penguin. The galaxies are approximately the same mass, which is why one hasn’t consumed the other." A video breakdown of the image with incredible insight has been released to accompany the image. You can watch that below:<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SQ2jLnq_Gj8" start="0"></iframe></div> For more information about the image and the James Webb Space Telescope, visit the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/vivid-portrait-of-interacting-galaxies-marks-webbs-second-anniversary/">James Webb mission page</a>.

Jesse Kelley

James Webb Telescope Celebrates 2 Years of Operations with a New Image of Distant Galaxies

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The Aurora Borealis may be visible tonight for those in the far northern latitudes of the United States, along the Canadian border. Auroras are ribbons of brilliant light that usually appear around the northern latitudes when charged particles from the sun hit Earth's magnetic field. The particles shed energy as they collide with our atmospheric gasses, giving the aurora a spectacular glow of colors. Aurora Borealis is seen away from our poles and over the northern latitudes during stronger solar events. The aurora was visible in New York on Thursday night and will be again tonight!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/aurora-1719610488503.jpg">Earlier Friday there was a level 4 out of 5 geomagnetic storm impacting the Earth, but due to the daylight hours across the eastern hemisphere, we did not get to see impacts from an aurora. Geomagnetic conditions have decreased to a level 1 for tonight. A G1 geomagnetic storm can lead to weak power grid fluctuations, minor satellite impacts, and impacts on migratory animals. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/spwx-1719610433065.jpg">According to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, "The increased geomagnetic activity was in response to the arrival of a coronal mass ejection (CME) that departed the Sun on June 25th. The CME was associated with a large filament eruption and analysis indicated a possible Earth arrival as a glancing blow today. Indeed, a disturbance in the solar wind was observed by an observation satellite one million miles from Earth at 5:12am EDT. This was the leading edge of the CME and when it arrived at Earth, geomagnetic conditions quickly intensified and eventually reached G3 levels. The G3 Warning is in effect until 5:00pm EDT [Friday]."<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1806697729248182470" src="https://x.com/NWSSWPC/status/1806697729248182470"></div>So how are the conditions for viewing what is left of the geomagnetic storm? There will be a decent amount of cloud cover over the Great Lakes and Dakotas limiting viewing. The best opportunity for clear skies will be through Montana and northern Idaho. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/aurora forecast-1719610266920.jpg">

Aurora Visible Friday Night in North America

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Did you know, that National Sunglasses Day is Thursday, June 27th? This is held every year by the Vision Council, a leading advocate for the optical industry to encourage people to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Just as you wear sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, sunglasses protect your eyes from damage. You can participate in the celebration by posting a selife with your shades on and including the hashtag #NationalSunglassesDay.According to the Vision Council, UV rays "can have damaging long and short-term impacts on vision and quality of life." Sunglasses not only protect your eyes from UV rays but also can protect them during outdoor physical activities. According to The National Institute of Health’s National Eye Institute, "30,000 sports-related eye injuries in the United States each year require a trip to the emergency room [and] Almost 90 percent of eye injuries are preventable with proper eye protection."<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1803839669869650385" src="https://x.com/opticalindustry/status/1803839669869650385"></div>For when you may need your Sunglasses, join WeatherNation for the latest forecasts covering coast-to-coast weather conditions!

National Sunglasses Day - Thursday, June 27th

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WeatherNation Meteorologists

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Mission Success! The GOES-U Satellite had a successful launch aboard SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket Tuesday, June 25th. The two-hour launch window opened at 5:16 PM ET, and with a 10 minute weather delay, liftoff occurred at 5:26 PM ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/VO_062524_RSE_CAPE CANAVERAL, FL_LIFT OFF ON GOES-U_NASA_JK_E062524-1719362902325.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>This is the fourth and final satellite to launch in NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R (GOES-R) series. The launch team confirmed the satellite’s solar array panels have deployed, and GOES-U is operating under its own power.&nbsp;&nbsp; After about two weeks, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaas-goes-u-heads-to-orbit-for-historic-mission">GOES-U will reach orbit more than 22 thousand miles above Earth and will be renamed GOES-19</a>. It will then take about a year to test and confirm instrumentation before shifting to the GOES-East position and replacing GOES-16 over the eastern half of the United States. GOES-16 will remain a backup satellite.&nbsp;&nbsp;Together with GOES-18 over the western U.S., the two satellites will cover half the planet: from the west coast of Africa to New Zealand. They will provide real-time updates of weather and atmospheric conditions in as little as 30 seconds. &nbsp;<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wtxna3nAk6s" start="0"></iframe></div>Technology onboard GOES-U will gather data for hurricane track and intensity forecasts, early warning of severe storms, fire detection, sea surface conditions and much more. It has the same six instruments as the previous four GOES satellites but one new instrument too. GOES-U is equipped with the first operational compact coronagraph to help detect space weather and aid in early warnings for Earth impacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;<ol><li>Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI): &nbsp;Primary on-board instrument for monitoring Earth's weather, ocean, and environment. &nbsp;</li></ol><ol start="2"><li>Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM):&nbsp;operational lightning mapper to help with lightning detection and intensification of storms &nbsp;</li></ol><ol start="3"><li>X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS):&nbsp;provide imaging of the sun and detection of solar flares&nbsp;</li></ol><ol start="4"><li>Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI)&nbsp;</li></ol><ol start="5"><li>The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS)&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ol><ol start="6"><li>Magnetometer&nbsp;</li></ol><ol start="7"><li>Compact Coronograph (NEW): will help detect coronal mass ejections and forecasters at the Space Weather Center with space weather impacts to Earth, it works by creating a total solar eclipse (as viewed by the chronograph) to observe the Sun's outer atmosphere.</li></ol>All Satellites were built for a 10-year operational capability with additional time for “backup” operations, carrying us into the 2030s. NOAA and NASA are already in development of the next satellite series, GeoXO, Geostationary Extended Observations. The GeoXO project will “provide new and improved observations of the atmosphere, weather and ocean to help address emerging environmental issues, respond to the effects of Earth’s changing climate, and improve forecasting and warning of severe weather and hazards” according to NOAA. &nbsp;

GOES-U Weather Satellite Successfully Launches

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Above - The High-Altitude LiDAR Atmospheric Sensing System. Photo Credit: Honeywell<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rBvAsT28SEc" start="0"></iframe></div>Laser Beams into the sky. Sounds pretty cool, right? Thanks to a partnership between <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weather.gov/news/242201-weather-forecasting">NOAA and Honeywell</a>, this technology could be a new tool for weather forecasting. &nbsp;Honeywell has developed The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://aerospace.honeywell.com/us/en/about-us/press-release/2024/04/honeywell-partners-with-the-national-weather-service-to-deploy-new-weather-observation-technology">High-Altitude LiDAR Atmospheric Sensing System, or HALAS</a> for short. This ground-based weather system uses laser pulses to measure wind speed, direction, humidity, and temperature up to 100 thousand feet above Earth’s Surface.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Honeywell, the system works by staring into the atmosphere, "almost like staring when you look at the stars at night, the further you stare bogs down the more you see, we can gather information for five minutes, and it depends on our sample, our sample duration, but it's about reading to the point of the atmosphere. Now for certain key parameters, we can take a single point or a single shot in the sphere and read those those variables. For wind speed direction, we do need to triangulate that and average that over a period of time. But it comes from anywhere from five minutes up to a sampling up to an hour. What fits the need, and what the unique use cases are."To forecast weather, initial observations are input into the models. The model data output will only be as good as those initial conditions, and sometimes those are hard to come by, especially when considering the upper layers of the atmosphere. It’s the same reason Hurricane Hunters fly into the eye of a storm for data... better observations mean better model forecasts.&nbsp;Right now, the National Weather Service uses weather balloons, launched twice daily from 122 offices across the country. The balloons cost about $250 each and only showcase a limited profile of the atmosphere.&nbsp;That’s where the new technology comes in with the goal to provide more rapid upper-air observations, especially during rapidly changing weather patterns. The project, still in its initial research phase, has a single sensing station in Sterling, VA, used in partnership with the NWS team in Baltimore.&nbsp;Their meteorologist Jordan Gerth says "The weather service is going to continue to collect the observations that we have today as we approach new technology in a colossal way and determine exactly how we're going to integrate that to maximize the warnings and forecasts that we provide to the public." The job at NWS Sterling (Washington D.C.) is to look "at how this particular system and this capability can be integrated into that so that we have the most robust weather observing architecture or observations in this country.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If the two-year project is successful, expansion of the HALAS system to additional areas of the country will be possible. Honeywell says they are working towards a network of the HALAS systems installed throughout the continental U.S. as well as global partners to run and turn the data into usable insights for models 24/7.

New Technology Uses Lasers to Measure the Atmosphere

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Karissa is the Director of On-Air Operations at WeatherNation. Karissa grew up loving math and science, but really fell in love with Meteorology while attending the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. After two summers of storm chasing in the central plains, she knew that it was the career path for her. Standing in front of a thunderstorm and feeling the cool outflow knock her over was an experience she will never forget. After two years at COD, she transferred to Metropolitan State University of Denver. Karissa graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Science in Meteorology. Her high school and college speech and meteorology professors were extremely supportive and pushed her to succeed. Before joining the WeatherNation team, she previously worked as the Morning Meteorologist at KCAU-TV in Sioux City, Iowa and at WMBD-TV in Peoria, IL. She recently was part of a National Edward R. Murrow award winning team for breaking news for their coverage of the EF-4 tornado in Washington, Illinois. In her free time, Karissa enjoys cooking and trying new foods. She is a self proclaimed 'TV Junkie' who can get into just about any show. She is a die hard Chicago sports fan who loves attending professional sporting events.

Karissa Klos

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El Niño is over. The powerful El Niño/Southern Oscillation (or ENSO) phase that impacted US Weather conditions through the winter and spring has now transitioned. On Thursday June 13, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center reported that we have now entered into ENSO Neutral conditions.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1801238092617335117" src="https://x.com/NWSCPC/status/1801238092617335117"></div>The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is an oscillating climate pattern involving changes in the temperature of waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over a large swath of the tropical Pacific Ocean can warm or cool anywhere from 1°C to 3°C from normal. El Niño marks above-average sea surface temperatures, while La Niña marks below-average water temperatures. ENSO Neutral means that SSTs are near normal., meaning we are neither in an El Niño or La Niña phase.ENSO Neutral conditions tend to bring the Polar Jet stream farther south, bringing in cooler air for the northern tier of the country. The southern half of the country generally sees warmer than average temperatures, with a wetter pattern in the southeast. This is most amplified during the fall months, but some influences can be felt into the summer too. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot20240613101308png-1718295194050.png">The forecast for ENSO conditions could have major implications going into the heart of hurricane season. NOAA anticipates the development of La Niña conditions this summer, citing <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml">"the persistent below-average subsurface ocean temperatures and changes in the tropical atmospheric circulation."</a>RELATED ARTICLE: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/noaa-releases-forecast-for-2024-atlantic-hurricane-season">NOAA Predicts Above Average 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season</a>Before 2023, La Niña conditions contributed to three years of overly active hurricane seasons; starting with the record breaking 2020 Atlantic season. La Niña conditions lead to less wind shear in the Atlantic, allowing tropical systems to develop and strengthen. Into the heart of hurricane season, La Niña is forecast to be in full swing. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot 2024-06-13 102809-1718296107099.png">It will likely continue into the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2024-25. Signals/impacts from ENSO are usually more prominent during winter with cooler than average conditions in the northern tier of the country while it is warmer and drier for the southern part of the continental U.S.. A wetter pattern is more likely for the PNW and Midwest. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/la nina-1718316432637.jpg">

El Niño Over, La Niña On Track For Fall

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April and May were historically active months across the central and eastern U.S. for severe weather. There have been 915+ confirmed tornadoes since the start of the year - the fourth most active year to date since 1950 following 2011, 2019, and 2008. In the April-May period alone we have seen over 700 confirmed tornadoes and that number is rising as more tornadoes are confirmed from "report" status to "official tornado" with a ranking. This is the second most active April-May period ever, after 2011.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1798355203655450843" src="https://x.com/NWSSPC/status/1798355203655450843"></div>Tornado reports are any public report of a potential tornado or tornado damage, usually reported on the day of a storm. Reports do not directly correlate to tornadoes at a 1:1 ratio - the same tornado can have multiple damage or sightings. The National Weather Service must individually confirm each potential tornado and rank it on the EF scale of EF-0 to EF-5. According to the SPC, "Historically, for every 100 preliminary tornado reports, at least 65 tornadoes are confirmed.".As of June 4, 2024 there are 915+ confirmed tornadoes YTD and the number is rising as additional tornadoes are confirmed. There have been 402 confirmed tornadoes in May, but a total of 560+ tornado reports. Still, even after tornado confirmation and "data cleaning", we are looking at a historically active year.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/confirmed -1717606038335.jpg">The graph below compares tornado reports to an average number of tornadoes year to date. We had a relatively average start to the severe season - in January, February and March our year-to-date tornado reports were sitting at 163 and typically we see around 155 by the end of March. Things really took off in April though with 200 more tornado reports than typical by the year to date. In May, a similar situation with year-to-date tornado reports sitting at 1114 on May 31st, nearly double the average of 606 tornadoes. According to NOAA, "during April, there were 384 preliminary tornado reports. This was more than double the 1991-2020 average of 182.4 tornadoes for the month of April, the second-highest April count on record, and the most tornadoes reported since April 2011."<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/YTD VS 2024-1717604362773.jpg">Some of the more impactful tornadoes included two EF-4 tornadoes in Oklahoma and one<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/storm-threat-pushes-into-midweek"> EF-4 in Greenfield, IA</a>. The first EF-4 to hit Oklahoma was on the evening of April 28th in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/more-destructive-tornadoes-touch-down-in-oklahoma">Marietta</a>. It was one of 33 tornadoes that occurred that evening. The second occurred on the evening of May 6th ripping a 39-mile path northwest of Tulsa, OK through the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/tornadoes-tore-through-the-plains-monday">town of Barnsdall</a> during a "High Risk" day. The "high risk" is the highest level of severe weather outlook the storm prediction center can issue. They typically occur 1-2x/year and we have had two High-Risk days in 2024 and one in 2023. Every single day in May, there was a level 2 or higher severe weather risk, with most days seeing a level 3 or higher threat.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/CALENDAR-1717604362769.jpg">

Report: 2024 one of the Top 5 Most Active for Tornadoes

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Did you know that in even an air temp of 65° the inside of a car can quickly heat to near 100° in just a matter of minutes? It is never a good idea to leave your pet in a hot car and in some states there are laws against it. We all know to "look before you lock" and never to leave a child in a hot car, but it is equally important to raise awareness that we should never leave our furry friends in hot cars either. According to the Humane Society, "High temperatures can cause irreparable organ damage and even death."<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/car temps-1717607176884.jpg">Here are tips from the Humane Society on what to do if you see a pet left in a hot car:<ul><li>Take down the car's make, model and license plate number.</li><li>If there are businesses nearby, notify their managers or security guards and ask them to make an announcement to find the car's owner. Many people are unaware of the danger of leaving pets in hot cars and will quickly return to their vehicle once they are alerted to the situation.</li><li>If the owner can't be found, call the non-emergency number of the local police or animal control and wait by the car for them to arrive. In several states, good Samaritans can legally remove animals from cars under certain circumstances, so be sure to know the laws in your area and follow any steps required.</li></ul>According to a study done by the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-state-laws-protect-animals-left-parked-vehicles">University of Michigan College of Law in 2023</a>, "31 states have&nbsp;laws that either prohibit leaving an animal confined vehicle under dangerous conditions or provide civil immunity (protection from being sued) for a person who rescues a distressed&nbsp;animal from a vehicle." Many states REQUIRE you to have already attempted to locate the owner or reach out to law enforcement BEFORE attempting to save the animal or only protect law enforcement officers. 20 states prohibit leaving a pet in a hot car AND offer immunity to the rescuer, but again, the rescuer doesn't mean anyone, in some states it can ONLY be a law enforcement officer or veterinarian. Depending on the state the consequence for leaving a pet in a hot car can range from a fine to a felony Those states are (in orange on map below):<ul><li>Arizona</li><li>California</li><li>Colorado</li><li>Delaware</li><li>Illinois</li><li>Maine</li><li>Maryland</li><li>Massachusetts</li><li>Minnesota</li><li>Nevada</li><li>New Jersey</li><li>New York</li><li>North Carolina</li><li>North Dakota</li><li>Rhode Island</li><li>South Dakota </li><li>Vermont</li><li>West Virginia</li></ul>11 states have laws that offer immunity for the rescuer of the animal - again check with your specific state on who qualifies as a "rescuer" and at what point (pre-post 911 call or attempt to locate an owner). They are (in yellow on the map below): <ul><li>Connecticut</li><li>Florida</li><li>Indiana</li><li>Kansas</li><li>Louisiana</li><li>Ohio</li><li>Oregon</li><li>Pennsylvania</li><li>Tennesse</li><li>Virginia</li><li>Wisconsin </li></ul>Check with your local laws before you may find yourself in this situation. And if your state doesn't yet have a law prohibiting leaving pets in parked cars, you can take action by calling local representatives and proposing a change.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/SPECIFIC LAWS-1717610799988.jpg">

States with Laws to Protect Pets in Hot Cars

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Kevin Schneider

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Powerful storms tore through the panhandle of Texas on Sunday. A few of these supercells spun up a few brief tornadoes alongside MASSIVE hailstones over 6" in diameter. The largest recorded hailstone in Texas was a 6.4" stone that fell in Hondo, west of San Antonio, on April 28, 2021. In May a 6" hailstone fell in Johnson City, TX (west of Austin).<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1798407920176259229" src="https://x.com/NWSLubbock/status/1798407920176259229/photo/1"></div><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/Texas Hail sizes Sunday-1717419213840.jpg">Sunday night's 6" hail fell over Caprock Canyons State Park, about an hour and a half drive from Amarillo. Depending on the verification, the National Weather Service office in Lubbock might have a new state record on their hands. The hailstone will need to be inspected and verified before anything official is announced. This is a look at some of the hail that fell back in 2021, when the previous record was made.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/VO_042821_RSC_HONDO, TX_PHOTO OF THE SOFTBALL SIZED HAIL IN TEXAS_TW_REBECCA GILLIAM_BH_042821-1717418900125.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Extreme amounts of instability helped fuel the storms even more as the afternoon progressed. Thunderstorms will feed on this energy and in turn, draw in more air. That air is called the updraft of a storm.When you have a strong enough updraft, you can loft raindrops high enough to freeze - forming hail. If our updraft speed is strong enough (stronger than 80 mph) hail stones will continue to be lifted into the cloud, growing before their weight becomes stronger than the updraft and they fall to the ground.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/Hail updraft requirements-1717418379982.jpg">

Texas: Sunday's 7" Hail Threatens State Record

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Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft approaches the International Space Station on May 20, 2022. Credit: NASABoeing's Starliner Crewest test flight launched successfully this morning at 10:52 AM EST! Two U.S. Astronauts - Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are now racing to "catch up" to the ISS where they will dock on Thursday.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1798367584628207823" src="https://x.com/BoeingSpace/status/1798367584628207823?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet"></div>Boeing's Starliner Crewed test flight is launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Starliner was originally supposed to launch on Monday, May 6th but was delayed due to a mechanical issue. The most recent attempt to launch on June 1 was aborted 4 minutes to launch due to an issue with computers. According to Boeing, "Starliner teams [were] working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft’s service module traced to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster. Helium is used in spacecraft thruster systems to allow the thrusters to fire and is not combustible or toxic." This mission is the second of the Boeing-NASA contract which included one uncrewed mission in May 2022, this first test crew mission and six more trips to the ISS.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1787689554905833889" src="https://twitter.com/BoeingSpace/status/1787689554905833889"></div>The launch was then rescheduled for May 10th and then May 17th but crews needed additional time to test the spacecraft and ensure it was safe. The Starliner will launch carrying two astronauts - Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams - to the International Space Station, now set for 4:43 PM ET on Tuesday, May 21st. The Atlas IV rocket and Starliner remain on the launchpad awaiting their next opportunity to launch. According to Boeing, "About 15 minutes after launch, Atlas' Centaur upper stage shuts down, sending Starliner on its way to the International Space Station."So how is the forecasting looking for launch? Skies are clear around Cape Canaveral so the weather won't be a huge interrupter for the launch. For Starliner to launch the weather must have winds below 31 mph, no thunderstorms or lightning in the landing area or waves above 13.1 feet. Right now, none of that is in the forecast.

Starliner Spacecraft Launched Successfully Wednesday Morning

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ABOVE - glow from the Kilauea volcano visible from Mauna Kea, HI. Photo Credit: USGSUpdate Monday Night from the USGS: "The eruption that began southwest of&nbsp;Kīlauea’s summit at approximately 12:30 a.m. HST this morning, June 3, has paused. However, activity in this region remains dynamic and could change quickly. HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue additional notices as needed."<hr>The alert level for Hawaii's Kilauea volcano has been raised Monday morning as a new eruption started at 12:30 AM HST (5:30 AM EST) on Monday morning. According to the United States Geological Society (USGS), the eruption occurred "likely about a mile (1-2 km) south of Kīlauea caldera and north of the Koa'e fault system and Hilina Pali Road, within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park." This is occurring on the "Big Island" or the Island of Hawai'i. Right now there is no threat to the public as the eruption is contained within the National Park.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1797719909012566060" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/1797719909012566060"></div>There are <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes">two types of volcano alerts</a> issued by the USGS, a color scale for aviation impacts and ground-based hazards that range from normal activity to warnings. This morning we were raised from a WATCH to a WARNING for the ground-based hazards meaning "Hazardous eruption is imminent, underway, or suspected" according to the USGS. For the aviation color code which spans from green (no threat) to red (threat underway), the level was upgraded from Orange to Red on Monday morning too.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/USGS__Volcano_Hazards_Program-1717425085871.png">Right now the eruption glow of lava flow is visible by webcam. According to the USGS, "the most recent eruption in this region was during December 1974, which lasted only about 6 hours." The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) agency will monitor Kilauea for activity and update the alert levels accordingly.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1797645392655323353" src="https://x.com/USGSVolcanoes/status/1797645392655323353"></div>The Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park remains open to the public with some areas closed due to volcanic and seismic activity. Most have been less than a 4.0 in magnitude but the seismic activity is an indication of movement at lower layers of Earth's crust.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/06/earthwauke-1717426629972.jpg">Stay with WeatherNation as we monitor volcanic activity in Hawaii!

Volcanic Alert Levels Raised in Hawaii: Kilauea Eruption Monday

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Giant hail fell on May 30, 2024 in the Denver metro area stretching from the I-25/I-470 interchange down through I-70 and impacting the Denver International Airport. This is likely to have caused over a billion dollars worth of damage in the Denver metro area with insurance claims on homes and cars still being filed. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot20240531065734png-1717160271952.png">Baseball-sized hail was reported in Commerce City, CO, a suburb on the north side of Denver. Numerous hail reports over 2" in diameter were clocked across the region. Large hail is common in Colorado due to the elevation and access to colder air in the atmosphere. Larger hailstones are common over the Front Range. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot 2024-05-31 065745-1717160299107.png">WeatherNation is headquartered in the Denver area and our meteorologists were subject to the giant hail too. Meteorologist Jackie Brown's car was damaged in the storm.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="1796430380754714899" src="https://x.com/jackiebrownwx/status/1796430380754714899"></div>A few storms developed along the highest terrain just west of Denver before moving southeast after dark. The southernmost storm cell was responsible for giant hail reports from I-25 through the I-70 corridor, hitting much of the northern and eastern suburbs of the Mile High City <video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2024/05/2024-05-31 06-58-37-1717160350123.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>

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Report: 2024 one of the Top 5 Most Active for Tornadoes

April and May were historically active months

States with Laws to Protect Pets in Hot Cars

Did you know that in even an air temp of 65°

Texas: Sunday's 7" Hail Threatens State Record

Powerful storms tore through the panhandle of

Starliner Spacecraft Launched Successfully Wednesday Morning

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft approaches the

Volcanic Alert Levels Raised in Hawaii: Kilauea Eruption Monday

ABOVE - glow from the Kilauea volcano visible

Denver Rocked by Baseball Sized Hail Thursday

Giant hail fell on May 30, 2024 in the Denver