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Tag: Maine

  • Janet Mills chances of beating Susan Collins in Maine, according to polls

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    Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, is preparing to launch a challenge to longtime GOP Senator Susan Collins in what is likely to become one of the most closely watched races of the midterms, the Associated Press reported on Friday, citing two people familiar with her plans.

    Jordan Wood, a Democrat who announced his Senate campaign earlier this year, reacted to the report in a statement to Newsweek.

    “Primaries are an important part of the democratic process because they give voters a real choice for our future. Since launching the campaign, we’ve organized more than 30 events across the state and voters consistently tell me they want an open and vibrant primary process. With so much at stake, Mainers want to decide which candidate can defeat Susan Collins, defend our democracy from Donald Trump, and deliver for working families,” he said.

    Newsweek reached out to spokespersons for Collins, Mills and other Senate candidates for comment via email.

    Why It Matters

    Maine generally leans Democratic, having backed former Vice President Kamala Harris by about seven points last November, but Collins has handily won reelection in the past due to her more moderate policy positions and close ties to the state. Democrats, however, believe 2026 has the potential to be her closest race yet as President Donald Trump’s approval slips nationwide, and as he remains unpopular in the Pine Tree State.

    National Democrats view Mills, who has also won by wide margins in her two gubernatorial races, as a top recruit for the race. But others are less sold on the idea of her candidacy, believing that other Democrats already in the race such as Graham Platner, whose campaign has garnered nationwide attention, could make for a stronger candidate.

    What To Know

    Maine is likely a must-win for Democrats hoping to reclaim control of the Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority. Collins is the only Republican in a Harris-won state up for reelection. Democrats also view an open race in battleground North Carolina as a prime pickup opportunity, but other potential flips would require them to win more conservative territory.

    Mills will bring high name recognition into the race, as voters are already familiar with her from her stint as attorney general and governor. She flipped the governor’s office in 2020, winning by about seven points, and won reelection in 2022 by nearly 13 points against former Governor Paul LePage. She is unable to run for reelection due to term limits.

    But she may face a competitive primary against Platner, Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban and Wood, the former President of End Citizens United, all of whom have already announced their campaigns.

    Polling on the Senate race remains limited despite its importance for the midterms.

    Polls have generally found that Mills enjoys stronger approval than Collins.

    A University of New Hampshire poll from over the summer found that 14 percent of Mainers view Collins favorably, while 57 percent view her unfavorably. An additional 26 percent were neutral. Meanwhile, 51 percent of Mainers view Mills favorably and 41 percent unfavorably. Only 7 percent were neutral on Mills, according to the survey, which surveyed 846 Mainers between June 19 and June 23. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

    A Pan Atlantic Research poll yielded better results for Collins, finding that 49 percent of Mainers view her favorably and 45 percent view her unfavorable. It found that 52 percent of respondents viewed Mills favorably, while 44 percent viewed her unfavorably. It surveyed 840 likely voters from May 12 to May 26, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

    Morning Consult found earlier this year that Mills had a net approval rating of +2—making her the least popular Democratic governor in the country—though Collins’ approval was -16. That poll took place from April to June of this year, and the sample sizes varied by state.

    Polls in 2020 were notably off in Maine. Although surveys showed former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon with a lead, Collins ended up prevailing with just over 50 percent of the vote.

    Mills, viewed as a more centrist Democrat, engaged in a high-profile debate with the White House over Trump’s efforts to deny states funding over transgender athletes, telling him “We’ll see you in court.”

    What People Are Saying

    Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, wrote on X Thursday: “Graham Platner is a great working class candidate for Senate in Maine who will defeat Susan Collins. It’s disappointing that some Democratic leaders are urging Governor Mills to run. We need to focus on winning that seat & not waste millions on an unnecessary & divisive primary.”

    Pollster Adam Carlson wrote on X in August: “Sometimes to take out a modern political anomaly like Susan Collins, you need to try something different Janet Mills has been a good governor, but she’s 77, not especially popular, and has been in politics since 1980 Graham’s background might be unusual, but he’s got the juice.”

    Commentator Russel Drew wrote on X on Friday: “We need to see some new, legit polling about #MESEN. The oyster farmer is absolutely an interesting candidate, but Gov. Mills has already won statewide twice. F*** our feelings. Let’s see the data.”

    Anna Palmer, CEO of Punchbowl News, said during The Daily Punch podcast: “This is a huge get for Senat Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is on a recruiting tear. But Mills will have to contend with a crowded field of Democratic challengers who didn’t wait to jump in while she made up her mind. This is something that Democrats have been waiting for, and it seemed like she was taking her sweet time to get into the race, and now it is finally here. This could potentially be a problem for Susan Collins.”

    What Happens Next?

    Mills and other candidates will spend the coming months making their cases to voters about why they are the best candidate to challenge Collins in the Senate race. Forecasters give Collins an edge—both the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball classify the race as leaning Republican.

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  • Nor’easter to bring rain, strong winds and coastal flooding to East Coast

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    A low pressure is expected to develop today and bring rain, wind and coastal flooding all along the east coast this weekend into early next week.

    What You Need To Know

    • A coastal low will develop off the coast of Florida on Friday

    • The low will strengthen as it moves northward along the Carolina coast, bringing heavy rain, wind and flooding potential

    • The system will produce wind gusts 30 to 50 mph along coastal regions of the East Coast

    • Rainfall totals will be highest along coastal North Carolina



    This storm system — a nor’easter, named for the wind direction it produces — usually brings heavy snow along the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast during the winter months. However, any weather disturbance can take a similar track and produce wind and heavy precipitation, and that is expected to happen this weekend into early next week.

    Unfortunately, the Outer Banks of N.C. will see their third storm so far this season. As recently as two weeks ago, rough surf and big waves collapsed eight homes into the Atlantic Ocean in this area. 

    A beach house in Rodanthe in Dare County toppled into the surf Friday. (Spectrum News 1/Lauren Howard)

    Track of storm

    Here’s one computer model’s interpretation of the storm. 

    Futurecast - National this weekend

    Wind gusts

    A nor’easter will produce gusty winds, and depending on the location of the storm to the coast will determine how windy it gets inland. Gusts will generally be around 30 to 50 mph for coastal regions, with some localized higher gusts. Interior sections will see less gusty conditions, with winds around 20 to 30 mph.

    Rainfall totals

    Rainfall totals will be highest along coastal North Carolina, with 3 to 5 inches possible. 

    The low is expected to move east from the coast during the day on Tuesday, taking with it the heavy rain and gusty winds. 

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • North Dakota tornado from June upgraded to EF5

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    The National Weather Service (NWS) in Grand Forks, N.D., reevaluated a tornado from June 20, 2025. Completing additional surveys and working extensively with wind damage experts, the new estimated maximum wind speed is greater than 210 mph, making it an EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita tornado scale.

    This is the strongest tornado to touch down in the United States since the Moore, Okla. twister on May 20, 2013. 

    What You Need To Know

    • A reevaluation of the June 20, 2025 tornado gave the rating EF5

    • This is the strongest tornado to touch down in the United States since 2013

    • Estimated winds in the twister exceeded 210 mph


    June 20, 2025, was an active day of severe weather in the Plains. Meteorologist Carl Jones, with NWS Grand Forks, explained that 22 tornadoes touched down that day in North Dakota.

    He added, “This is also a preliminary number that may yet change as we continue to scour satellite imagery and sift through damage reports (still!) and assess whether it was tornadic or not – much further complicated by the fact that large area within the state experience significant damage from the derecho in the same areas that saw tornadoes.” 

    The tornado south of Enderlin, N.D., was a strong tornado. “The initial storm damage survey team found severe damage consistent with an EF3 or greater tornado with a preliminary estimated peak wind speed of 160 mph.”

    However, Jones says that wasn’t the end of it. “A Quick Response Team (QRT), a team of wind damage experts, was assembled and agreed that given the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale damage indicators available, there were points consistent with high-end EF3, if not greater.”

    Meaning additional investigation was needed, and the tornado could end up being rated higher. A train derailment south of Enderlin, ND during the time of one twister was a big prompt for the reevaluation. Collaborating with structural damage experts, namely the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University’s Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory, they were able to model object trajectories and the force/wind required to move such objects. 

    This was important and Jones says, “Allowed for the capability to assess the train derailment of 33 train cars, including several full grain cars that were tilted over and tanker cars that were lofted off the track, that yielded the EF5 intensity rating.”

    Additionally, other indicators for the reevaluation included high-end tree damage near the Maple River, east of Enderlin, as well as a foundation to a farmstead that was swept clean with debris scattered downwind.

    Check out the tornado track on the interactive map below, and click on the icons for damage reports and photos. While several tornadoes touched down in North Dakota that day, the EF5-rated twister was located south of I-94, just north of Lisbon, N.D. 

    The tornado was on the ground for just under 20 minutes and traveled just over 12 miles. It reached 1 mile in width. While no injuries were reported from this twister, three deaths occurred. 

    May 20, 2013 EF5 tornado Moore, Okla.

    What makes this newly revised classification of the twister so impressive is that this is the first EF5 tornado in more than twelve years. The last time a tornado this strong touched down in the United States was on May 20, 2013, in Moore, Okla.

    A tornado outbreak occurred in the afternoon and evening of May 20, 2013. Several supercell thunderstorms developed during the early afternoon in central Oklahoma. One of these storms rapidly intensified, producing a tornado that touched down on the west side of Newcastle, Okla. The tornado became violent and then tracked across the city of Moore and parts of south Oklahoma City. It was on the ground for approximately 40 minutes before finally dissipating.

    This photo was taken around 3:00 pm CDT on May 20, 2013 from Carrington Lane in the Carrington Place addition in northwest Norman, which is located between 36th Ave NW and 48th Ave NW, and south of Franklin Road. The view is looking northwest towards the corner of Franklin Road and 48th Ave NW. This photo was provided courtesy of Jenny Hamar via NWS.

    The tornado caused catastrophic damage in these areas and was given a maximum rating of EF5. The tornado claimed 24 lives, injured scores of people, and caused billions of dollars in damage.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • North Dakota tornado from June upgraded to EF5

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    The National Weather Service (NWS) in Grand Forks, N.D., reevaluated a tornado from June 20, 2025. Completing additional surveys and working extensively with wind damage experts, the new estimated maximum wind speed is greater than 210 mph, making it an EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita tornado scale.

    This is the strongest tornado to touch down in the United States since the Moore, Okla. twister on May 20, 2013. 

    What You Need To Know

    • A reevaluation of the June 20, 2025 tornado gave the rating EF5

    • This is the strongest tornado to touch down in the United States since 2013

    • Estimated winds in the twister exceeded 210 mph


    June 20, 2025, was an active day of severe weather in the Plains. Meteorologist Carl Jones, with NWS Grand Forks, explained that 22 tornadoes touched down that day in North Dakota.

    He added, “This is also a preliminary number that may yet change as we continue to scour satellite imagery and sift through damage reports (still!) and assess whether it was tornadic or not – much further complicated by the fact that large area within the state experience significant damage from the derecho in the same areas that saw tornadoes.” 

    The tornado south of Enderlin, N.D., was a strong tornado. “The initial storm damage survey team found severe damage consistent with an EF3 or greater tornado with a preliminary estimated peak wind speed of 160 mph.”

    However, Jones says that wasn’t the end of it. “A Quick Response Team (QRT), a team of wind damage experts, was assembled and agreed that given the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale damage indicators available, there were points consistent with high-end EF3, if not greater.”

    Meaning additional investigation was needed, and the tornado could end up being rated higher. A train derailment south of Enderlin, ND during the time of one twister was a big prompt for the reevaluation. Collaborating with structural damage experts, namely the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University’s Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory, they were able to model object trajectories and the force/wind required to move such objects. 

    This was important and Jones says, “Allowed for the capability to assess the train derailment of 33 train cars, including several full grain cars that were tilted over and tanker cars that were lofted off the track, that yielded the EF5 intensity rating.”

    Additionally, other indicators for the reevaluation included high-end tree damage near the Maple River, east of Enderlin, as well as a foundation to a farmstead that was swept clean with debris scattered downwind.

    Check out the tornado track on the interactive map below, and click on the icons for damage reports and photos. While several tornadoes touched down in North Dakota that day, the EF5-rated twister was located south of I-94, just north of Lisbon, N.D. 

    The tornado was on the ground for just under 20 minutes and traveled just over 12 miles. It reached 1 mile in width. While no injuries were reported from this twister, three deaths occurred. 

    May 20, 2013 EF5 tornado Moore, Okla.

    What makes this newly revised classification of the twister so impressive is that this is the first EF5 tornado in more than twelve years. The last time a tornado this strong touched down in the United States was on May 20, 2013, in Moore, Okla.

    A tornado outbreak occurred in the afternoon and evening of May 20, 2013. Several supercell thunderstorms developed during the early afternoon in central Oklahoma. One of these storms rapidly intensified, producing a tornado that touched down on the west side of Newcastle, Okla. The tornado became violent and then tracked across the city of Moore and parts of south Oklahoma City. It was on the ground for approximately 40 minutes before finally dissipating.

    This photo was taken around 3:00 pm CDT on May 20, 2013 from Carrington Lane in the Carrington Place addition in northwest Norman, which is located between 36th Ave NW and 48th Ave NW, and south of Franklin Road. The view is looking northwest towards the corner of Franklin Road and 48th Ave NW. This photo was provided courtesy of Jenny Hamar via NWS.

    The tornado caused catastrophic damage in these areas and was given a maximum rating of EF5. The tornado claimed 24 lives, injured scores of people, and caused billions of dollars in damage.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • North Dakota tornado from June upgraded to EF5

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    The National Weather Service (NWS) in Grand Forks, N.D., reevaluated a tornado from June 20, 2025. Completing additional surveys and working extensively with wind damage experts, the new estimated maximum wind speed is greater than 210 mph, making it an EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita tornado scale.

    This is the strongest tornado to touch down in the United States since the Moore, Okla. twister on May 20, 2013. 

    What You Need To Know

    • A reevaluation of the June 20, 2025 tornado gave the rating EF5

    • This is the strongest tornado to touch down in the United States since 2013

    • Estimated winds in the twister exceeded 210 mph


    June 20, 2025, was an active day of severe weather in the Plains. Meteorologist Carl Jones, with NWS Grand Forks, explained that 22 tornadoes touched down that day in North Dakota.

    He added, “This is also a preliminary number that may yet change as we continue to scour satellite imagery and sift through damage reports (still!) and assess whether it was tornadic or not – much further complicated by the fact that large area within the state experience significant damage from the derecho in the same areas that saw tornadoes.” 

    The tornado south of Enderlin, N.D., was a strong tornado. “The initial storm damage survey team found severe damage consistent with an EF3 or greater tornado with a preliminary estimated peak wind speed of 160 mph.”

    However, Jones says that wasn’t the end of it. “A Quick Response Team (QRT), a team of wind damage experts, was assembled and agreed that given the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale damage indicators available, there were points consistent with high-end EF3, if not greater.”

    Meaning additional investigation was needed, and the tornado could end up being rated higher. A train derailment south of Enderlin, ND during the time of one twister was a big prompt for the reevaluation. Collaborating with structural damage experts, namely the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University’s Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory, they were able to model object trajectories and the force/wind required to move such objects. 

    This was important and Jones says, “Allowed for the capability to assess the train derailment of 33 train cars, including several full grain cars that were tilted over and tanker cars that were lofted off the track, that yielded the EF5 intensity rating.”

    Additionally, other indicators for the reevaluation included high-end tree damage near the Maple River, east of Enderlin, as well as a foundation to a farmstead that was swept clean with debris scattered downwind.

    Check out the tornado track on the interactive map below, and click on the icons for damage reports and photos. While several tornadoes touched down in North Dakota that day, the EF5-rated twister was located south of I-94, just north of Lisbon, N.D. 

    The tornado was on the ground for just under 20 minutes and traveled just over 12 miles. It reached 1 mile in width. While no injuries were reported from this twister, three deaths occurred. 

    May 20, 2013 EF5 tornado Moore, Okla.

    What makes this newly revised classification of the twister so impressive is that this is the first EF5 tornado in more than twelve years. The last time a tornado this strong touched down in the United States was on May 20, 2013, in Moore, Okla.

    A tornado outbreak occurred in the afternoon and evening of May 20, 2013. Several supercell thunderstorms developed during the early afternoon in central Oklahoma. One of these storms rapidly intensified, producing a tornado that touched down on the west side of Newcastle, Okla. The tornado became violent and then tracked across the city of Moore and parts of south Oklahoma City. It was on the ground for approximately 40 minutes before finally dissipating.

    This photo was taken around 3:00 pm CDT on May 20, 2013 from Carrington Lane in the Carrington Place addition in northwest Norman, which is located between 36th Ave NW and 48th Ave NW, and south of Franklin Road. The view is looking northwest towards the corner of Franklin Road and 48th Ave NW. This photo was provided courtesy of Jenny Hamar via NWS.

    The tornado caused catastrophic damage in these areas and was given a maximum rating of EF5. The tornado claimed 24 lives, injured scores of people, and caused billions of dollars in damage.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • Maine Is Investigating a Claim That Bundles of Ballots Ended up in a Resident’s Amazon Order

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    AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Authorities in Maine are investigating an allegation that dozens of unmarked ballots that were to be used in this November’s election arrived inside a woman’s Amazon order.

    The town of Ellsworth reported to the state last week that it was missing a shipment of 250 absentee ballots, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Monday. That happened the same day a woman in a town roughly 40 miles (65 kilometers) away reported finding bundles of ballots — 250 in all — wrapped in plastic inside the box that contained her delivery from Amazon.

    The secretary of state’s law enforcement division is investigating the discovery with assistance from the FBI and state authorities, Bellows said during a news conference at the state Capitol. She declined to identify the person who reported the ballots inside the delivery box, except to confirm she lived in the town of Newburgh.

    “I have full confidence that law enforcement will determine who is responsible, and any bad actor will be held accountable,” she said, suggesting there could be other examples.

    “This year, it seems that there may have been attempts to interrupt the distribution of ballots and ballot materials,” Bellows said, declining to elaborate.

    The investigation into the wayward ballots is taking place less than a month before the state’s Nov. 4 election and with absentee voting already underway. The ballot includes a Republican-backed initiative that would implement a photo ID requirement for voters, limit the use of drop boxes and make changes to the state’s absentee voting system.

    It also comes as Bellows, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2026, is clashing with the U.S. Department of Justice over its requests in numerous states for detailed voter roll information. The department has sued several states that have refused to turn over the data, including Maine.

    Bellows has been a target of Republican ire in Maine since she removed President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 presidential primary ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause. Trump appeared on the ballot after the U.S. Supreme Court intervened.

    The story of the misplaced ballots has spread widely on social media since a conservative website in the state first reported it last week and has reignited claims by conservatives that Maine’s elections need to be more secure. Some prominent Republicans have used it to promote the need for the election-related ballot initiative.

    “What this means is that Mainers need to turn out in force, and every single person that supports voter ID and securing our elections needs to get out and vote between now and Nov. 4 to ensure that we secure our elections,” said Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby, a supporter of the voter ID initiative.

    Maine’s top Republicans in the Democratic-majority Legislature sent a letter last week to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel requesting an investigation into the claims. The letter states that the person who received the package, whom it does not name, informed their town office about the discovery.

    Officials with the Justice Department and town of Newburgh declined to comment. Amazon said the company is cooperating with Maine’s investigation.

    “Based on our initial findings, it appears that this package was tampered with outside of our fulfillment and delivery network, and not by an Amazon employee or partner,” the company said in a statement to The Associated Press.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Sept. 2025

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    Associated Press

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  • Warning issued as entire state faces wildfire risk

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    Special weather statements from the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the entire state of Maine was at an elevated risk of fire danger on Monday.

    “Our primary time for wildfire risk would usually be in the spring,” NWS warning coordination meteorologist Louise Fode told Newsweek. “Fall can be a secondary time for wildfire risk, in particular, in years like this when we’ve had a drought.”

    Why It Matters

    The NWS has issued special weather statements warning of elevated fire danger across every region of Maine on Monday. These warnings come during a period of persistently dry weather, accompanied by gusty winds, which significantly increases the risk of uncontrolled wildfire spread. The advisories emphasize the importance of increased personal responsibility in preventing wildfires, which can spread rapidly across dry grasses, leaves, and brush, endangering communities and first responders throughout the state.

    What To Know

    The NWS Gray and Caribou offices reported that, throughout Monday, a combination of very dry air and breezy southwest winds would elevate the wildfire risk in Maine.

    Relative humidity values were forecast to drop to between 20 and 35 percent in the afternoon, depending on the location. Concurrently, southwest winds of 10 to 15 miles per hour, with gusts of up to 25 mph in some regions, were expected to further dry the fuels, creating conditions where fires could ignite and spread rapidly.

    The risk covers both western Maine, including towns such as Farmington, Lewiston-Auburn, Portland, Rockland, and Bridgton, as well as northern and eastern Maine, encompassing communities like Allagash, Fort Kent, Presque Isle, Bangor, and Bar Harbor.

    “Extra caution should be taken to prevent wildfires,” the NWS advised in its bulletins issued early Monday morning.

    Warm conditions raise the risk further. Already, Caribou has broken a 79-year-old daily temperature record.

    “75 degrees in Caribou Maine at this hour already breaks the previous record for this date which was 74 set back in 1946,” NWS Caribou posted on X.

    Officials urge residents and visitors to take preventive actions, including consulting with local fire officials before conducting any kind of open burning and strictly complying with state or local fire regulations. The NWS also underscored the danger of unattended campfires and stressed the importance of ensuring that all fires are fully extinguished before leaving a site.

    The dry and breezy weather system is forecast to persist through the afternoon and is expected to weaken only with the onset of evening, as wind gusts diminish and relative humidity increases. The warnings issued by both Gray and Caribou NWS offices reiterate that even small sparks under these conditions could cause rapid fire spread. Residents in affected areas, including major population centers, as well as rural and forested communities, should exercise caution around any sources of ignition.

    The risk of wildfire danger is expected to lessen by Tuesday night, as a cold front is forecast to bring lower temperatures and rain.

    What People Are Saying

    NWS Caribou in a post on X in the early morning hours on Monday: “Record breaking warmth expected today with sunshine, a southwesterly breeze, and inland highs in the low to mid 80s. Very warm again Tuesday.”

    NWS Gray in a post on X: “A cold front will bring widespread rain Tue night into Wed. Most of the area has high odds of seeing between 0.5-1.00″. This will be followed by cooler temperatures and another stretch of dry weather through the rest of the week.”

    What Happens Next

    Elevated fire danger is expected to subside as rain enters the area on Tuesday. However, the ongoing risk of wildfire highlights the importance of continued vigilance until a sustained period of wetter and less windy conditions returns to the state. Maine residents are strongly encouraged to check with local fire officials and follow all current fire advisories and restrictions, especially regarding outdoor burning. The NWS will continue to monitor fire weather conditions and issue updates as necessary.

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  • October’s Harvest Moon rises tonight

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    Our next full moon, and the first one of the astronomical fall, will rise above the horizon late tonight.

    What You Need To Know

    • October’s full moon is a supermoon and will appear about 30% brighter and 14% larger

    • It is called the Harvest Moon

    • Unobstructed views of the horizon allow for best sightings


    This full moon is called the Harvest Moon because it is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox (Sept. 22). What makes this so unique is that between 1970 and 2050, there are only 18 years when the Harvest Moon occurs in October. The last time was in 2020, and the next time will be in 2028.

    Historically, it’s called the full Harvest Moon because it provides bright light for several evenings in a row to help farmers gather their crops.

    Supermoon

    October’s full moon is a supermoon, and according to NASA, it will appear approximately 30% brighter than normal and 14% larger than normal. This is because of the moon’s proximity to Earth. During a supermoon, the full moon is at “perigee,” which means it is at its closest location to Earth all month. 

    The moon will officially be full at 11:48 p.m. EDT Monday, so you’ll have to stay up late to catch it at its peak. Here’s the forecasted cloud cover. 

    Cloud cover across the United States expected at midnight on Oct. 7, 2025.

    Other names of the moon

    There is some discrepancy about the nomenclature of the October full moon. Naming conventions date back to the Native Americans of the northern and eastern United States, who kept track of the seasons. 

    Here are some other names given to the full October moon:

    • Hunter’s Moon: This is the traditional time to hunt
    • Falling Leaves Moon: Name given to express the changing and falling leaves, signaling the onset of fall
    • Dying Grass Moon: A Gaelic name that signifies the end of the growing season
    • Drying Rice Moon: A Dakota name given for when rice is harvested and dried
    • Freezing Moon: A time of the year when the first frost occurs

    The best viewing will be after sunset on Monday and early morning on Tuesday. To find the best time to view in your area, check out the moonrise calculator. Be sure to find a place with unobstructed horizon views for the best sights.

    The next full moon will be the Beaver Moon, which occurs on Nov. 5, 2025.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • October’s Harvest Moon rises

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    Our next full moon, and the first one of the astronomical fall, will rise above the horizon late Monday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • October’s full moon is a supermoon and will appear about 30% brighter and 14% larger

    • It is called the Harvest Moon

    • Unobstructed views of the horizon allow for best sightings


    This full moon is called the Harvest Moon because it is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox (Sept. 22). What makes this so unique is that between 1970 and 2050, there are only 18 years when the Harvest Moon occurs in October. The last time was in 2020, and the next time will be in 2028.

    Historically, it’s called the full Harvest Moon because it provides bright light for several evenings in a row to help farmers gather their crops.

    Supermoon

    October’s full moon is a supermoon, and according to NASA, it will appear approximately 30% brighter than normal and 14% larger than normal. This is because of the moon’s proximity to Earth. During a supermoon, the full moon is at “perigee,” which means it is at its closest location to Earth all month. 

    The moon will officially be full at 11:48 p.m. EDT Monday, so you’ll have to stay up late to catch it at its peak. Here’s the forecasted cloud cover. 

    Cloud cover across the United States expected at midnight on Oct. 7, 2025.

    Other names of the moon

    There is some discrepancy about the nomenclature of the October full moon. Naming conventions date back to the Native Americans of the northern and eastern United States, who kept track of the seasons. 

    Here are some other names given to the full October moon:

    • Hunter’s Moon: This is the traditional time to hunt
    • Falling Leaves Moon: Name given to express the changing and falling leaves, signaling the onset of fall
    • Dying Grass Moon: A Gaelic name that signifies the end of the growing season
    • Drying Rice Moon: A Dakota name given for when rice is harvested and dried
    • Freezing Moon: A time of the year when the first frost occurs

    The best viewing will be after sunset on Monday and early morning on Tuesday. To find the best time to view in your area, check out the moonrise calculator. Be sure to find a place with unobstructed horizon views for the best sights.

    The next full moon will be the Beaver Moon, which occurs on Nov. 5, 2025.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • Ex-Astronomer CEO spotted with wife and wedding bands after Kiss Cam scandal

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    Former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron looks to have patched things up with wife, Megan, after he was caught canoodling with his chief people officer at a Coldplay concert on July 16.

    The married couple was photographed over the weekend leaving a $2.4 million mansion in Kennebunk, Maine, where Megan, 50, has been living since the controversy broke. 

    Both were seen wearing their wedding bands as they strolled hand in hand toward a local beach, reportedly for a cozy sunset picnic. 

    The outing, captured by the Daily Mail, marks the first public sign that the pair may be moving past one of the year’s most talked-about viral moments.

    CHRIS MARTIN FACES BACKLASH OVER TREATMENT OF ISRAELI FANS BROUGHT ON STAGE AT LONDON CONCERT: ‘EQUAL HUMANS’

    Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin wondered if a couple was having an affair after he caught them on the kiss cam. The two are rumored to be Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot. (@calebu2/TMX)

    The quiet coastal sighting comes just over two months after Byron, 51, stepped down from Astronomer, the AI-driven data company he helped build, after the highly publicized incident. 

    In July, during Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour stop at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, Byron suddenly appeared on a Kiss Cam alongside Kristin Cabot.

    The pair were shown leaning close before ducking away once they realized they had been broadcast on the jumbotron. 

    COLDPLAY KISS CAM TRIGGERS ‘FORMAL INVESTIGATION’ INTO ASTRONOMER CEO ANDY BYRON AND HR HEAD KRISTIN CABOT

    Kennebunk, maine

    Andy and Megan Cabot were spotted in Kennebunk, Maine, where Megan has been living since the controversy broke. (Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

    The clip spread quickly across social media, gaining further attention when frontman Chris Martin quipped from the stage, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

    Within 24 hours of the viral video, Astronomer’s board launched an internal investigation, placing both Byron and Cabot on leave. 

    Byron resigned the following day, and Cabot left her role less than a week later.

    COLDPLAY’S KISS CAM MOMENT SPARKS LAWSUIT RUMOR, EXPERT SAYS ASTRONOMER CEO’S CASE WOULD BE ‘DEAD ON ARRIVAL’

    Coldplay concert

    Chris Martin quipped from the stage, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” (@calebu2/TMX/Getty Images)

    Megan also left the couple’s home in Northborough, Massachusetts, relocating to the Kennebunk property, where she has largely stayed out of the public eye. She has not commented on the scandal.

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    Cabot, 52, meanwhile, filed for divorce from her husband, Andrew, in August.

    Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture. 

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  • First radar images from new Earth-mapping satellite showcase North Dakota farmland, Maine coast

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    Meet the Minneapolis astronaut preparing to head to the International Space Station



    Meet the Minneapolis astronaut preparing to head to the International Space Station

    04:17

    NASA’s first radar images from a new Earth-mapping satellite show the Maine coast and North Dakota farmland in incredible detail.

    The pictures, released Thursday, are from a spacecraft that rocketed into orbit from India two months ago.

    NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar

    This image provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech on Aug. 23, 2025, NISAR imaged land adjacent to northeastern North Dakota’s Forest River, light-colored wetlands and forests line the river’s banks, while circular and rectangular plots throughout the image appear in shades that indicate the land may be pasture or cropland with corn or soy.

    NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP


    The joint U.S.-Indian mission, worth $1.3 billion, will survey virtually all of the world’s land and ice masses multiple times. By tracking even the slightest shifts in land and ice, the satellite will give forecasters and first responders a leg up in dealing with floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other disasters.

    NASA said these first pictures are a preview of what’s to come once science operations begin in November.

    The satellite, flying 464 miles high in a near polar orbit, is called NISAR, short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar. ISRO is the Indian Space Research Organization.

    NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar

    In this image provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech captured on Aug. 21, 2025, NISAR’s L-band radar shows Maine’s Mount Desert Island, green indicates forest; magenta represents hard or regular surfaces, like bare ground and buildings. The magenta area on the island’s northeast end is the town of Bar Harbor.

    NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP


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  • Can a Maine Oyster Farmer Defeat a Five-Term Republican Senator?

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    Across the bay from Bar Harbor lies the small town of Sullivan, Maine, population twelve hundred and nineteen. On August 16th, Graham Platner, the bearded, strawberry-blond co-owner of the Waukeag Neck Oyster Company, brought his Carolina Skiff over to the Sullivan Harbor launch. It was three days before a video titled “Platner for U.S. Senate” would drop, catapulting this local oyster farmer, harbormaster, and former marine onto the national stage.

    The video was produced by Morris Katz, a top political strategist for New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani. “Within a few minutes of talking to him, I was, like, ‘This guy owes it to the country to run for Senate,’ ” Katz recalled, of his first meeting with Platner. The video was meant to present the forty-one-year-old Maine native as a rugged and likable working-class Democratic candidate running to unseat Susan Collins, but it could just as easily have been the opener for a reality-TV show called “Oyster Man.” A macho pastiche with a Jeep-commercial soundtrack, it shows him diving in his wetsuit, chopping wood, hauling oyster cages, and doing kettlebell swings. There are closeups of his tattoos, along with shots of him holding hands with his wife, Amy Gertner, as they walk along a beach with their two dogs. Standing at the helm of his boat, Platner tells the camera, “When I tell people around here that I’m running for Senate, sometimes the initial reaction is, ‘What the ——?’ ” There’s a bleeped-out expletive, and Platner laughs. Then he gets serious: “It seems like the fabric of what holds us together is being ripped apart by billionaires and corrupt politicians profiting off destroying our environment, driving our families into poverty, and crushing the middle class.”

    The campaign rollout, which was orchestrated by Platner’s senior adviser, Joe Calvello (John Fetterman’s former director of communications), raised half a million dollars in its first four days; volunteer sign-ups for the campaign averaged three hundred a day. “No one was expecting this,” Calvello told me. The Times, ABC, NBC, and Fox News covered the launch, focussing on Platner as a political novice who represented a new approach for the Party. “Platner has never run for office and seldom wears a suit,” Mother Jones noted. The launch video was viewed more than two and a half million times on X in the first twenty-four hours alone. The streamer and leftist commentator Hasan Piker showed it on his Twitch channel, where comments included “TAX THE RICH AND EAT THE OYSTERS” and “Wow this guy looks like a progressive mind in [a] MAGA body.”

    I’ve spent almost every summer of my life on Frenchman Bay, near Sullivan, and, like many of my neighbors, I’ve had Platner’s number for years, and have picked up oyster orders from his boat. I’ve seen him shuck oysters at parties, fund-raisers, and at the local summer music series, where a half-dozen oysters go for twenty dollars; he also shucks them at Ironbound, a restaurant in the town of Hancock which is owned by his mother, Leslie Harlow. I first learned of Platner’s Senate run in late July by text from a friend who is close to Platner; she wrote, “Big news…” Soon, my friends were discussing over gin-and-tonics how they always knew he would be famous.

    That morning in August, I met Platner at the launch, and he drove us out on his boat to his oyster farm on the bay. It’s situated off an island with a ledge so rocky that lobstermen know not to drop traps there; Platner keeps tow ropes on hand in case he needs to help stranded boaters. The haze from Canadian wildfires, which covered the bay for much of the summer, had lifted, and Mt. Cadillac, on Mt. Desert Island, was a bright green. Once we were moored, Platner pointed out the busy wildlife: bald eagles, osprey.

    Earlier in the summer, a few weeks before Graham Platner fever swept Maine and beyond, a group of mostly millennial Democrats, coördinating with Maine labor leaders, community activists, and volunteers, many of them Bernie Sanders campaign alums, had been scouting the state for a candidate who could unseat Collins. These Democrats thought that the five-term, seventy-two-year-old Republican senator was vulnerable: her approval ratings were down, and Kamala Harris had won the state in 2024. After they saw a video featuring Platner—this one made by the local Frenchman Bay Conservancy in 2020, to stop a commercial salmon farm from building in the bay—they decided that he was exactly what they were looking for: a working-class guy with a military background and a deep connection to Maine.

    Jason Shedlock, the president of the Southern Maine Labor Council, was involved in the search (and was the only member of the group who would speak on the record). “What we’re looking for is someone who understands that solidarity is not a spectator sport, it’s an action word,” Shedlock said. He heard that Platner was “the real deal.” They had their first conversation over Zoom. “The Zoom camera was bobbing up and down because he was on an oyster boat, and I just got off of a job site, and we had the conversation right then and there, with the wind blowing, and it was like talking to somebody who I would meet in a union hall.”

    Several Maine labor figures reached out to Katz and Calvello, who closed the deal. Platner was taken by surprise by their interest. “They’re, like, ‘We think that right now Susan Collins is uniquely weak,’ ” he told me. “We think the Democrats are going to choose a bad candidate for this race specifically, and we think that you’re a good candidate for this. And Amy and I promptly told them, ‘That’s fucking insane. We work full time. We don’t have any money.’ . . . We’re just normal fucking people who have very busy schedules, and running for U.S. Senate is the most ridiculous thing that I could’ve ever heard for myself.” Platner pulled up a cage. He lifted out a mesh bag full of tiny oysters, each the size of a pumpkin seed, explaining that as the oysters grow they need more space. “It’s very much like gardening,” he said. “I’m just thinning.”

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    Lisa Wood Shapiro

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  • Fall officially arrives with the autumnal equinox

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    Fall has officially arrived. Summer has come to an end, meaning cooler and shorter days are on the horizon. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Fall begins Monday, Sept. 22

    • The 2025 autumnal equinox happens at 2:19 p.m. ET

    • The largest daily loss of daylight occurs in September



    The change in seasons occurs with the solstice or the equinox determined by the Earth’s tilt and orbit around the sun. 

    What is the equinox?

    The Earth is tilted at a 23.5-degree angle, and as it travels around the sun, the Earth’s axis is tilted toward or away from the sun.

    During the equinox, the Earth’s axis and its orbit line up, allowing the sun’s rays to shine directly on the equator. This means that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight.

    Meteorological Fall vs. Astronomical Fall

     

    The meteorological seasons are calendar-based, whereas the astronomical seasons rely on the Earh’s position to the sun. 

    Meteorological fall occurs from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30. The meteorological seasons are broken down evenly into 3-month periods based on temperature and weather cycles. 

    Astronomical fall typically starts between Sept. 21 and Sept. 23. This varies because of leap years, which can shift the start date by a day or two. 

    Why do we lose so much daylight?

    We have been slowly losing more and more daylight since the summer solstice in June, and will continue to lose more daylight until the winter solstice in December. The largest daily loss of daylight occurs in September, especially as the autumnal equinox approaches.

    The Earth’s 23.5-degree tilt is the main reason we see daylight changes throughout the year. Your latitude also plays a role as well.

    This time of year, the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun, leading to a decrease in daylight. Areas located closer to the equator will see less variation in daylight hours as opposed to areas located closer to the North Pole.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Ramel Carpenter

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  • Map shows states hit with freeze warning as temperatures set to plunge

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    Multiple states are under a freeze warning and frost advisories overnight on Friday and into the weekend as temperatures could plunge into the 20s and low 30s, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

    Why It Matters

    The NWS alerts aim to protect crops, outdoor vegetation, and plumbing as overnight temperatures drop well below seasonal norms.

    The early arrival of cold weather could pose risks for farmers, gardeners, and homeowners who may not yet have prepared for freezing conditions, with the potential for economic consequences from lost crops and possible damage to infrastructure.

    What To Know

    The freeze warning is in place for portions of New York, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire.

    According to the NWS, “sub-freezing temperatures as low as 27 expected Friday night. Temperatures Saturday night are likely to be as cold or a bit colder than Friday night.”

    Counties under warning include Central Somerset, Northern Franklin, Northern Oxford, Northwest Aroostook, Northern Somerset, and Northern Piscataquis in Maine.

    In New Hampshire, Northern Coos and Southern Coos counties are under the warning. Hamilton, Southern Franklin and western Clinton counties in New York and Essex County in Vermont are impacted as well.

    Frost advisories are in effect for adjacent regions, with the coldest temperatures forecast just before sunrise on Saturday.

    Below is a map of the impacted states:

    What People Are Saying

    NWS meteorologist Brian Hurley to Newsweek via phone on Friday: “The forecasts we have are in the 20s and low 30s. It is interesting, it is a little early for these temperatures this time of year that is why we’re seeing these warnings and also advisories.”

    Hurley added: “If you see frost, the means that grass blade or that windshield has seen freezing temperatures. These temperatures are below normal, but interesting enough, were not really looking at records with this.”

    NWS Burlington wrote X on Friday: “What’s it take to make frosty weather? We’ve got it. Clearing skies and very dry conditions following a strong front in mid-September. Satellite shows clouds pulling a disappearing act as high pressure builds. Expect temperatures to plunge after sunset to create widespread frost.”

    NWS Albany on X on Friday: “A Freeze Warning has been issued for Hamilton County and a Frost Advisory for Northern Herkimer and Northern Warren Counties from 2 AM to 8 AM Saturday. Protect any sensitive vegetation in these areas.”

    What Happens Next?

    The active freeze warnings are expected to expire by early morning in most regions. Residents are urged to take immediate measures such as insulating pipes, covering plants, and checking on potentially vulnerable individuals and pets.

    Cold weather Vermont
    Pedestrians and cars can be seen contending with heavy snow on February 5, 2014, in Burlington, Vermont.

    Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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  • When will you see the first freeze this fall?

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    Leaves are changing, and the first day of astronomical fall is next Monday, Sept. 22. Most of the country will begin to see cooler temperatures in the coming weeks, and some won’t have to wait long.

    Even though winter doesn’t begin until December, cold air and freezing temperatures arrive well before then for most of the U.S.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Northern Plains and Intermountain West usually dip down below freezing before September is over

    • Interior New England  and the Great Lakes also see freezing temperatures before most of the country

    • Cold air arrives in Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Desert Southwest last



    Winter arrives at the time time every year on the calendar, but not on your thermometer. Every year is different. The maps below give a good idea of when you can expect the first freeze where you live based on the 1991-2020 U.S. climate normals.

    The maps below show the ‘median,’ or average date of the first freeze. This is when you could expect the first freeze to arrive during a ‘normal’ year. The next one shows the ‘earliest 10%’ which shows a scenario of when colder air arrives early, about once every 10 years. And the last map shows the ‘latest 10%,’ so during a warm year when cold air arrives late.

    Northeast

    Most of the Northeast and New England see the first freeze before or during early fall, in September or early October. The mountains and high elevations across interior New England and the Adirondacks average freezing temperatures sometime in September, with the rest of the Northeast getting freezing cold sometime during October or early November.

    Midwest

    The Upper Midwest and Northern Plains also get in on the cold early. Around the Great Lakes and Dakotas, the first freeze typically arrives during September or early October. Further south the wait isn’t much longer. Freezing air usually arrives to the rest of the Midwest sometime before Halloween.

    Northwest

    There are many microclimates across the Northwest, so the arrival of cold air varies. Across the Rockies and Intermountain West, some areas experience cold year-round and as early as August and early September. The Pacific Northwest might not see freezing temperatures arrive until late October or November thanks to the maritime influence. 

    Southwest

    The Southwest has a variety of climates as well, so the temperatures differ greatly during the fall and winter. The Desert Southwest and coastal California don’t see the arrival of cold air until late in the season, sometimes not until December. Once you get into the high desert and Southern Plains, it arrives much earlier, around October or early November.

    Southeast

    If you live in the Southeast, it still gets cold, especially away from the large bodies of water. In the Appalachians and areas away from the Gulf and Atlantic coast, freezing temperatures usually begin before Thanksgiving in late October or early November. The Gulf Coast and Florida, however, wait much longer, with freezing temperatures not arriving until late November or December. In South and Central Florida and southern Texas, freezing temperatures may never even arrive.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • How does Maine’s forest carbon credit market work?

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    Forest carbon credits are gaining traction in Maine. Yet as the voluntary carbon market picks up, some in the industry are worried about access for small family forest landowners with fewer resources than corporations who manage bigger plots of land.

    In order to participate in the market where carbon credits are bought and sold, a forest landowner first needs to understand exactly how much carbon their trees are capable of storing. The science behind the forest carbon market is based on the fundamental lesson taught in school: like us, trees “breathe.”

    Unlike us, however, trees take in carbon dioxide and hang on to it over long periods of time in a process called carbon sequestration. When certain climate-friendly management practices are followed, the carbon stored by forests can be counted and sold as credits to companies looking to offset their emissions in a larger marketplace.

    The market hinges on precise carbon sequestration calculations, which are done right down to the individual tree. That value, calculated by determining the amount of carbon a parcel of forestland will absorb and store over a period of time, often five or ten years in Maine, is then used to determine how many carbon credits a landowner can be issued by a carbon registry. Each credit is equivalent to one metric ton of carbon.

    For small-scale forest landowners, who might have a 25- or 50-acre parcel of woodland, this first step can be a barrier. The ground-based surveys traditionally required for calculating carbon storage potential are expensive.

    Though such surveys are typically conducted and paid for by a third-party entity called a forest carbon developer, surveying plots in the thousand-acre range versus dozen-acre range often makes for a more savvy investment. That can leave small landowners without access to the market.

    “When you have tens of thousands of acres to work with, then you have sort of an economy of scale to develop your own project. When you have 150 acres, the cost of developing a project would exceed the revenue you could gain from selling to carbon,” said Andrew Whitman, a climate and carbon specialist with the Maine Forest Service.

    In Maine, there are a handful of forest carbon developers who work with private family woodland owners, defined as those who manage 1,000 acres of forestland or less. One of those firms, a Maine-based startup called Renoster, is using remote sensing technology in an effort to make the surveying process cheaper.

    By using data collected from laser instruments on flyovers done by the state of Maine and the U.S. Geological Survey, Renoster’s team of scientists can create a detailed rendering of individual forest parcels. That rendering is called a LiDAR point cloud, named for the kind of three-dimensional laser scanner imagery created by the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology.

    “By filtering the point cloud with good statistical practices, you can actually see the shape of individual trees,” said Mary Ignatiadis, a forest economist with Renoster. “People have been doing a lot of work to make sure that calculations are really accurate, and that’s the innovation that’s going to allow small Maine landowners to participate.”

    The state is preparing to launch a series of incentives later this year to encourage forest landowners to participate in the carbon market, according to Whitman. Maine received federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to invest in forest carbon and resilience.

    There will be two incentive programs available to forest landowners with parcels under 1,000 acres and under 10,000 acres, respectively. Though Whitman said federal funding is not in a “business as usual situation,” he anticipates that the incentives will move forward.

    Incentives are not the only part of Maine’s forest carbon market counting on federal funding. Forest carbon developers in the state rely on data from the U.S. Forest Service’s ongoing Forest Inventory and Analysis, or FIA. The Forest Service has seen significant budget and personnel cuts under the Trump administration. Remote sensing technology, including instruments on NASA’s satellite programs, could also be impacted by budget cuts.

    “From a carbon standpoint, if the capacity of the programs to keep up with the ongoing inventory work in FIA … if that’s diminished, then we’ll have less capacity to have high quality data,” said Ivan Fernandez, a member of the Maine Climate Council and the Forest Carbon Task Force Gov. Janet Mills convened in 2021. “I say that not as a criticism of what might occur by the scientists doing the work, but if you have less resources to do it, then you have less data, and you have bigger error bars.”

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  • When to expect the best fall foliage

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    Every fall, people travel far and wide to go ‘leaf-peeping.’ The goal is to catch the leaves at peak color to see all the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows that Mother Nature has to offer.

    Weather plays a primary role in knowing when and where to go.

    What You Need To Know

    • Weather plays a significant role in fall foliage


    • Heat and soil moisture determine foliage timing and intensity


    • Stressed trees will lose leaves earlier or later than normal


    Right place at the right time

    The first step of successful leaf-peeping is being at the right place at the right time. All other factors aside, this is the average time of the year around the U.S. that you can see peak fall colors according to Explore Fall.

    (Explore Fall)

    Aside from the Florida peninsula, the Gulf Coast and parts of the desert Southwest, most of the continental U.S. sees color change during fall.

    Weather’s role

    The weather determines whether the fall foliage comes out early, on time or late every year, but what role does it play?

    Heat and moisture are the biggest factors that influence fall foliage. The summer weather helps give an idea of when colors will pop, but the weather during September and October are the biggest influencers.

    Here is how soil moisture and air temperature affect fall foliage.

    Weather impacts on fall foliage

    (Explore Fall)

    A prolonged late-spring or severe summer drought that leads to dry soils in the fall not only affects the timing, but the quality of the colors. Drought and drier soil puts a higher stress on the trees, dulling down the colors and forcing them to lose their leaves sooner.

    Heavy rainfall and wet soils in the summer and fall can delay the colors’ arrival by a few days, or even weeks. The later arrival time can produce better fall colors.

    Colder and below-normal temperatures bring out fall colors early, while prolonged summer heat and above normal temperatures delay the colors.

    According to the USDA Forest Service, “a succession of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays.” In other words… typical fall weather.

    Current fall foliage

    Here is a map of the current fall foliage around the U.S.


    In some parts of the country, leaves have already started turning. The first areas to see color are typically further north and at higher elevations, including parts of the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains, the Mountain West and interior Northeast.

    Parts of New England are in a severe drought, with much of the mountain west under an extreme or exceptional drought, which could cause the trees to lose leaves early and mute the colors.

    7-Day foliage outlook

    Here is a look at Explore Fall’s 7-day foliage forecast and what the foliage is expected to look like in a week from now.


    You can submit your fall foliage photos here.

    Our team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • The peak of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is here

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    Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean spans June through November, and this year was forecasted to be near to above average.

    What You Need To Know

    • The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season was forecasted to be near to above average

    • Through early Sept. 2025, there have only been six named storms

    • The climatological peak of hurricane season is on Sept. 10


    However, as we approach the climatological peak of the season, we’ve only had six named storms. 

    2025 Atlantic Season predictions

    Both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Colorado State University (CSU) made their seasonal forecasts back in May and updated them in August. The latest outlooks predict an above-average season: 13 to 18 tropical cyclones (down from 13 to 19 named storms) for NOAA and 16 named storms for CSU (down from 17 to 24 named storms).

    The new predictions include the six named storms we’ve already seen. The average number of named storms is around 14 per season.

    How the season began

    Tropical Storm Andrea formed on June 23, 2025. This marked the latest start to a season since 2014. 

    Next, Tropical Storm Barry formed toward the end of June and made landfall in Veracruz, Mexico. 

    After Barry, Tropical Storm Chantal impacted the southeastern U.S. The storm made landfall in South Carolina on July 6, bringing tropical storm force-winds and flooding rainfall to the Carolinas. 

    Flooding from Chantal at Cooper Road at the Haw River canoe access in Graham, North Carolina. (Graham Police Department)

    Tropical Storm Dexter followed, and next, Hurricane Erin. Erin became a large and powerful Category 5 storm. The storm stayed well off the coast of the U.S., but it brought dangerous rip currents to most of the eastern seaboard.

    Tropical Storm Fernand formed in mid-August and stayed offshore. Here’s a look at the 2025 hurricane season so far. 

    Since then, there has been a lull in tropical activity. 

    Still a lot of the season to go

    In September and early October, storms are most likely to form in the central Atlantic and the Caribbean. However, as more frontal boundaries move through the U.S. at this time, it’s possible for tropical cyclones to develop along old fronts in the Gulf of Mexico and off of the southeast coast. 

    “We are just coming up on the halfway mark of the hurricane season, usually the time of peak activity,” says Dr. Frank Marks, a meteorologist in the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA/Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. 

    Don’t let the lull in the Atlantic lull you to sleep. As we approach the peak with quiet conditions, there’s still plenty of time for more storms to develop.

    Notable September and October tropical cyclones

    Even though many may be focused on fall, hurricane season is ongoing! There have been many tropical cyclones that have formed and made landfall in September and October. 

    Just last year, Hurricane Milton formed in October and rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 storm in the Gulf of America. This was the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded over the Gulf since Hurricane Rita in 2005. Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key, FL.

    While the outlook over the next seven days looks quiet in the Atlantic, make sure you’re focusing on the forecast as conditions in the open waters can change. Tracking the Tropics.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

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  • September’s ‘Corn Moon’ rises this week

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    Our next full moon, and the final one of the astronomical summer, is set to rise above the horizon this week on Sunday, September 7th.

    What You Need To Know

    • September’s full moon will rise this weekend

    • It is called the ‘Corn Moon’ this year

    • Unobstructed views of the horizon allow for best sightings


    This full moon is called the Corn Moon as opposed to the Harvest Moon which traditionally is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox (September 22nd). It just so happens that the next full moon will occur on October 6th so it gets the name Harvest Moon this year.

    The moon will officially be full at 2:09 pm EDT Sunday, so it won’t be seen until hours later when it rises above the horizon after sunset.

    This year’s Corn Moon will actually coincide with a lunar eclipse for much of the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, and Australia), but no eclipse will be visible across the U.S. Other countries can expect a long-lasting “blood moon” similar to what America saw back in March earlier this year.

     

    Potential cloud coverage Sunday evening. (weathermodels.com)

    The name of the moon is a reference to the corn harvest, which typically happens this time of the year across North America.

    The best viewing will be after sunset on Sunday.  To find the best time to view in your area, check out the moonrise calculator. Be sure to find a place with unobstructed horizon views for the best sights.

    The next full moon will be the Harvest Moon, which occurs on October 6, 2025. As mentioned earlier, the Harvest Moon is whatever full moon falls closest to the Fall Equinox. Usually that is in September, but every four or five years, it happens in October.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Ian Cassette

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  • September’s ‘Corn Moon’ rises this week

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    Our next full moon, and the final one of the astronomical summer, is set to rise above the horizon this week on Sunday, September 7th.

    What You Need To Know

    • September’s full moon will rise this weekend

    • It is called the ‘Corn Moon’ this year

    • Unobstructed views of the horizon allow for best sightings


    This full moon is called the Corn Moon as opposed to the Harvest Moon which traditionally is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox (September 22nd). It just so happens that the next full moon will occur on October 6th so it gets the name Harvest Moon this year.

    The moon will officially be full at 2:09 pm EDT Sunday, so it won’t be seen until hours later when it rises above the horizon after sunset.

    This year’s Corn Moon will actually coincide with a lunar eclipse for much of the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, and Australia), but no eclipse will be visible across the U.S. Other countries can expect a long-lasting “blood moon” similar to what America saw back in March earlier this year.

     

    Potential cloud coverage Sunday evening. (weathermodels.com)

    The name of the moon is a reference to the corn harvest, which typically happens this time of the year across North America.

    The best viewing will be after sunset on Sunday.  To find the best time to view in your area, check out the moonrise calculator. Be sure to find a place with unobstructed horizon views for the best sights.

    The next full moon will be the Harvest Moon, which occurs on October 6, 2025. As mentioned earlier, the Harvest Moon is whatever full moon falls closest to the Fall Equinox. Usually that is in September, but every four or five years, it happens in October.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Ian Cassette

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