When you step outside on a summer afternoon for a dose of fresh air, do you ever stop and wonder how “fresh” the air actually is?
Some people wouldn’t give this a second thought, but those who suffer from respiratory issues depend highly on air quality information.
What You Need To Know
Air quality is monitored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Air Quality Index is used to give easy to understand air quality information to the public. If necessary, Air quality alerts will be issued for an area
Ozone is one of several major air pollutants
Unhealthy air quality often happens during calm, stagnant, fair weather days
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for monitoring the air quality, and it uses an Air Quality Index (AQI) to keep the public informed. The index is color coded based on the level of health concern, and there are six levels.
Courtesy of EPA
Once a Code Orange is reached, Air Quality Alerts are issued since the index value is now over 100, which means unhealthy air quality for those in sensitive groups (e.g. elderly, young children, those with respiratory problems, etc.).
The higher the index value (which can get over 300), the more unhealthy the air is for everyone and outside time should be limited.
Ozone is one of the main pollutants that could lead to unhealthy air quality if the levels are too high. This most often happens on calm, stagnant, fair weather days in urban industrialized areas.
This is not the “good” ozone that forms naturally in the upper atmosphere and blocks us from the sun’s harmful UV rays. This is the “bad” ground-level ozone that’s basically a created chemical byproduct from man-made pollutants.
Courtesy of EPA
Other major pollutants that an Air Quality Alert could be issued for are:
Particle pollution (particulate matter)
Nitrogen dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Carbon monoxide
When under an Air Quality Alert, you can help by minimizing your use of anything that helps pollute the air. For example, drive less, don’t use gas powered equipment, and don’t burn garbage or any other items.
The Supreme Court’s 2024 term will end this summer but a screenshot of an X post about the justices’ ruling on a contentious Texas law takes old court orders out of context.
“Just announced,” a May 28 X post said. “The Supreme Court ruled today that Texas SB-4 law is constitutional which grants Txs the right to detain, arrest, and expel anyone crossing the Texas border illegally Big round of applause folks The majority on the Scotus acting like one. … (6-3).”
A May 28 Instagram post sharing the screenshot was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
“SB-4” refers to Senate Bill 4, a Texas law that would let state police arrest immigrants suspected of entering the United States illegally.
The Biden administration sued Texas to stop the law on grounds it’s unconstitutional because it interferes with federal immigration laws.
On March 19, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the law to take effect and returned the case to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to decide whether the law should be paused as litigation continues. Six justices supported the decision while the court’s three liberal members dissented.
But later that night, the appeals court put the law back on ice while a panel of judges considers its constitutionality.
We rate claims the U.S. Supreme Court just announced the law is constitutional False.
Heat index is the temperature that it feels like to the human body and is also referred to as the feels-like temperature or the apparent temperature.
Oftentimes, it will feel much hotter than what the thermometer reads.
This is especially true on hot and humid days because the body can’t cool as efficiently. When the heat index is high, people become more susceptible to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Watch the video above to learn how humidity impacts how you cool down, and learn the math behind the science.
Relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting are asking a bankruptcy judge to liquidate conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ media company, including Infowars, instead of allowing him to reorganize his business as they seek to collect on $1.5 billion in lawsuit verdicts against him.
What You Need To Know
Sandy Hook families are asking a judge to liquidate Alex Jones’ media company, including Infowars, as they seek to collect on $1.5 billion in lawsuit verdicts against him
Liquidation could mean that Jones, based in Austin, Texas, would have to sell most of what he owns, including his company and its assets. Proceeds would go to his creditors, including the Sandy Hook families. There is no agreement or court ruling yet, however, on how a liquidation would work in Jones’ cases
Jones and Free Speech Systems both filed for bankruptcy reorganization after the Sandy Hook families won lawsuits in Texas and Connecticut claiming defamation and emotional distress over Jones’ hoax claims
Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, which employs 44 people, had nearly $4 million in cash on hand at the end of April
Lawyers for the families filed an emergency motion Sunday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston, saying Free Speech Systems has “no prospect” of getting a reorganization plan approved by the court and has “failed to demonstrate any hope of beginning to satisfy” their legal claims, which relate to Jones calling the 2012 school shooting a hoax.
A hearing in Free Speech Systems’ bankruptcy case was scheduled for Monday related to a dispute over the company’s finances.
Jones went on his web and radio show over the weekend saying there was a conspiracy against him and he expected Infowars to be shut down in a month or two because of the families’ bankruptcy court filings. The comments included profanity-laden rants, and Jones appeared to cry at points.
“There’s really no avenue out of this,” Jones said on his show Sunday. “I’m kind of in the bunker here. And don’t worry. I’ll come back. The enemy can’t help but do this attack.”
On Saturday, Jones was defiant, saying “At the end of the day, we’re going to beat these people. I’m not trying to be dramatic here, but it’s been a hard fight. These people hate our children.”
A bankruptcy lawyer for Free Speech Systems did not immediately return a message seeking comment Monday.
Liquidation could mean that Jones, based in Austin, Texas, would have to sell most of what he owns, including his company and its assets, but could keep his home and other personal belongings that are exempt from bankruptcy liquidation. Proceeds would go to his creditors, including the Sandy Hook families. There is no agreement or court ruling yet, however, on how a liquidation would work in Jones’ cases.
Jones and Free Speech Systems both filed for bankruptcy reorganization after the Sandy Hook families won lawsuits in Texas and Connecticut claiming defamation and emotional distress over Jones’ hoax claims. Jones said on his show that the school shooting that killed 20 first graders and six educators was staged by crisis actors in efforts to get more gun control laws passed.
Jones’ lawyers have been unable to reach an agreement over the past several months with attorneys for the Sandy Hook families on how to resolve the bankruptcy cases. Jones’ lawyer recently said in court that the cases appear headed to liquidation or may be withdrawn. The emergency motion filed Sunday was filed in Free Speech System’s case.
If the cases are withdrawn, it would put Jones back in the same position he was in after the $1.5 billion was awarded in the lawsuits and it would send efforts to collect the damages back to the state courts where the verdicts were reached.
The families of many, but not all, of the Sandy Hook victims sued Jones and won the two trials in Connecticut and Texas.
The relatives said they were traumatized by Jones’ comments and the actions of his followers. They testified at the trials about being harassed and threatened by Jones’ believers, some of whom confronted the grieving families in person saying the shooting never happened and their children never existed.
According to the most recent financial statements filed in the bankruptcy court, Jones personally has about $9 million in assets including his $2.6 million Austin-area home and other real estate. He also listed his living expenses at about $69,000 for April alone, including about $16,500 for expenses on his home including maintenance, housekeeping and insurance.
Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, which employs 44 people, had nearly $4 million in cash on hand at the end of April. The business made nearly $3.2 million in April, including from selling the dietary supplements, clothing and other items that Jones promotes on his show, while listing $1.9 million in expenses.
Jones and the Sandy Hook families have offered different proposals to settle the $1.5 billion he owes them. Last year, Free Speech Systems filed a plan that would leave $7 million to $10 million a year to pay off creditors.
The families later countered with their own proposal: either liquidate Jones’ estate and give the proceeds to creditors, or pay them at least $8.5 million a year for 10 years — plus 50% of any income over $9 million per year.
A Texas man is accused of shooting and killing his uncle after he came to retrieve a pair of roosters he said belonged to him, investigators say.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
A Texas man is accused of fatally shooting his uncle during a fight over a pair of roosters, officials say.
At about 4 a.m. May 30, deputies responded to a 911 call from a home near Mission and found a man with a gunshot wound inside a bathroom, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. The man, later identified as 54-year-old Fernando Madrid, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to investigators.
Multiple family members were outside the house, including the man’s nephew and accused killer, 21-year-old Aaron Cervantes, deputies said.
Deputies learned that Cervantes came to his uncle’s home with another man in order to take back two roosters he said belonged to him.
Before he could leave with the roosters, his uncle confronted him and the two men began arguing about who owns the birds, officials said. At some point during the fight, Cervantes shot Madrid with a handgun, killing him, according to the sheriff’s office.
Cervantes was arrested and jailed on a charge of murder, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies released the man Cervantes arrived with, as it was determined he didn’t commit any crimes.
Jail records show Cervantes’ bond has been set at $2 million.
An investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office at 956-383-8114.
Mission is a roughly 250-mile drive south from San Antonio.
Mitchell Willetts is a real-time news reporter covering the central U.S. for McClatchy. He is a University of Oklahoma graduate and outdoors enthusiast living in Texas.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas called for all parties to immediately accept a proposal detailed by U.S. President Joe Biden to end the war in Gaza, but Israel’s government said that conditions for a cease-fire still must be met.
What You Need To Know
The families of Israeli hostages are supporting a proposal by President Joe Biden urging Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement to release about 100 remaining hostages, along with the bodies of around 30 more, for an extended cease-fire in Gaza
Cease-fire talks halted last month after a push by the U.S. and other mediators to secure a deal in hopes of averting a full-scale Israeli invasion of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. Israel says the Rafah operation is key to uprooting Hamas fighters responsible for the Oct. 7 attack
Many families of hostages accuse the government of a lack of will to secure a deal
Hamas said in a statement Friday that it viewed the proposal “positively” and called on Israel to declare explicit commitment to an agreement that includes a permanent cease-fire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a prisoner exchange and other conditions
Biden outlined a three-phase deal Friday that he said was proposed by Israel to Hamas, saying the militant group is “no longer capable” of carrying out a large-scale attack on Israel like the one in October that started the fighting. He urged Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement to release about 100 remaining hostages, along with the bodies of around 30 more, for an extended cease-fire in Gaza.
Cease-fire talks halted last month after a push by the U.S. and other mediators to secure a deal in hopes of averting a full-scale Israeli invasion of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. Israel says the Rafah operation is key to uprooting Hamas fighters responsible for the Oct. 7 attack.
Israel on Friday confirmed its troops were operating in central parts of the city. The ground assault has led around 1 million Palestinians to leave Rafah and has thrown humanitarian operations into turmoil.
Following Biden’s speech, hostage families said time was running out.
“This might be the last chance to save lives,” Gili Roman told The Associated Press. His sister, Yarden Roman-Gat, was taken hostage and freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November, but Yarden’s sister-in-law, Carmel, is still held. Roman added: “There is no other way towards a better situation for all. Our leadership must not disappoint us. But mostly, all eyes should be on Hamas.”
The proposal came after what hostage families called an aggressive meeting Thursday with Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, who told them that the government wasn’t ready to sign a deal to bring all hostages home and that there was no plan B.
Hanegbi said this week he expects the war to continue another seven months to destroy the military and governing capabilities of Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group.
Netanyahu has promised a “total victory” that would remove Hamas from power, dismantle its military structure and return the hostages. On Saturday, the government said that its conditions for ending the war hadn’t changed and that putting a permanent cease-fire in place before the conditions are fulfilled is a “nonstarter.”
Many families of hostages accuse the government of a lack of will to secure a deal.
“We know that the government of Israel has done an awful lot to delay reaching a deal, and that has cost the lives of many people who survived in captivity for weeks and weeks and months and months,” Sharone Lifschitz said. Her mother, Yocheved, was freed in the November cease-fire, and her father, Oded, is still held.
The first phase of the deal announced by Biden would would last for six weeks and include a “full and complete cease-fire,” a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, older people and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The second phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. The third phase calls for the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which faces decades of rebuilding from the war’s devastation.
Biden acknowledged that keeping the proposal on track would be difficult, with a number of “details to negotiate” to move from the first phase to the second. Biden said that if Hamas fails to fulfil its commitment under the deal, Israel can resume military operations.
Hamas said in a statement Friday that it viewed the proposal “positively” and called on Israel to declare explicit commitment to an agreement that includes a permanent cease-fire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a prisoner exchange and other conditions.
In Deir al-Balah, where many Palestinians have fled following Israel’s ground assault on Rafah, there was some hope.
“This proposal came late, but better late than never,” said Akram Abu Al-Hasan. “Therefore, we hope from God, the American administration, and the European community in general to continue to put pressure on Israel for a cease-fire.”
The main difference from previous proposals is the readiness to stop the war for an undefined period, according to analysts. It leaves Israel the option to renew the war and diminish Hamas’ ability to govern, but over time, said Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum in Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University.
Experts said that Biden’s speech was one of the few times that gave hope the war might end.
“It was a very good speech … it seems that Biden is trying to force it on the Israeli government, he was clearly speaking directly to the Israeli people,” said Gershon Baskin, director for the Middle East at the International Communities Organization.
Also on Saturday, Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News said that officials from Egypt, the United States and Israel would meet in Cairo over the weekend for talks about the Rafah crossing, which has been closed since Israel took over the Palestinian side in early May.
The crossing is one of the main ways for aid to enter Gaza. Egypt has refused to open its side, fearing the Israeli hold will remain permanent. Egypt has demanded that Palestinians be put back in charge of the facility. The White House has been pressing Egypt to resume the flow of trucks.
Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7 killed around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. More than 36,370 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israel’s campaign of bombardment and offensives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.
June tropical activity is most likely in the Gulf of Mexico
Storms that develop typically move northeastward
Only four June hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. since 1950
Even though systems can form before hurricane season, June is still very early in hurricane season. Tropical systems typically struggle to develop, and those that do usually only strengthen into a disorganized system or weak hurricane.
The most favorable areas for tropical development in June are the Gulf of Mexico, the northern Caribbean Sea and the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, just off the southeastern coast.
Systems that develop typically take a northeastward track.
Since 1950, only four hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. during June, all of them along the Gulf Coast. Bonnie and Agnes made landfall as Category 1 hurricanes, while Audrey and Alma strengthened into major hurricanes.
Development zones expand and tropical activity increases as we get further into summer.
Read More About Hurricanes
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.
It’s the first official month of hurricane season.
In June, most tropical systems only form into depressions or storms because we don’t have the right ingredients for stronger storms, such as warmer ocean water.
Let’s look back at some of the top June systems.
What You Need To Know
120 tropical systems categorized as a tropical storm or higher have occurred in June since 1850
87 of those tropical systems brought impacts to the U.S.
Only three major hurricanes have occurred in June
The 2000s
Tropical Storm Debby in 2012: An area of low pressure in the Gulf developed into Tropical Storm Debby on June 23. Curving northeast, Debby made landfall as a weak tropical storm near Steinhatchee, Florida.
Extreme rainfall fell over Florida, with Curtis Mill receiving the most at 28.78 inches. The Sopchoppy River reached a record-high flood stage and flooded 400 structures in Wakulla County.
River and creek flooding in Pasco and Clay Counties inundated around 700 homes. Central and South Florida saw damage from several tornadoes.
In the end, Debby caused around $210 million in losses and 10 deaths.
Rainfall from Debby caused massive flooding for areas like Live Oak, Fla. in 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Tropical Storm Allison in 2001: An interesting storm, Allison first made landfall as a tropical storm near Freeport, Texas, on June 5. It drifted northward but quickly made a U-turn and re-entered the Gulf of Mexico on June 10.
After moving back into the Gulf, Allison tracked northeastward and made a second landfall in Louisiana on June 11, and continued northeast towards the Atlantic.
Texas saw a major flood disaster when Allison stalled over the state, dumping over 35 inches of rain. The storm damaged over 65,000 homes and 95,000 vehicles. Allison killed 41 people, most died from drowning.
Allison became the costliest and second-deadliest tropical storm on record in the United States, with around $8.5 billion in damage.
The 1900s
Tropical Storm Alberto in 1994: Initially forming near the western tip of Cuba on June 30, this storm tracked north, making landfall near Destin, Florida. It quickly weakened but stalled over Georgia and continued to stream in moisture across the Southeast.
This storm triggered devastating flooding across Georgia, Alabama and Florida. Twenty-seven inches of rain fell in some locations.
Thirty-three people died from flash flooding alone, and the storm damaged over 18,000 homes. Alberto also affected about 900,000 acres of crops and caused 218 dams to fail.
There was a total of $1.03 billion in damage, and Alberto became one of the worst natural disasters in Georgia’s history.
Hurricane Agnes in 1972: One of the worst hurricanes in history, killing 131 people, Agnes first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Panama City, Florida, on June 19.
It then moved northeastward towards the Carolinas before it moved into the Atlantic and then drifted towards New York City, where it made landfall as a tropical storm on June 22.
Agnes caused a significant tornado outbreak in Florida and Georgia. There were 26 confirmed tornadoes, 24 of them in Florida. Agnes damaged or destroyed over 2,000 structures in Florida.
The rest of the Southeast felt minor impacts, but once Agnes moved into the Northeast, it devastated Pennsylvania and New York.
Pennsylvania experienced extreme flooding because of heavy rainfall. One area in Schuylkill County saw 18 inches of rain. Creeks and rivers ran out of their banks, and the damage from flooding left 220,000 people homeless.
New York suffered similar damage. Flooding damaged or destroyed over 32,000 homes and 1,500 businesses.
A large boat was tossed from the ocean in Cameron, La. when Hurricane Audrey ripped through in 1957. (AP Photo/Randy Taylor)
Hurricane Audrey in 1957: The first major hurricane to make our list, Audrey made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in southwestern Louisiana on June 27. The impacts were devastating.
The storm surge inundated much of the Louisiana coast and killed much of the local wildlife. Heavy rainfall led to flooding.
In Texas, strong winds caused $8 million in damage.
The hurricane spawned many tornadoes inland, and people felt the effects of the storm as north as Canada, killing 15 people.
It was the earliest major hurricane at the time and one of the deadliest, with over 400 people killed.
The Gulf Coast Hurricane of 1916: The second major hurricane to make the list, this system first formed into a tropical storm on June 29 in the Caribbean Sea.
It moved north, and once it reached the Gulf of Mexico, warm waters allowed this system to intensify into a Category 3 hurricane.
It made landfall near Gulfport, Mississippi, on July 5, and winds caused about $3 million in damage. In Florida, it peeled roofs off houses, and chimneys and trees toppled. Heavy rainfall severely damaged crops in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Overall, this hurricane killed 34 people. The remnants from this storm would combine with another system in the Atlantic and cause massive flooding in North Carolina.
A steamer sunk in Mobile Bay, Ala. when The Gulf Coast Hurricane of 1916 tore through. (NOAA/Steve Nicklas)
The 1800s
An unnamed tropical storm in 1899: Although it is unknown when this storm first formed, weather maps indicate a tropical storm in the northwestern Gulf on June 26.
This storm made landfall on Galveston Island, Texas, on June 27 and caused major devastation, mainly because many people did not have ways of receiving warnings.
This tropical storm flooded 12,000 square miles of land, and it left thousands of people homeless. It’s estimated that 284 people died in the storm.
3 back-to-back-to-back hurricanes in 1886: The end of our list takes us to 1886 when three hurricanes devastated the South and Southeast.
The first made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane near High Island, Texas on June 14. The hurricane damaged boats, waterfront structures and a railroad. Winds tore roofs from houses, and saltwater from the ocean impacted livestock.
Areas in Louisiana even saw major crop damage and heavy rainfall, peaking at 21.4 inches.
The second hurricane made landfall near St. Marks, Florida as a Category 2 on June 21 after traveling from Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula. Flooding happened across low-lying streets, and it pushed ships onshore. The most damage occurred near Apalachicola and Tallahassee.
The third and final hurricane of the month (and this list) also developed in the Caribbean Sea, moved northward and made landfall near the same area as the second hurricane. It made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane near Indian Pass in Florida.
Homes lost their roofs, buildings collapsed and several ships sunk. It destroyed crops in Florida and Georgia, and even areas in North Carolina and Virginia saw wind and flood 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.
Today is the first day of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Here are some helpful resources to help you and your family get ready.
What You Need To Know
Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30
It’s expected to be an active season
Track the latest in the tropics here
How to prepare?
Even if you are not in a storm’s path, there are ways to prepare in advance that will make it easier for you when the time comes. It’s important to know if you live in an evacuation zone, and if so, to develop an evacuation plan for you and your family.
You can assemble a hurricane kit, including items like non-perishable food for your family and pets, water, flashlights, a first aid kit and more.
Also, reviewing your insurance plans if you own a home and to sign up for flood insurance if it is a separate plan.
This year’s forecast includes several factors, primarily record warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Atlantic. Global climate models and forecasters also suggest a transition to La Niña conditions by the peak of Atlantic hurricane season.
More resources
Learn More About Hurricanes
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.
Today is the first day of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Here are some helpful resources to help you and your family get ready.
What You Need To Know
Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30
It’s expected to be an active season
Track the latest in the tropics here
How to prepare?
Even if you are not in a storm’s path, there are ways to prepare in advance that will make it easier for you when the time comes. It’s important to know if you live in an evacuation zone, and if so, to develop an evacuation plan for you and your family.
You can assemble a hurricane kit, including items like non-perishable food for your family and pets, water, flashlights, a first aid kit and more.
Also, reviewing your insurance plans if you own a home and to sign up for flood insurance if it is a separate plan.
This year’s forecast includes several factors, primarily record warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Atlantic. Global climate models and forecasters also suggest a transition to La Niña conditions by the peak of Atlantic hurricane season.
More resources
Learn More About Hurricanes
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.
2024 has gifted us with some spectacular celestial views from the total solar eclipse in April to the northern lights seen throughout most of the U.S. in May. June brings another astronomical phenomenon known as “planets on parade.”
What You Need To Know
Six planets will align on the morning of June 3
Planets lining up happens a couples times per year
Three of the six planets will rise just before 6 a.m. making them faint in the sunlight
It’s nicknamed as such because several planets appear to form into a straight line in the early morning sky. However, Spectrum News Space Expert Anthony Leone says it’s all about perspective. “In reality (and out in space), they are not lined up. It only appears that way to us.”
This ‘parade’ is unique because six planets, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, will align. He recommends waking up early and finding a location with minimal light pollution for optimal viewing. “Saturn is expected to rise from the east to southeast of the horizon at 2 a.m. ET on June 3.”
And bring binoculars or a telescope. “With the naked eye, you can see planets Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn as stars. The more distant planets like Uranus and Neptune will need binoculars or a telescope to view.”
Adding, “Free astronomy apps like ‘Sky Guide,’ ‘Planets’ and ‘SkyPortal’ are great at helping people see when and where the planets will rise.”
With three out of the six planets expected to rise just before 6 a.m., the sun may end up obscuring the view of the “parade.”
As for how common is this event?
“Believe it or not, planet alignments are not too rare, and they happen a couple of times each year. It just depends on how many planets will be in alignment for a parade,” explains Leone.
“The last time people saw most planets line up was this year’s total solar eclipse in April.”
And if the weather doesn’t permit you for the viewing in June, there will be another opportunity in August. “The next one will be Aug. 28 with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all aligning.”
2025 will have three chances to witness planets on parades, Jan. 18, Feb. 28 and Aug. 29.
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.
David Hom suffered from diabetes and felt nauseated before he went out to hang his laundry in 108-degree weather, another day in Arizona’s record-smashing, unrelenting July heat wave.
His family found the 73-year-old lying on the ground, his lower body burned. Hom died at the hospital, his core body temperature at 107 degrees.
What You Need To Know
An Associated Press analysis of federal data shows that about 2,300 people in the United States died in the summer of 2023 with their death certificates mentioning the effects of excessive heat
That’s the highest in 45 years of records. More than two dozen doctors, public health experts, meteorologists and other experts tell The AP the real death toll was higher
Coroner, hospital, ambulance and weather records show that last summer amped up America’s heat and health problem to a new level
The relentless warmth unusually killed more people in the South, which had been less prone to mass deaths
The death certificates of more than 2,300 people who died in the United States last summer mention the effects of excessive heat, the highest number in 45 years of records, according to an Associated Press analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. With May already breaking heat records, 2024 could be even deadlier.
And more than two dozen doctors, public health experts, and meteorologists told the AP that last year’s figure was only a fraction of the real death toll. Coroner, hospital, ambulance and weather records show America’s heat and health problem at an entirely new level.
“We can be confident saying that 2023 was the worst year we’ve had from since … we’ve started having reliable reporting on that,” said Dr. John Balbus, director of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Last year, ambulances were dispatched tens of thousands of times after people dropped from the heat. It was relentless and didn’t give people a break, especially at night. The heat of 2023 kept coming, and people kept dying.
“It’s people that live the hot life. These are the ones who are dying. People who work outside, people that can’t air-condition their house,” said Texas A&M climate scientist Andrew Dessler, who was in hard-hit southern Texas. “It’s really quite, quite grim.”
Dallas postal worker Eugene Gates Jr., loved working outdoors and at 7:30 a.m. June 20, the 66-year-old texted his wife that it was close to 90 degrees. He kept working in the heat that felt like 119 degrees with the humidity factored in and finally passed out in somebody’s yard. He ran a fever of 104.6 degrees and died, with the medical examiner saying heat contributed to his death.
“The way that my husband died, it could have been prevented,” said Carla Gates.
“There’s just very low awareness that heat kills. It’s the silent killer,” said University of Washington public health scientist Kristie Ebi, who helped write a United Nations special report on extreme weather. That 2012 report warned of future dangerous heat waves.
Ebi said in the last few years, the heat “seems like it’s coming faster. It seems like it’s more severe than we expected.”
Deaths down south
Last summer’s heat wave killed differently than past ones that triggered mass deaths in northern cities where people weren’t used to the high temperatures and air conditioning wasn’t common. Several hundreds died in the Pacific Northwest in 2021, in Philadelphia in 1998 and in Chicago in 1995.
Nearly three-quarters of the heat deaths last summer were in five southern states that were supposed to be used to the heat and planned for it. Except this time they couldn’t handle it, and it killed 874 people in Arizona, 450 in Texas, 226 in Nevada, 84 in Florida and 83 in Louisiana.
Those five states accounted for 61% of the nation’s heat deaths in the last five years, skyrocketing past their 18% share of U.S. deaths from 1979 to 1999.
At least 645 people were killed by the heat in Maricopa County, Arizona, alone, according to the medical examiner’s office. People were dying in their cars and especially on the streets, where homelessness, drug abuse and mental illness made matters worse.
Three months after being evicted from her home, 64-year-old Diana Smith was found dead in the back of her car. Her cause of death was methamphetamine and fentanyl, worsened by heat exposure, Phoenix’s medical examiner ruled.
“In the last five years, we are seeing this consistent and record kind of unprecedented upward trend. And I think it’s because the levels of heat that we have seen in the last several years have exceeded what we had seen in the last 20 or 30,” said Balbus, of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Unrelenting heat
Phoenix saw 20 consecutive days of extreme heat stress in July, the longest run of such dangerously hot days in the city since at least 1940, according to the data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Phoenix wasn’t alone.
Last year the U.S. had the most heat waves since 1936. In the South and Southwest, Last year was the worst on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“It was crazy,” said University of Miami tropical meteorology researcher Brian McNoldy, who spent the summer documenting how Miami broke its daily heat index record 40% of the days between mid-June and mid-October.
Houston’s Hobby airport broke daily high temperature marks 43 times, meteorologists said. Nighttime lows set records for heat 57 times, they said. That didn’t give people’s bodies chances to recover.
Across five southern states, the average rate of emergency department visits for heat illness in the summer of 2023 was over double that of the previous five summers, according to an analysis of data from the CDC.
The deaths
Experts warned that counting heat mortality based on death certificates leads to underestimates. Heat illness can be missed, or might not be mentioned.
They pointed to “excess death” studies for a more realistic count. These are the type of long-accepted epidemiological studies that look at grand totals of deaths during unusual conditions — such as hot days, high air pollution or a spreading COVID-19 pandemic — and compare them to normal times, creating an expected trend line.
Texas A&M’s Dessler and his colleague Jangho Lee published one such study early last year. According to their methods, Lee said, about 11,000 heat deaths likely occurred in 2023 in the U.S. — a figure that would represent a record since at least 1987 and is about five times the number reported on death certificates.
Deaths are also up because of better reporting, and because Americans are getting older and more vulnerable to heat, Lee said. The population is also slowly shifting to cities, which are more exposed to heat.
The future
In some places, last year’s heat already rivals the worst on record. As of late May, Miami was on track to be 1.5 degrees warmer than the hottest May on record, according to McNoldy. Dallas’ Murphy pointed to maps saying conditions with a broiling Mexico are “eerily similar to what we saw last June” so he is worried about “a very brutal summer.”
Texas A&M’s Dessler said last year’s heat was “a taste of the future.”
“I just think in 20 years, you know, 2040 rolls around … we’re going to look back at 2023 and say, man, that was cool,” Dessler said. “The problem with climate change is if if it hasn’t pushed you over the edge yet, just wait.”
David Hom suffered from diabetes and felt nauseated before he went out to hang his laundry in 108-degree weather, another day in Arizona’s record-smashing, unrelenting July heat wave.
His family found the 73-year-old lying on the ground, his lower body burned. Hom died at the hospital, his core body temperature at 107 degrees.
What You Need To Know
An Associated Press analysis of federal data shows that about 2,300 people in the United States died in the summer of 2023 with their death certificates mentioning the effects of excessive heat
That’s the highest in 45 years of records. More than two dozen doctors, public health experts, meteorologists and other experts tell The AP the real death toll was higher
Coroner, hospital, ambulance and weather records show that last summer amped up America’s heat and health problem to a new level
The relentless warmth unusually killed more people in the South, which had been less prone to mass deaths
The death certificates of more than 2,300 people who died in the United States last summer mention the effects of excessive heat, the highest number in 45 years of records, according to an Associated Press analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. With May already breaking heat records, 2024 could be even deadlier.
And more than two dozen doctors, public health experts, and meteorologists told the AP that last year’s figure was only a fraction of the real death toll. Coroner, hospital, ambulance and weather records show America’s heat and health problem at an entirely new level.
“We can be confident saying that 2023 was the worst year we’ve had from since … we’ve started having reliable reporting on that,” said Dr. John Balbus, director of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Last year, ambulances were dispatched tens of thousands of times after people dropped from the heat. It was relentless and didn’t give people a break, especially at night. The heat of 2023 kept coming, and people kept dying.
“It’s people that live the hot life. These are the ones who are dying. People who work outside, people that can’t air-condition their house,” said Texas A&M climate scientist Andrew Dessler, who was in hard-hit southern Texas. “It’s really quite, quite grim.”
Dallas postal worker Eugene Gates Jr., loved working outdoors and at 7:30 a.m. June 20, the 66-year-old texted his wife that it was close to 90 degrees. He kept working in the heat that felt like 119 degrees with the humidity factored in and finally passed out in somebody’s yard. He ran a fever of 104.6 degrees and died, with the medical examiner saying heat contributed to his death.
“The way that my husband died, it could have been prevented,” said Carla Gates.
“There’s just very low awareness that heat kills. It’s the silent killer,” said University of Washington public health scientist Kristie Ebi, who helped write a United Nations special report on extreme weather. That 2012 report warned of future dangerous heat waves.
Ebi said in the last few years, the heat “seems like it’s coming faster. It seems like it’s more severe than we expected.”
Deaths down south
Last summer’s heat wave killed differently than past ones that triggered mass deaths in northern cities where people weren’t used to the high temperatures and air conditioning wasn’t common. Several hundreds died in the Pacific Northwest in 2021, in Philadelphia in 1998 and in Chicago in 1995.
Nearly three-quarters of the heat deaths last summer were in five southern states that were supposed to be used to the heat and planned for it. Except this time they couldn’t handle it, and it killed 874 people in Arizona, 450 in Texas, 226 in Nevada, 84 in Florida and 83 in Louisiana.
Those five states accounted for 61% of the nation’s heat deaths in the last five years, skyrocketing past their 18% share of U.S. deaths from 1979 to 1999.
At least 645 people were killed by the heat in Maricopa County, Arizona, alone, according to the medical examiner’s office. People were dying in their cars and especially on the streets, where homelessness, drug abuse and mental illness made matters worse.
Three months after being evicted from her home, 64-year-old Diana Smith was found dead in the back of her car. Her cause of death was methamphetamine and fentanyl, worsened by heat exposure, Phoenix’s medical examiner ruled.
“In the last five years, we are seeing this consistent and record kind of unprecedented upward trend. And I think it’s because the levels of heat that we have seen in the last several years have exceeded what we had seen in the last 20 or 30,” said Balbus, of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Unrelenting heat
Phoenix saw 20 consecutive days of extreme heat stress in July, the longest run of such dangerously hot days in the city since at least 1940, according to the data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Phoenix wasn’t alone.
Last year the U.S. had the most heat waves since 1936. In the South and Southwest, Last year was the worst on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“It was crazy,” said University of Miami tropical meteorology researcher Brian McNoldy, who spent the summer documenting how Miami broke its daily heat index record 40% of the days between mid-June and mid-October.
Houston’s Hobby airport broke daily high temperature marks 43 times, meteorologists said. Nighttime lows set records for heat 57 times, they said. That didn’t give people’s bodies chances to recover.
Across five southern states, the average rate of emergency department visits for heat illness in the summer of 2023 was over double that of the previous five summers, according to an analysis of data from the CDC.
The deaths
Experts warned that counting heat mortality based on death certificates leads to underestimates. Heat illness can be missed, or might not be mentioned.
They pointed to “excess death” studies for a more realistic count. These are the type of long-accepted epidemiological studies that look at grand totals of deaths during unusual conditions — such as hot days, high air pollution or a spreading COVID-19 pandemic — and compare them to normal times, creating an expected trend line.
Texas A&M’s Dessler and his colleague Jangho Lee published one such study early last year. According to their methods, Lee said, about 11,000 heat deaths likely occurred in 2023 in the U.S. — a figure that would represent a record since at least 1987 and is about five times the number reported on death certificates.
Deaths are also up because of better reporting, and because Americans are getting older and more vulnerable to heat, Lee said. The population is also slowly shifting to cities, which are more exposed to heat.
The future
In some places, last year’s heat already rivals the worst on record. As of late May, Miami was on track to be 1.5 degrees warmer than the hottest May on record, according to McNoldy. Dallas’ Murphy pointed to maps saying conditions with a broiling Mexico are “eerily similar to what we saw last June” so he is worried about “a very brutal summer.”
Texas A&M’s Dessler said last year’s heat was “a taste of the future.”
“I just think in 20 years, you know, 2040 rolls around … we’re going to look back at 2023 and say, man, that was cool,” Dessler said. “The problem with climate change is if if it hasn’t pushed you over the edge yet, just wait.”
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelansurvived the nasty primary runoff for his seat while fellow conservative state Rep. Justin Holland lost his suburban Dallas seat to Trump 2016 spokeswoman Katrina Pierson in two of the highest-profile races in the increasingly bloody internal war among Texas Republicans.
Despite the Republicans’ 84-66 majority in the state House of Representatives and successful conservative agenda from the 2023 legislative session, 15 House Republicans lost to challengers either in primaries in March or in the runoffs on Tuesday night. The Republicans were victims of the intra-party war, with Attorney General Ken Paxton taking aim at Republicans who voted to impeach him last year and separately, Gov. Greg Abbott backed challengers to the Republicans who voted against his school voucher bill.
Six of the eight incumbents on Tuesday night lost to challengers, with Abbott declaring Tuesday night that he had enough votes to pass his voucher bill. Last fall, 21 state House Republicans — mainly from rural districts — joined with all the Democrats to defeat his voucher bill. Abbott backed several challengers to Republicans who voted against his bill.
Phelan, who has represented the Beaumont area since 2015 and has been speaker for two terms, did not pressure his members to back Abbott’s bill in a special November legislative session, according to the Texas Tribune.
Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan oversees debate over a voting bill in the House Chamber at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Eric Gay / AP
Although Abbott stayed out of Phelan’s race, Paxton had vowed to defeat him and challenger David Covey even managed to get the endorsement of former President Donald Trump and powerful Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
On Tuesday, Phelan managed to stave off Covey by fewer than 500 votes, according to The Associated Press.
“I am immensely grateful to the voters of Southeast Texas, who have spoken loud and clear: in Southeast Texas, we set our own course—our community is not for sale, and our values are not up for auction,” Phelan said in a statement. “I owe a profound debt of gratitude to every voter and volunteer whose relentless dedication turned that vision into tonight’s resounding victory.”
After the result, Paxton posted on social media “Texas AG Ken Paxton’s Statement on Dade Phelan Stealing Election” and called for the primaries to be closed only to Republicans.
“My message to Austin is clear: to those considering supporting Dade Phelan as Speaker in 2025, ask your 15 colleagues who lost re-election how they feel about their decision now,” Paxton said. “You will not return if you vote for Dade Phelan again!”
Phelan was targeted by Paxton for leading the impeachment case in the Texas House last year against Paxton, one of Trump’s closest allies. Phelan had launched the investigation into Paxton early in the 2023 legislative session and moved forward with impeaching Paxton related to allegations of misconduct, including bribery and abuse of office.
The Texas Capitol is viewed from its south side on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, in Austin, Texas.
HARRY CABLUCK / AP
Ahead of the impeachment vote, Paxton accused Phelan of being drunk on the House floor.
Sixty House Republicans — more than two-thirds of the 84 total Republicans in the House — joined all 66 Democrats in voting to impeach Paxton on 20 articles. Paxton was ultimately acquitted in the GOP-controlled state Senate.
The victorious Paxton then endorsed challengers to those who voted to impeach him and embarked on a “statewide Fall tour” to campaign for them. Facing the Paxton-backed challenger, impeachment manager Republican Rep. Andrew Murr, the grandson of Coke Stevenson, who famously lost the 1948 contested Senate election to Lyndon Johnson, opted not to run for reelection.
Phelan came in second in the March primary, but Covey did not secure the 50% vote necessary to stave off a runoff.
The five state House representatives representing Paxton’s home county, Collin County, were among the 60 who voted to impeach him. In a joint statement, they said the vote was an “incredibly difficult vote as, for most of us, Ken has been a long time friend.”
One of those five, Paxton’s hometown legislator, Rep. Frederick Frazier, was defeated Tuesday night by challenger Keresa Richardson. In addition to being targeted by Paxton, Frazier had pleaded guilty to criminal mischief and no contest on two misdemeanor charges for allegedly impersonating a public official.
Another of Paxton’s targets was Holland, who also represents Paxton’s home district of Collin County. Abbott backed Pierson in the primary given Holland’s vote against school vouchers. Holland had also angered the right wing of the party after voting out of committee a bill that had zero chance of passing the House floor that would have raised the age for gun background checks after a shooting in his district.
Caroline Linton is an associate managing editor on the political team for CBSNews.com. She has previously written for The Daily Beast, Newsweek and amNewYork.
In the latest round of storms, people in Texas have endured back-to-back days and nights of heavy rain, winds of up to 80 mph and the threat of tornadoes. The storms took down power lines, leaving 1 million people in the dark. Officials say it could take days to restore.
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Strong storms with damaging winds and baseball-sized hail pummeled Texas on Tuesday, leaving more than one million businesses and homes without power as much of the U.S. recovered from severe weather, including tornadoes, that killed at least 24 people in seven states during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Voters in the state’s runoff elections found some polling places without power. Roughly 100 voting sites in Dallas County were knocked offline. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins declared a disaster area and noted that some nursing homes were using generators. “This ultimately will be a multi-day power outage situation,” Jenkins said Tuesday.
More rough weather and heavy rains were forecast for the Dallas area Tuesday night. Heavy thunderstorms also were plowing toward Houston, where officials warned that winds as strong as 70 mph could cause damage less than two weeks after hurricane-force winds knocked out power to more than 800,000 homes and businesses.
Drivers navigate high water on Yale Street in the Heights after a strong storm blew in on May 28, 2024, in Houston, Texas.
Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
In the Midwest, an unusual weather phenomenon called a “gustnado” that looks like a small tornado brought some dramatic moments to a western Michigan lake over the weekend.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell will travel to Arkansas on Wednesday as the Biden administration continues assessing the damage from the weekend tornadoes.
Seven people, including two young children, were killed in Cooke County, Texas, from a tornado that tore through a mobile home park Saturday, officials said, and seven deaths were reported across Arkansas.
Two people died in Mayes County, Oklahoma, east of Tulsa, authorities said. The injured included guests at an outdoor wedding. A Missouri man died Sunday in Sikeston after a tree limb fell onto his tent as he was camping.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said five people had died in his state during storms that struck close to where a devastating swarm of twisters killed 81 people in December 2021. One family lost their home for a second time on the same lot where a twister leveled their house less than three years ago.
An 18-year-old woman was killed in North Carolina’s Clay County after a large tree landed on her trailer. Authorities also confirmed one death in Nelson County, Virginia.
In addition to the Memorial Day weekend death toll, in Magnolia, Texas, about 40 miles north of Houston, one person died Tuesday when a house under construction collapsed during a storm, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Severe weather and tornadoes moved through Kentucky on Sunday afternoon and Sunday night, May 26, 2024.
Ryan Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Roughly 150,000 homes and businesses lacked electricity midday Tuesday in Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, West Virginia and Missouri.
It has been a grim month of tornadoes and severe weather in the nation’s midsection.
Tornadoes in Iowa last week left at least five people dead and dozens injured. Storms killed eight people in Houston earlier this month. April had the second-highest number of tornadoes on record in the country. The storms come as climate change contributes in general to the severity of storms around the world.
Late May is the peak of tornado season, but the recent storms have been exceptionally violent, producing very strong tornadoes, said Victor Gensini, a meteorology professor at Northern Illinois University.
“Over the weekend, we’ve had a lot of hot and humid air, a lot of gasoline, a lot of fuel for these storms. And we’ve had a really strong jet stream as well. That jet stream has been aiding in providing the wind shear necessary for these types of tornadoes,” Gensini said.
The exterior of the Veterans of Foreign Wars facility suffered severe damage following a tornado on May 23, 2024, in Temple, Texas.
BRANDON BELL / Getty Images
Harold Brooks, a senior scientist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma, said a persistent pattern of warm, moist air is to blame for the string of tornadoes over the past two months.
That air is at the northern edge of a heat dome bringing temperatures typically seen at the height of summer to late May.
The heat index — a combination of air temperature and humidity to indicate how the heat feels to the human body — reached triple digits in parts of south Texas and was expected to stay there for several days.
LULING, Texas, May 28, 2024 (Newswire.com)
– Buc-ee’s, home of the world’s cleanest bathrooms, freshest food and friendliest beaver, will unveil its newest travel center in Luling, TX, on Monday, June 10, 2024. Doors will open to the public at 6 a.m. CT, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will follow at 12:00 p.m. CT.
The new Buc-ee’s Luling will be the largest Buc-ee’s location in the country, bringing the largest Buc-ee’s back where the legend began. Occupying more than 75,000 square feet, the updated Buc-ee’s Luling will replace the city’s current Buc-ee’s store, which was the brand’s first family travel center, built in 2003.
Located at 10070 I-10, Buc-ee’s Luling will offer 120fueling positions just outside its store with thousands of snack, meal and drink options for travelers on the go. Buc-ee’s favorites including Texas barbeque, homemade fudge, kolaches, Beaver Nuggets, jerky and fresh pastries will all be available.
Local leaders attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony will include local leaders, including Mayor CJ Watts of Luling, former Mayor Mike Hendricks of Luling, Caldwell County Judge Hoppy Haden, and Luling City Manager Mark Mayo.
After the opening of Buc-ee’s Luling, Buc-ee’s will operate 50 stores across Texas and the South. Since beginning its multi-state expansion in 2019, Buc-ee’s has opened travel centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and Colorado. Buc-ee’s broke ground on the first Virginia and Mississippi locations earlier this year.
“We are thrilled to open the doors to the world’s largest Buc-ee’s travel center right here in the Great State of Texas,” said Buc-ee’s Director of Real Estate and Development, Stan Beard. “It’s particularly exciting, considering this is the Buc-ee’s that started it all, so we are really looking forward to celebrating with the incredible people of Luling.”
Buc-ee’s Luling will add even more jobs to the area, employing at least 200 team members, with starting pay beginning well above minimum wage, full benefits, a 6% matching 401k, and three weeks of paid vacation.
About Buc-ee’s Buc-ee’s is the world’s most-loved travel center. Founded in 1982, Buc-ee’s now has 35 stores across Texas, including the world’s largest convenience store, as well as 14 locations in other states. Buc-ee’s is known for pristine bathrooms, a large amount of fueling positions, friendly service, Buc-ee’s apparel and fresh, delicious food. Originally launched and still headquartered in Texas, Buc-ee’s has combined traditional quality and modern efficiency to redefine the pit stop for their customers. For more information, visit www.buc-ees.com.
Powerful storms killed at least 22 people, injured hundreds and left a wide trail of destruction across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky, obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where dozens sought shelter in a restroom during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
The storms inflicted their worst damage in a region spanning from north of Dallas to the northwest corner of Arkansas, and the system threatened to bring more violent weather to other parts of the Midwest. On Monday, forecasters said, the greatest risk would shift to the east, covering a broad swath of the country from Alabama to near New York City.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency early Monday in a post on social media platform X, citing “multiple reports of wind damage and tornadoes.”
Falling trees killed at least two people in Kentucky, authorities said. One death was confirmed in Mercer County early Monday — a person was pronounced dead inside and a second person was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The second such death was reported in Louisville, where a man was killed Sunday, police said. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg confirmed on social media it was a storm-related death.
Beshear confirmed two more storm-related deaths in a Monday morning news conference, and said one other individual is “fighting for their life.”
“We believe at least a few tornadoes touched down, including the one we know was on the ground for at least 40 miles,” he said. One family who lost their home in the 2021 tornados lost their home again last night, he said.
Seven deaths were reported in Valley View in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado Saturday night plowed through a rural area near a mobile home park, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at a news conference Sunday. The dead included two children, ages 2 and 5, and three family members were found dead in one home, according to the county sheriff.
A man looks at a damaged car on May 26, 2024 after a tornado passed through the previous day in Valley View, Texas.
Julio Cortez / AP
Storms also killed two people and destroyed houses in Oklahoma, where the injured included guests at an outdoor wedding, and eight people in Arkansas.
As of 11:15 a.m. EDT, some 174,000 homes and businesses in Kentucky, 66,000 in West Virginia, 61,000 in Arkansas, 59,000 in Missouri, 6,000 in Texas and 3,000 in Oklahoma had no electricity, according to Poweroutage.us. Beshear warned Monday morning that some places could be without power for days, because of storm damage to power infrastructure.
In Texas, about 100 people were injured and more than 200 homes and structures destroyed, Abbott said, sitting in front of a ravaged truck stop near Valley View, a small agricultural community. The area was among the hardest-hit, with winds reaching an estimated 135 mph, officials said.
“The hopes and dreams of Texas families and small businesses have literally been crushed by storm after storm,” said Abbott, whose state has seen successive bouts of severe weather, including storms that killed eight people in Houston earlier this month.
Damage is seen on May 26, 2024 at a truck stop the morning after a tornado rolled through Valley View, Texas.
Julio Cortez / AP
Abbot signed an amended severe weather disaster declaration Sunday to include Denton, Montague, Cooke and Collin on a list of counties already under a disaster declaration sparked by storms and flooding in late April.
Hugo Parra, who lives in Farmers Branch, north of Dallas, said he rode out the storm with 40 to 50 people in the bathroom of the truck stop. The storm sheared the roof and walls off the building, mangling metal beams and leaving battered cars in the parking lot.
“A firefighter came to check on us and he said, ‘You’re very lucky,’” Parra said. “The best way to describe this is the wind tried to rip us out of the bathrooms.”
Multiple people were transported to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter in Denton County, also north of Dallas.
No more deaths were expected and no one was reported missing in Texas, Abbott said, though responders were doing one more round of searches just in case.
The newspaper said the tornado flipped Amber Bryan’s RV, trapping her inside. side. “Thank God, just got some bruises, nothing broken,” the paper quotes her as saying. “Everything happened so fast. I just said, ‘Lord wrap your arms around me and my pets and get us through this.’”
A vehicle rests on a tree after a deadly tornado rolled through the previous night, on May 26, 2024, in Valley View, Texas.
Eight people died statewide in Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed in a news conference Sunday evening. An emergency official said two were attributed to the circumstances related to the storm but not directly caused by weather, including a person who suffered a heart attack and another who was deprived of oxygen due to a loss of electricity.
The deaths included a 26-year-old woman whose body was found outside a destroyed home in Olvey, a small community in Boone County, according to Daniel Bolen of the county’s emergency management office. One person died in Benton County, and two more bodies were found in Marion County, officials said.
In Oklahoma, two people died in Mayes County, east of Tulsa, officials said.
Climate change and history-making weather
The destruction continued a grim month of deadly severe weather in the nation’s midsection.
The deadly twisters have spawned during a historically bad season for tornadoes, at a time when climate change contributes to the severity of storms around the world. April had the second-highest number of tornadoes on record in the country.
Meteorologists and authorities issued urgent warnings to seek cover as the storms marched across the region late Saturday and into Sunday. “If you are in the path of this storm take cover now!” the National Weather Service office in Norman, Oklahoma, posted on X.
Harold Brooks, a senior scientist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, said a persistent pattern of warm, moist air is to blame for the string of tornadoes over the past two months.
Residents awoke Sunday to overturned cars and collapsed garages. Some residents could be seen pacing and assessing the damage. Nearby, neighbors sat on the foundation of a wrecked home.
In Valley View, near the truck stop, the storms ripped the roofs off homes and blew out windows. Clothing, insulation, bits of plastic and other pieces of debris were wrapped around miles of barbed wire fence line surrounding grazing land in the rural area.
Kevin Dorantes, 20, was in nearby Carrollton when he learned the tornado was bearing down on the Valley View neighborhood where he lived with his father and brother. He called the two of them and told them to take cover in the windowless bathroom, where they rode out the storm and survived unharmed.
As Dorantes wandered through the neighborhood of downed power lines and devastated houses, he came upon a family whose home was reduced to a pile of splintered rubble. A father and son were trapped under debris and friends and neighbors raced to get them out, Dorantes said.
“They were conscious but severely injured,” Dorantes said.
Inaccessible roads and downed power lines in Oklahoma also led officials in the town of Claremore, near Tulsa, to announce on social media that the city was “shut down” due to the damage.
The system causing the latest severe weather was expected to move east over the rest of the holiday weekend.
The Indianapolis 500 started four hours late after a strong storm pushed into the area, forcing Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials to evacuate about 125,000 race fans.
More severe storms were predicted in Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee.
The risk of severe weather moves into North Carolina and Virginia on Monday, forecasters said.
A series of powerful storms swept over the central and southern U.S. over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, killing at least 21 people and leaving a wide trail of destroyed homes, businesses and power outages.The destructive storms caused deaths in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky and were just north of an oppressive, early season heat wave setting records from south Texas to Florida.Forecasters said the severe weather could shift to the East Coast later Monday and warned millions of people outdoors for the holiday to watch the skies.Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who earlier declared a state of emergency, said at a Monday press conference that four people had died in four different counties.The death toll of 21 also included seven deaths in Cooke County, Texas, from a Saturday tornado that tore through a mobile home park, officials said, and eight deaths across Arkansas.Two people died in Mayes County, Oklahoma, which is east of Tulsa, authorities said. The injured included guests at an outdoor wedding.The latest community left with shattered homes and no power was the tiny Kentucky community of Charleston, which took a direct hit Sunday night from a tornado that the governor said appeared to be on the ground for 40 miles (64 kilometers).“It’s a big mess,” said Rob Linton, who lives in Charleston and is the fire chief of nearby Dawson Springs, hit by a tornado in 2021. “Trees down everywhere. Houses moved. Power lines are down. No utilities whatsoever – no water, no power.”Further east, some rural areas of Hopkins County hit by the 2021 tornado around the community of Barnsley were damaged again Sunday night, said county Emergency Management Director Nick Bailey.“There were a lot of people that were just getting their lives put back together and then this,” Bailey said. “Almost the same spot, the same houses and everything.”Beshear has traveled to the area where his father grew up several times for ceremonies where people who lost everything were given the keys to their new homes.The visits came after a series of tornadoes on a terrifying night in December 2021 killed 81 people in Kentucky.“It could have been much worse,” Beshear said of the Memorial Day weekend storms. “The people of Kentucky are very weather aware with everything we’ve been through.”More than 500,000 customers across the eastern U.S. were without power Monday afternoon, including about 170,000 in Kentucky. Twelve states reported at least 10,000 outages, according to PowerOutage.us.The area on highest alert for severe weather Monday is a broad swath of the eastern U.S., from Alabama to New York.President Joe Biden sent condolences to the families who had people killed. He said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground conducting damage assessments and he has contacted governors to see what federal support they might need..It’s been a grim month of tornadoes and severe weather in the nation’s midsection.Tornadoes in Iowa last week left at least five people dead and dozens injured. Storms killed eight people in Houston earlier this month. The severe thunderstorms and deadly twisters have spawned during a historically bad season for tornadoes, at a time when climate change contributes to the severity of storms around the world. April had the second-highest number of tornadoes on record in the country.Harold Brooks, a senior scientist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, said a persistent pattern of warm, moist air is to blame for the string of tornadoes over the past two months.That warm moist air is at the northern edge of a heat dome bringing temperatures typically seen at the height of summer to late May.The heat index — a combination of air temperature and humidity to indicate how the heat feels to the human body — is expected to reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of south Texas on Monday. Record highs are forecast for Brownsville, San Antonio and Dallas.Miami set a record high of 96 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday.For more information on recent tornado reports, see The Associated Press Tornado Tracker.___Schreiner reported from Louisville, Kentucky. Associated Press reporters Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas, and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
A series of powerful storms swept over the central and southern U.S. over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, killing at least 21 people and leaving a wide trail of destroyed homes, businesses and power outages.
The destructive storms caused deaths in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky and were just north of an oppressive, early season heat wave setting records from south Texas to Florida.
Forecasters said the severe weather could shift to the East Coast later Monday and warned millions of people outdoors for the holiday to watch the skies.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who earlier declared a state of emergency, said at a Monday press conference that four people had died in four different counties.
The death toll of 21 also included seven deaths in Cooke County, Texas, from a Saturday tornado that tore through a mobile home park, officials said, and eight deaths across Arkansas.
Two people died in Mayes County, Oklahoma, which is east of Tulsa, authorities said. The injured included guests at an outdoor wedding.
The latest community left with shattered homes and no power was the tiny Kentucky community of Charleston, which took a direct hit Sunday night from a tornado that the governor said appeared to be on the ground for 40 miles (64 kilometers).
“It’s a big mess,” said Rob Linton, who lives in Charleston and is the fire chief of nearby Dawson Springs, hit by a tornado in 2021. “Trees down everywhere. Houses moved. Power lines are down. No utilities whatsoever – no water, no power.”
Further east, some rural areas of Hopkins County hit by the 2021 tornado around the community of Barnsley were damaged again Sunday night, said county Emergency Management Director Nick Bailey.
“There were a lot of people that were just getting their lives put back together and then this,” Bailey said. “Almost the same spot, the same houses and everything.”
Beshear has traveled to the area where his father grew up several times for ceremonies where people who lost everything were given the keys to their new homes.
The visits came after a series of tornadoes on a terrifying night in December 2021 killed 81 people in Kentucky.
“It could have been much worse,” Beshear said of the Memorial Day weekend storms. “The people of Kentucky are very weather aware with everything we’ve been through.”
More than 500,000 customers across the eastern U.S. were without power Monday afternoon, including about 170,000 in Kentucky. Twelve states reported at least 10,000 outages, according to PowerOutage.us.
The area on highest alert for severe weather Monday is a broad swath of the eastern U.S., from Alabama to New York.
President Joe Biden sent condolences to the families who had people killed. He said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground conducting damage assessments and he has contacted governors to see what federal support they might need..
It’s been a grim month of tornadoes and severe weather in the nation’s midsection.
Tornadoes in Iowa last week left at least five people dead and dozens injured. Storms killed eight people in Houston earlier this month. The severe thunderstorms and deadly twisters have spawned during a historically bad season for tornadoes, at a time when climate change contributes to the severity of storms around the world. April had the second-highest number of tornadoes on record in the country.
Harold Brooks, a senior scientist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, said a persistent pattern of warm, moist air is to blame for the string of tornadoes over the past two months.
That warm moist air is at the northern edge of a heat dome bringing temperatures typically seen at the height of summer to late May.
The heat index — a combination of air temperature and humidity to indicate how the heat feels to the human body — is expected to reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of south Texas on Monday. Record highs are forecast for Brownsville, San Antonio and Dallas.
Miami set a record high of 96 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday.
For more information on recent tornado reports, see The Associated Press Tornado Tracker.
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Schreiner reported from Louisville, Kentucky. Associated Press reporters Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas, and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
A Shell travel center on Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Valley View, Texas, after a tornado moved through Cooke County.
James Hartley
jhartley@star-telegram.com
Seven people were killed, more than 100 injured and more than 200 structures were destroyed when a tornado touched down in Valley View in Cooke County Saturday night.
The tornado, categorized as an EF-2 by the National Weather Service, swept across the area from Valley View to Sanger leaving destruction and debris in its wake.
The rural community is already stepping up to provide support where it can, and there are ways others can help, too.
Red Cross
The Red Cross is helping survivors of the tornadoes who need assistance with housing, food, filing for disaster relief aid and other services like emotion support and recovery planning.
You can help by donating to the Red Cross, through money or supplies. Donations to the Red Cross can be made on its website.
GoFundMe
A Valley View woman and her two children were killed when their mobile home and vehicles were blown across the street during Saturday night’s tornado, a neighbor said.
The neighbor, Jose Narango, identified the victims as Laura Esparza and her children 15-year-old Miranda and 9-year-old Marco Esparza. A GoFundMe has been established to help pay for the funeral costs.
Other fundraisers are likely to begin showing up on the website in the coming days. GoFundMe often verifies fundraisers of this sort to help donors ensure they aren’t giving money to a scammer.
City of Valley View and Valley View United Methodist Church
Valley View is accepting donated items at its community center at 101 Lee St., requesting water, sports drinks, non-perishable foods, heavy duty trash bags, personal hygiene products and diapers. Valley View United Methodist Church is also accepting the same items, plus clothes for those affected.
The church on Sunday had its fellowship hall quickly filling with donations including shoes, clothes, blankets, toys, food and other items. One person brought about 360 cases of bottled water.
Pastor Beate Hall told the Star-Telegram Sunday that while they won’t turn away any donations, she believes the church already has the basics covered. What many in the community will need moving forward is people to help with rebuilding. From construction supplies to those willing to help build to furniture to put in houses once they are rebuilt, she said the church is already looking further head into the recovery process.
Storm Relief Fund
Cooke County has started a Storm Relief Fund at First United Bank in Gainesville. Donations can be made to that fund in-person or by calling 940-665-3484. The funds help survivors get housing and resources.
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James Hartley is a breaking news reporter with awards including features, breaking news and deadline writing. A North Texas native, he joined the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2019. He has a passion for true stories, understated movies, good tea and scotch that’s out of his budget.
