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☆ Total cost of Maui wildfire damage and economic loss between $8 to $10 billion: AccuWeather
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Contessa Brewer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTotal cost of Maui wildfire damage and economic loss between $8 to $10 billion: AccuWeatherCNBC's Contessa Brewer joins 'Squawk Box' with the latest news out of Maui.

Persons: Contessa Brewer Locations: Maui

☆ Texas power use hits 3rd record this week in heat wave
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Callaghan O’Hare/File PhotoAug 10 (Reuters) - Demand for power in Texas hit a record high on Thursday for the third time this week and the tenth time this summer as homes and businesses cranked up air conditioners to escape a lingering heat wave. ERCOT said usage hit a preliminary 85,435 megawatts (MW) Thursday, which topped the record high of 83,961 MW hit on Wednesday. Thursday’s peak is 5,287 MW over last year’s demand record of 80,148 MW set in July 2022. The current demand record will likely be broken again on Friday with ERCOT forecasting usage will reach 86,621 MW. In the real-time market, prices briefly topped $4000 per megawatt hour in some Texas ERCOT hubs, according to its website.

Persons: Callaghan, ERCOT, Ashitha Shivaprasad, Rahul Paswan, Aurora Ellis, David Gregorio, Chris Reese Organizations: REUTERS, Reliability, of Texas, Thomson Locations: Houston , Texas, U.S, Texas, Houston, AccuWeather . Texas, Bengaluru

☆ Scorching temperatures are making delivery a dangerous job — and it's only getting worse
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Emma Cosgrove | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Even outside the hottest US states, heat that delivery workers aren't used to can be dangerous. Several delivery driver deaths have triggered changes. In recent years, delivery drivers reporting heat-related illnesses were second only to construction workers, according to OSHA statistics reported by E&E News. The 2022 death of 24-year-old Esteban Chavez, a UPS driver in Southern California, made national headlines. But his death came less than a year before the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents UPS workers, began re-negotiating its contract with UPS.

Persons: aren't, Jeff Goodell, Goodell, Shawndu Stackhouse, Tom Williams, Esteban Chavez, AccuWeather, Chavez wasn't, wasn't, Chavez, Spencer Platt, it's, James Daniels, San Clemente , CA, Irfan Khan, Greg Abbott Organizations: FedEx, heatwave, OSHA, E, D.C, Inc, Getty, Brotherhood of Teamsters, UPS, —, Los, Los Angeles County Coroner's, Labor Department, of Occupational Safety, Health, Broadway, New York City, Postal Service, it's, Los Angeles Times, Amazon, Texas Gov Locations: Portland, Yosemite, Vermont —, Northeast Washington, Northern California, Southern California, Pasadena , California, Los Angeles County, California, New york City, New York, Texas, San Clemente ,, New York City

☆ California has enough power during heat wave after Thursday emergency
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 21 (Reuters) - California's power grid operator said it does not plan to ask consumers to conserve power on Friday after declaring an energy emergency late Thursday as homes and businesses cranked up their air conditioners to escape a lingering heat wave. The California Independent System Operator (ISO), which operates the grid serving more than 32 million consumers representing about 80% of the state's power load, has said it has enough resources available to meet demand. California residents have worried about the effect of extreme weather on the power grid since a brutal heat wave in August 2020 forced the ISO to impose a couple of days of rotating blackouts on around 800,000 homes and businesses. The ISO forecast demand would rise from 42,266 megawatts (MW) on Thursday to 43,512 MW on Friday. Gas is important in California since much of the power generated in the state comes from gas-fired plants.

Persons: Scott DiSavino, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Soaring, Columbia, Thomson Locations: California, Los Angeles, U.S, Pacific Northwest

☆ Power demand breaks record in Texas again during heat wave
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 18 (Reuters) - Power demand in Texas hit a record high for a second straight day on Tuesday as homes and businesses cranked up air conditioners to escape a brutal heat wave. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for more than 26 million customers representing about 90% of the state's power load, has said it has enough resources available to meet soaring demand. That is the fifth record high in ERCOT this summer. One megawatt can power around 1,000 U.S. homes on a typical day, but only about 200 homes on a hot summer day in Texas. Rising economic and population growth has boosted electricity use in Sun Belt states like Texas and Arizona even though overall U.S. power demand is projected to ease in 2023 after hitting a record high in 2022.

Persons: ERCOT, Scott DiSavino, Leslie Adler, Sonali Paul, Chris Reese Organizations: Reliability, of Texas, Sun, Thomson Locations: Texas, ERCOT, Houston, Dallas, Arizona

☆ Texas power use breaks record for second day in heat wave
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 13 (Reuters) - Demand for power in Texas hit a record high for a second day in a row on Thursday as homes and business kept air conditioners cranked up during a lingering heat wave. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for more than 26 million customers representing about 90% of the state's power load, has said it has enough resources available to meet soaring demand. After setting 11 peak demand records last summer, ERCOT said usage hit a preliminary 81,406 megawatts (MW) on Thursday, topping the record hit one day earlier, of 81,351 MW. One megawatt can power around 1,000 U.S. homes on a typical day, but only about 200 homes on a hot summer day in Texas. Meteorologists at AccuWeather forecast high temperatures in Houston, the biggest city in Texas, would hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) almost every day from July 13-19.

Persons: ERCOT, Scott DiSavino, Harshit Verma, Sandra Maler, Leslie Adler Organizations: Reliability, of Texas, Thomson Locations: Texas, Houston, Dallas

☆ Texas grid operator again forecasts record power use amid heat wave
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 21 (Reuters) - The Texas power grid operator again projected electric use would break a record - this time on Wednesday - after forecast usage fell short of the all-time high on Tuesday as consumers heeded calls to conserve energy during an early summer heat wave. After setting 11 new peak demand records last summer, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) projected peak demand would break records again next week when extreme heat returns to the Lone Star State. ERCOT operates the grid for more than 26 million customers representing about 90% of the state's power load. ERCOT forecast power use would rise from 79,203 megawatts (MW) on Tuesday to 80,458 MW on Wednesday, which would top the grid's current record peak of 80,148 MW on July 20, 2022. Next week, ERCOT forecast demand would reach 82,080 MW on June 26 and 83,555 MW on June 28.

Persons: Scott DiSavino, Conor Humphries Organizations: Electric, of Texas, Lone Star State, ERCOT, Texans, Thomson Locations: Texas, Houston

☆ Texas grid operator urges power conservation during heat wave
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 20 (Reuters) - The Texas power grid operator urged homes and businesses to conserve electricity on Tuesday evening to prevent power reserves from falling short as consumers crank up their air conditioners to escape the first heat wave of the summer season. ERCOT operates the grid for more than 26 million customers representing about 90% of the state's power load. Although controlled outages are one of the most extreme actions a grid operator could take to maintain reliability, ERCOT said "controlled outages are not needed at this time." ERCOT forecast power use would reach 81,348 megawatts (MW) on Tuesday before slipping to 80,991 MW on Wednesday. Day-ahead power prices for Tuesday settled around $2,500 per MWh at 5 p.m. local time in several zones, including Houston and Dallas, according to the ERCOT website.

Persons: ERCOT, Seher Dareen, Brijesh Patel, Scott DiSavino, Kim Coghill, Will Dunham, Mark Potter Organizations: Electric, of Texas, Texans, Thomson Locations: Texas, Houston, Dallas, U.S, Bengaluru, New York

☆ Smoky haze parked over U.S. East Coast with relief days away
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. National Weather Service extended air quality alerts for another day for the East Coast from New England to South Carolina, as well as parts of the Midwest, including Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. The U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) measures five major pollutants, including particulate matter produced by fires. While the faint smell of burning wood lingered, the smothering blanket of yellow and orange-tinged haze appeared to thin out, bringing a modicum of relief. "We urge residents and visitors to follow precautions related to the 'Code Purple' air quality alert." Large swaths of Michigan are also under red flag warnings due to dangerous fire weather conditions in both of the state's peninsulas, according to the weather agency.

Persons: Mike Segar, Peter Mullinax, We're, Mullinax, IQAir, Muriel Bowser, Bill Blair, Tyler Clifford, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Trade Center, REUTERS, The U.S, National Weather Service, Health, U.S . Air, Belmont, Washington, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City, Jersey City , New Jersey, United States, The, East Coast from New England, South Carolina, Ohio , Indiana, Michigan, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Ohio, Newark , New Jersey, U.S, Dhaka, Hanoi, Swiss, Maryland , Pennsylvania, Delaware, Baltimore, Canada

☆ An idyllic California town, a celebrity landlord, and a rental from hell
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Tatiana Walk-Morris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Sonaar Luthra and Sarah Szalavitz left Los Angeles for a rental in La Quinta, California, last March. The couple found a rental home online for $4,000 a month in La Quinta, California, a palm-tree-dotted hamlet about 2½ hours away, nestled between the resort-haven Palm Springs and festival-famous Coachella. They were relieved, they told Insider, because they believed someone in the public eye would be a reliable landlord. Luthra and Szalavitz thought moving to La Quinta would afford them the time and space to begin personal projects, including planning a wedding. The couple detailed how the celebrity-owned house in a desert paradise became a rental from hell.

☆ Looming spring storm to spawn blizzards, ice, tornadoes across central U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Other cities potentially in harm's way but at lower risk for tornadoes included Chicago, Nashville, Tennessee, St. Louis, Missouri, Madison, Wisconsin and Des Moines, Iowa. "There's a potential for some very strong tornadoes and some tornadoes that could be on the ground for quite some time, especially in northern Arkansas and western Tennessee," said John Feerick, senior meteorologist at private forecasting service AccuWeather. Feerick said the storm system would intensify through Friday as the sprawling low-pressure system at its core moves farther eastward, drawing up greater moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Dust storm warnings were in effect for portions of the Southern Plains. Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ AccuWeather sees average-to-fewer Atlantic storms this hurricane season
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Erwin Seba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HOUSTON, March 29 (Reuters) - U.S. private forecaster AccuWeather expects a near-average to below-average 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1, according to a forecast issued on Wednesday. AccuWeather said it expects between 11-15 named tropical storms, 4-8 hurricanes and between one and three major hurricanes to form in the Atlantic Ocean before the season ends on Nov. 30. "We think El Nino will drive this season," said Dan Kottlowski, lead hurricane forecaster for AccuWeather. Kottlowski noted that even in a year when fewer storms are expected, people as far as 100 miles (160 km) inland have to prepare for tropical storms. Between 1990 and 2020, the average season has seen 14 named tropical storms, seven hurricanes with three of those considered to be major.

☆ How to see the Venus and Jupiter conjunction, when the two brightest planets align in the sky
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jupiter and Venus will appear to almost touch in the night sky on Wednesday and Thursday. They're the brightest objects in the sky after the sun and moon, so they're visible to the naked eye. In fact, Venus is the third brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon. How to spot Jupiter and Venus in the skyJupiter (left) and Venus (right) are two of the brightest objects in the sky. They'll creep away from each other night after night, Venus rising and Jupiter dropping toward the horizon and the sun.

☆ Biden says U.S. is 'going to take care of' Chinese balloon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYRACUSE, New York, Feb 4 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden said on Saturday that the United States is "going to take care of" a suspected Chinese spy balloon that has been tracked flying across the United States. The president, who has not previously spoken about the suspected spy balloon, did not elaborate on what was planned. Military leaders considered shooting down the high-altitude surveillance balloon this week but eventually recommended against this because of the risk of falling debris, officials said. The balloon was sighted over Montana on Wednesday and has traveled across the United States. The Pentagon said on Friday that another Chinese balloon was observed over Latin America, without saying where exactly.

☆ The US Army has been dredging the Mississippi River 24/7 for 6 months. The drought crisis that grounded barges and unearthed fossils may finally be over.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging the Mississippi River 24/7 since July. USACE maintains a nine-foot-deep channel down the Mississippi River, so that ships and barges can travel freely. A barge tows cargo down the Mississippi River, in Vicksburg, Mississippi during a historic drought. The National Weather Service predicts the likely removal of drought in much of the Mississippi River basin in February. The National Weather Service's outlook forecasts a likelihood of no drought in most of the Mississippi River basin into spring.

Friday's storms were the latest in a series of so-called atmospheric rivers that have deluged California since late December. [1/5] A home on agricultural land is seen amid flooding from the Salinas River in Salinas, California, U.S., January 13, 2023. "It's a tremendous amount of water," said Monterey County Chief Public Information Officer Nick Pasculli, describing the slow rise of the Salinas River. Seven such weather systems have already hit the state over the past two weeks. Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California and Nathan Frandino in Salinas, California; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Northern California Battered Again With Heavy Rain, Snow
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | Jim Carlton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Northern California was battered again Wednesday with heavy rain, as a relentless barrage of rain and snow continued. A series of storms since Christmas has hammered California, causing between $31 billion and $34 billion worth of damage and lost economic output, said Jonathan Porter , the chief meteorologist at AccuWeather Inc. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that the storms would continue through Jan. 18.

☆ Here's how each airline does compensation for flight delays, from meals to hotels to ground transportation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US Department of Transportation launched a new "airline customer service dashboard" this year. It breaks down the different rights passengers have when an airline delays or cancels their flight. However, several airlines have announced they are waiving flight change fees for passengers caught in the storm's path. The airline will now offer meal vouchers to passengers whose flights are delayed more than three hours instead of four hours, the airline's website shows. American Airlines has also updated the language in its customer service plan to "clarify" the company's existing policies, a spokesperson said.

☆ Flight delays and cancellations will likely impact millions of Christmas travelers. What to do when your airline experiences disruptions.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The National Weather Service has warned of a strong winter storm expected to affect holiday travel. But, some airlines offer to rebook on their website or mobile app and waive any fees, so it's sometimes easier to make changes online than in person. Carriers offering both are Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and United Airlines, according to the DoT dashboard. It never hurts to request a meal or hotel during flight disruptions, and you might get lucky with a goodwill gesture from the carrier. For example, in the case of a winter storm, it's likely many passengers will end up stranded in random cities across the US.

☆ NASA left its $50 billion moon rocket exposed to Hurricane Nicole's powerful winds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NASA left its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on the launchpad during Hurricane Nicole. The rocket sustained minor damage, and NASA still plans to launch it for the first time Wednesday. But it's unusual for NASA to leave such a valuable rocket out on the launchpad in the middle of a hurricane. NASA rolled the rocket out with a storm on the horizonSatellite imagery shows Tropical Storm Nicole on November 10, 2022. People walk by a closed down damaged boardwalk following the passage of Hurricane Nicole in Vero Beach, Florida, November 10, 2022.

☆ Summer heat and 'flash drought' dried up the Mississippi River, choking a crucial shipping corridor. It could devastate America's agricultural exports.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Drought has driven the Mississippi River to historic low levels, choking US agricultural exports. The Mississippi River basin produces about 92% of US agricultural exports, including 60% of US grain exports, which travel down the river to the Gulf to ship across the world. Coal is in high demand right now, Calhoun said, and the low water levels present a challenge to ship it out of the country. He said higher food prices at the grocery store are just the first way consumers will start feeling the impact of low water levels. A barge tow passes under the Mississippi River bridges in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on October 11, 2022.

☆ Before-and-after photos show how the Mississippi River has dropped dramatically, choking a crucial shipping corridor
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Mississippi River is at a historic low, exposing new land that used to be covered by water. Satellite images, and other pictures from before and after this drop in water levels, show how dramatic the difference is. Satellite images from October 2021, left, and October 2022, right, show how low the Mississippi River is this year, with more bare earth exposed. Tower Rock, in the Mississippi River, when the water levels are normal. That's because 92% of US agricultural exports are produced in the Mississippi River basin, to be exported through the Gulf of Mexico.

☆ The US Army Corps of Engineers is dredging the Mississippi River and racing to keep the sea from contaminating drinking water
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Mississippi River is at record low levels, stranding barges and allowing sea water to move in with no end in sight. The US Army Corps of Engineers is emergency dredging to keep the channel open to supply barges. Barges, stranded by low water, sit at the Port of Rosedale along the Mississippi River on October 20, 2022 in Rosedale, Mississippi. USACE is racing to build a 1,500-foot-wide, 35-foot-tall underwater levee to prevent saltwater from creeping further up the river, where it could contaminate drinking water. An underwater sill is constructed near the mouth of the Mississippi River to block seawater pushing up river, on October 18, 2022.

☆ Hurricane Ian brings winds over 126 mph
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHurricane Ian brings winds over 126 mphAccuWeather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso joins Shep Smith to report on how Hurricane Ian is tracking now that the storm has made landfall and wreaked havoc on southwestern Florida.

☆ Canadians brace for Hurricane Fiona as new storm could take aim at Florida
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCanadians brace for Hurricane Fiona as new storm could take aim at FloridaAccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso joins Shep Smith to report on Hurricane Fiona and a new system that could take aim at Florida.

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