weather News

Health Costs of 6 U.S. Climate Disasters Totals $14B

Deaths and health problems from floods, drought and other U.S. disasters related to climate change cost an estimated $14 billion over the last decade, researchers said Monday. “When extreme weather hits, we hear about the property damage and insurance costs,” …

Arizona DPS Warns Drivers of Potential Dust Storms Today

The Department of Public Safety is warning drivers that potential dust storms Friday may lead to hazardous driving conditions on southern Arizona highways. The National Weather Service says a strong cold front will be moving through the state causing potentially …

Panel Says Wild Weather Worsens

A new international climate report warns the world it had better get used to unusual weather extremes. That’s because global warming is making these disasters more severe. The world already is accustomed to weird weather like this past weekend’s freak …

Farmers Can Sign Up for Crop Aid Starting Nov. 14

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers hit hard by bad weather in 2010 can begin applying for supplemental revenue assistance payments – known as SURE – on Nov. 14. All Mississippi counties and most Louisiana parishes were declared agricultural …

NASA to Launch New Earth-Observing Satellite

After a five-year delay, an Earth-observing satellite will be launched to test new technologies aimed at improving weather forecasts and monitoring climate change. The $1.5 billion NASA mission comes in a year of weather extremes from the Midwest tornado outbreak …

Ag Disaster: All of Louisiana and 27 Miss., Ark., and Texas Counties

Floods, drought and other nasty weather have made all of Louisiana – and 27 adjacent counties in Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas – an agricultural disaster area for 2011. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says its declaration is based on combined …

Extreme Weather Makes Portable Generators a Hit

Alex Iwashyna didn’t realize how many of her neighbors in Richmond, Virginia, had backup generators until her own family bought one in the dark days after Hurricane Irene. As she endured the drone of a combustion engine in her backyard, …

State Farm Pay $5B to Cover Weather Damages

State Farm Insurance has paid $5 billion to its customers for weather-related catastrophes — damage to cars, homes and other property so far this year — the largest U.S. insurer of homes and cars said Sunday. That payout has been …

Katia Becomes Hurricane East of Leeward Islands

Tropical storm Katia has become the second hurricane of the season, as it passes over the warm water of the Atlantic Ocean. The most recent bulletin from the National Hurricane Center in Miami at 2:00 a.m. EDT located the storm …

Bad Weather a Boon for Private Forecasters

Heat and drought are parching the southern U.S. plains, floods and tornadoes have shattered long-standing records, and the tropical Atlantic is steaming into the traditionally busiest part of the hurricane season. With commodity markets across the globe in the thrall …