National Weather Service Hiring While Fake Science is Being Pushed

Southern California Wildfires IntensifyOverview:This briefing document synthesizes information from four news articles covering the devastating wildfires raging across Los Angeles County in early January 2025. These fires, fueled by an unprecedented combination of extreme Santa Ana winds and prolonged drought conditions, have caused widespread destruction, claiming lives and displacing thousands of residents.Key Findings:Destructive Impact: As of January 8th, 2025, over 1,000 structures have been destroyed across multiple wildfires. The Palisades fire alone has consumed over 5,000 acres, reaching the Pacific Coast Highway and incinerating homes. The Eaton fire near Altadena and Pasadena has burned over 2,200 acres and claimed two lives."More than a thousand homes, businesses and other buildings have burned and at least two people are dead in wildfires scorching communities across L.A. County, making this one of the most destructive firestorms to hit the region in memory." (Los Angeles Times)Unprecedented Weather Conditions: The driving force behind these fires is a rare convergence of climate factors. The region is experiencing its worst high-wind event since 2011, coupled with record-breaking dry conditions for early January. Strong Santa Ana winds, with gusts exceeding 90 mph in some areas, are whipping the flames and challenging firefighting efforts."The wildfires are the result of an unheard-of combination of factors at this time of year — the worst high wind event in Southern California since 2011, plus some of the driest conditions on record for early January." (Axios)"The National Weather Service warned that this could be the strongest Santa Ana wind event in Southern California in over 13 years, since Dec. 1 2011" (Yale Climate Connections)Climate Change Link: Experts are connecting the severity of these fires to the escalating impacts of climate change. Prolonged drought, fueled by a hotter, drier climate, creates ample fuel for fires. The extended dry period is intersecting with the Santa Ana wind season, leading to a dangerous overlap of extreme conditions."Climate change is increasing the overlap between extremely dry vegetation conditions later in the season and the occurrence of these wind events." (UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain, quoted in Axios)Difficult Firefighting Conditions: The strong winds are grounding firefighting aircraft, hampering containment efforts. The fires are exhibiting "extreme fire behavior," including long-range spotting, making them challenging to control."The fire is being fueled by strong Santa Ana winds and surrounding topography, which makes it extremely challenging for us firefighters to really get a handle on it.” (Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Erik Scott, quoted in the Los Angeles Times)Evacuations and Looting: Tens of thousands of residents are under evacuation orders due to the rapidly spreading fires. Law enforcement officials have reported arrests for looting in evacuated zones."Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said 32,500 residents were under evacuation orders in the Eaton fire area and another 37,000 residents were ordered to be evacuated in the Palisades fire. Two people have been arrested on suspicion of looting in the evacuated zones, he said." (Los Angeles Times)

8 Jan 17min

Biden Designates Two New National Monuments in CaliforniaOn January 7, 2025, President Biden designated two new national monuments in California: Chuckwalla National Monument in the southern California desert and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in the state's northern mountainous interior. This action protects a combined 848,000 acres of land with significant ecological, cultural, historical, and scientific value. The move is lauded by environmental groups and California officials as a major victory for conservation efforts, while drawing criticism from some as a politically motivated attempt to thwart the agenda of incoming President Trump.Key Themes:Conservation and Climate Change Mitigation: The monument designations are framed as key components of the Biden Administration's ambitious conservation agenda and commitment to tackling climate change. These actions protect biodiversity, enhance ecosystem resilience, and contribute to the “America the Beautiful” initiative, aiming to conserve 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.Tribal Sovereignty and Cultural Heritage Preservation: Both monuments encompass ancestral lands and sacred sites of Indigenous peoples. The designations prioritize tribal co-management and recognize the importance of Indigenous knowledge in land stewardship. Notably, the Sáttítla Highlands Monument protects the Medicine Lake Volcano, a site of immense cultural and spiritual significance for the Pit River Tribe.Political Legacy and Inter-Party Conflict: The timing of the monument designations, just days before the inauguration of President Trump, suggests a strategic maneuver to solidify Biden's environmental legacy and potentially limit his successor's ability to pursue resource extraction in these areas. Trump has criticized the move, vowing to revoke the protections on his first day in office, setting the stage for potential legal battles.Scale of Protection: “With today’s designations and yesterday’s actions to protect the East and West coasts and the Northern Bering Sea from offshore oil and natural gas drilling, President Biden has now protected 674 million acres of U.S. lands and waters.” (White House Fact Sheet)Conservation Corridor: “Establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument in southern California is President Biden’s capstone action to create the largest corridor of protected lands in the continental United States, covering nearly 18 million acres stretching approximately 600 miles. This new Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor protects wildlife habitat and a wide range of natural and cultural resources along the Colorado River, across the Colorado Plateau, and into the deserts of California.” (White House Fact Sheet)Economic Benefits: "National monuments do more than preserve beautiful and culturally significant places; they also drive substantial economic benefits for surrounding communities. Studies have consistently shown that conservation of public lands correlates with growth in local economies, particularly through tourism and recreation." (California Governor's Office press release)Trump's Opposition: “They took away 625 million acres of offshore drilling... nobody else does that. I’m going to have it revoked on day one. If we need to we’ll go to the courts, if they try to be sneaky... remember this is a man who said he wants the transition to be smooth. You don’t do those kind of things... We’re going to be drilling soon.” (President Trump, quoted in Yahoo News article)

8 Jan 16min

Risks Become Reality: 2024 Altered Extreme WeatherThis briefing summarizes the key findings of the World Weather Attribution (WWA) report "When Risks Become Reality: Extreme Weather in 2024," analyzing the year's extreme weather events and their connection to climate change.Key Themes:Escalating Extreme Weather Events: The report emphasizes the unprecedented levels of extreme weather experienced in 2024, including heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, storms, and floods. These events resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. The report states that "Extreme weather reached dangerous new heights in 2024," demonstrating the increasing threat of a 1.3°C warmer world.Climate Change as a Key Driver: WWA studies directly link climate change to the increased intensity and likelihood of many of these extreme weather events. They analyzed 26 events and found climate change was a significant contributing factor in each, leading to the deaths of at least 3,700 people.Dangerous Heat Days on the Rise: New analysis by Climate Central, included in the report, shows a global average increase of 41 dangerous heat days in 2024 due to climate change. This poses a severe threat to human health, particularly impacting vulnerable small island and developing states.Impacts Beyond El Niño: While the El Niño weather pattern influenced early 2024 events, WWA studies consistently found climate change played a more significant role than El Niño in driving events like the historic Amazon drought. This highlights the growing dominance of climate change's influence over natural climate variations.Record Rainfall and Flooding: 2024 saw record-breaking global temperatures that led to record-breaking rainfall and devastating floods worldwide. Of the 16 flood events studied, 15 were linked to climate change-amplified rainfall. This aligns with the understanding that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, resulting in heavier downpours.Amazon Under Threat: The Amazon rainforest and Pantanal Wetland suffered severe droughts and wildfires in 2024, causing significant biodiversity loss. The report underscores the critical role of the Amazon as a global carbon sink and emphasizes the need to halt deforestation to protect these vital ecosystems.Intensified Storms: Hotter seas and warmer air contributed to more destructive storms like Hurricane Helene and Typhoon Gaemi. Research points to climate change increasing wind speeds and rainfall in these storms. WWA analysis shows an increasing risk of multiple high-intensity typhoons hitting the Philippines due to climate change.Conclusion:The WWA report underscores the undeniable link between human-induced climate change and the intensifying extreme weather events witnessed in 2024. It serves as a stark reminder of the urgency to accelerate global action on climate change mitigation and adaptation to protect lives, ecosystems, and the future of our planet.

8 Jan 22min

BEACON: Florida's New AI-Driven Hurricane & Emergency Alert SystemOverview:The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), in collaboration with the University of Florida and AI company Futuri, has launched BEACON, an innovative artificial intelligence-driven emergency messaging system. This system aims to provide real-time, targeted alerts before, during, and after disasters, primarily focusing on hurricane preparedness in Florida.Key Features:AI-Powered: BEACON utilizes artificial intelligence to process information from local, state, and federal agencies, including the National Weather Service and IPAWS.Text-to-Voice Conversion: The system converts text-based information into human-sounding voice messages for broadcast.Multilingual: Currently available in English and Spanish, BEACON plans to incorporate Haitian Creole and other languages.Radio-Based: Utilizes the robust and resilient infrastructure of AM radio, FM HD channels, and a dedicated mobile app for dissemination.Functionality:BEACON gathers relevant emergency information, personalizes it based on location, and broadcasts it via radio and the BEACON app. This provides actionable information to residents and visitors, complementing existing alert systems like the Emergency Alert System.Benefits:Improved Communication: Enables faster and more targeted information delivery, potentially saving lives."I guarantee you, sometime over the next decade, that we will save lives," said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie.Enhanced Resilience: Leverages radio's reliability, ensuring communication even during power outages."So why radio? Because radio survives even the harshest storms," said Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.Targeted Messaging: Delivers personalized alerts based on specific geographic locations and needs.Accessibility: Reaches diverse communities, including those with limited internet access.Pilot and Expansion:The initial BEACON site launched at WUFT public radio station in Gainesville, serving the Gainesville-Ocala market. FDEM aims to expand the system statewide before the 2025 hurricane season, with plans for a Southwest Florida launch in the coming months.Quotes:"BEACON combines new technology with the reliability and power of broadcast radio to deliver messages directly to the communities that need them the most," - Kevin Guthrie, FDEM Director."This has been a longtime coming." - Craig Fugate, Former FEMA Director."It complements those warnings by now giving people actionable information about what they need to do," - Craig Fugate."We want to use this as a preparedness tool as we get ready to go into severe weather season,” - Kevin Guthrie."All of the information that we’re receiving is actually vetted at the local level or the state level or the federal level. It’s coming from the storm weather prediction center. It’s coming from local national weather service,” - Kevin Guthrie.Conclusion:BEACON represents a significant advancement in Florida's emergency preparedness strategy. Its utilization of AI and radio broadcasting ensures reliable and timely communication, empowering communities to make informed decisions during critical events. The statewide expansion holds the potential to significantly enhance public safety and disaster response effectiveness.

6 Jan 26min

Yellowstone's Volcanic Future: Insights from Recent ResearchMeteorology Matters reviews research concerning volcanic activity at Yellowstone National Park. The sources provide insights into the likelihood of future eruptions, the structure of the magma system beneath the park, and the potential shift in volcanic activity.Key Findings:Yellowstone is not "overdue" for an eruption. Despite past supereruptions, volcanoes don't operate on predictable schedules. (Source: USGS)The magma chamber under Yellowstone is largely solid. Only 5-15% is molten, raising questions about the feasibility of a large-scale eruption. (Source: USGS)New research using magnetotellurics reveals a different picture of the magma system. Instead of one large reservoir, there are multiple, segregated pockets of magma with low melt percentages. (Source: Fox Weather & The Washington Post)This finding suggests that eruptions are unlikely in the foreseeable future, particularly in the northeastern region. (Source: Fox Weather)The research pinpoints the heat source driving Yellowstone's volcanic activity in the northeast region. This area also houses the largest magma storage, suggesting future eruptions may be concentrated there. (Source: Fox Weather)The study confirms a shift in volcanic activity towards the northeast. This aligns with the movement of the North American plate over the Yellowstone hotspot. (Source: The Washington Post)Scientists emphasize that future eruptions are likely thousands of years away. The park's volcanic activity is dynamic but does not pose an immediate threat. (Source: The Washington Post)Important Considerations:Supereruptions are rare events. Most volcanic systems that experience them do not have multiple occurrences. (Source: USGS)Even if Yellowstone erupts again, it may be a smaller, non-explosive event. The most recent eruption 70,000 years ago was a lava flow. (Source: USGS)Continued monitoring of Yellowstone is crucial. Seismographs and GPS help scientists understand stress changes in the Earth's crust, which could trigger earthquakes and influence volcanic activity. (Source: USGS)Quotes:"When we used magnetotellurics, we were able to see, actually, there’s not a lot there… There are these segregated regions where magma is stored across Yellowstone, instead of having one sort of large reservoir." - Ninfa Bennington, lead author of the study (Source: Fox Weather)"Nowhere in Yellowstone do we have regions that are capable of eruption. It has a lot of magma, but the magma is not connected enough." - Ninfa Bennington (Source: The Washington Post)"By no means is Yellowstone 'due for an eruption.' There will be eruptions, but it will probably be thousands of years before we can expect an eruption." - Erik Klemetti Gonzalez, associate professor of earth and planetary sciences (Source: The Washington Post)Conclusion:Recent research provides a more nuanced understanding of Yellowstone's volcanic system. While the potential for future eruptions remains, the current scientific consensus suggests that such events are unlikely in the near term. Continued monitoring and research are essential to further refine our understanding of Yellowstone's volcanic activity and its potential impacts.

5 Jan 14min

Florida's Roofing Conundrum:Overview: Meteorology Matters explores Florida's ongoing insurance crisis, focusing on the debate surrounding asphalt shingle roofs and their role in escalating premiums and homeowner vulnerability.Main Themes:Asphalt Shingle Roofs Under Scrutiny: Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky has sparked controversy by suggesting asphalt shingle roofs may need to be phased out due to their vulnerability to Florida's harsh weather conditions. He argues they don't last the promised 30 years and contribute to insurance claims and rising premiums.Industry Pushback: Roofing industry representatives, including the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association and the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association, disagree with Yaworsky's assessment. They argue that properly installed, high-quality asphalt shingles can withstand hurricanes and offer a more affordable option for homeowners.Search for Solutions: In light of the insurance crisis, various stakeholders are seeking solutions:New Insurance Programs: Security First Insurance and Embark MGA have partnered to create a new program specifically for new construction homes, offering comprehensive HO5 policies with streamlined claims processing.Legislative Action: House Bill 13 proposes a radical change to Citizens Insurance, making it a windstorm-only insurer available to all Floridians. This model mirrors California's approach and aims to lower rates, though some experts raise concerns about its financial feasibility.Focus on Mitigation: State officials emphasize strengthening building codes and incentivizing homeowners to invest in storm-resistant features through programs like My Safe Florida Home.Exploring Alternatives: While cost remains a barrier, metal and concrete tile roofs are gaining attention as more durable and storm-resistant alternatives to asphalt shingles.Key Facts and Quotes:Asphalt Shingle Dominance: Asphalt shingles cover an estimated 80% of roofs nationwide and 60-65% in Florida. (Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel)Durability Concerns: "These products that are guaranteed to last for 30 years. They don't last for 30 years in Florida. They just don't." - Michael Yaworsky (Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel)Cost Factor: "Metal or tile roofs can last 50 years or more but cost two to three times the price of asphalt tile." (Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel)Industry Perspective: "Clearly, when it comes to wind performance, we're improving every single cycle, and every time we get a storm, we’re seeing more and more evidence of that." - Mike Silvers, Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel)New Insurance Program: "The new HO5 policy comes with a broader scope of protection for new homebuyers than the standard, with streamlined claims processing." (Source: Newsweek)Legislative Proposal: "It provided insurance for all claims and only claims related to natural disasters and left the private market to pick up the rest. The result is rates dropped like a stone." - Former Rep. Spencer Roach on the proposed windstorm-only Citizens model (Source: WPTV)Funding for Mitigation: The Department of Financial Services plans to seek an additional $500 million for the My Safe Florida Home program. (Source: The Palm Beach Post)

4 Jan 12min

Meteorology Matters: Social media is abuzz with conspiracy theories surrounding reports of an unusual fog across the US, UK, and Canada, dubbed "Fogvid-24." This document summarizes the main themes, important facts, and contributing factors to this phenomenon.Summary of Events:Starting December 29, 2024, social media users, particularly on TikTok and X, began reporting a thick fog with unusual visual and olfactory characteristics.Some individuals claim this fog is accompanied by a chemical, electrical, or burning smell.Subsequent reports link exposure to the fog with flu-like symptoms such as fever, coughing, sore throat, headaches, and fatigue.Conspiracy Theories:The unusual appearance of the fog and reported symptoms have fueled conspiracy theories, with some alleging it is a government-engineered bioweapon or a form of chemical attack.The term "Fogvid-24" emerged, drawing parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated conspiracy theories.Some users point to historical examples like the US military's bacteria fog experiments in San Francisco (1949-1969) as evidence of the government's capacity for such actions.Quote: "None of this means that the government is pouring pathogens on its populace now, but we can’t say it’s impossible to do so." (Daily Dot)The discovery of a 1916 patent for an "intense artificial cloud" machine, though expired, has further fueled speculation.Theories linking the fog to the December drone incidents and Smart Dust technology developed by DARPA are also circulating.Quote: "Could this strange fog happening in multiple states and cities be Smart Dust? DARPA has a patent on Smart Dust back in the ‘90s I’m sure it’s been perfected in 2024 and the use of AI now," (X user)Skeptical Viewpoints:Skeptics, often leaning left politically, attribute the perceived abnormalities to the normal properties of fog and seasonal illnesses.Quote: “The delusional throbbers that believe this stupidity need to give their heads a massive wobble,” (X user @BSmithBenS)They highlight the fact that shining a light through fog naturally reveals individual water droplets, creating the illusion of "particles."They argue that the reported symptoms are likely due to the prevalence of common respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, especially during the holiday season.Scientific Explanations:The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued dense fog advisories for affected areas, suggesting a meteorological explanation.Scientists explain that the fog can trap and concentrate pollutants, leading to a stronger perception of chemical smells.Quote: “When fog forms, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and other polluting gases are taken up or ‘scavenged’ by fog water droplets,” (Rudolf Husar, Washington University atmospheric scientist)Fog can also exacerbate respiratory problems due to its high moisture content, potentially leading to coughing, shortness of breath, and other symptoms.Conclusions:While the scientific community attributes the fog and associated symptoms to natural phenomena, conspiracy theories continue to spread on social media.This situation underscores the need for critical thinking and reliance on credible sources of information.The "Fogvid-24" phenomenon serves as a reminder of the powerful influence of social media and its potential to amplify unfounded fears and anxieties.

2 Jan 14min

Helene Aftermath: NC Recovery 3 Months LaterMeteorology Matters analyzes the lingering impacts of Hurricane Helene, three months after its devastating sweep through western North Carolina in September 2024. We examine the storm's enduring consequences on infrastructure, tourism, community life, and recovery efforts.Devastation and DestructionHurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm upon landfall in Florida, brought catastrophic flooding and landslides to the mountainous region of western North Carolina. Vivid imagery from the sources depicts the extent of the damage

1 Jan 13min