Weather & Climate

Jan. 7 (UPI) — Flights and train service were delayed or canceled and driving became treacherous in parts of Europe on Wednesday as a winter storm hit the Atlantic coast.

Storm Goretti is the first named storm of the year in Europe, and it brought heavy snow, ice and cold to the area. Flights and train service were canceled or suspended in parts of France and Belgium.

About 100 flights were canceled at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport and 40 more at the city’s Orly airport, France’s transportation minister said.

In parts of the United Kingdom, amber snow warnings were issued for “danger to life” conditions, The Independent reported. Wind gusts of up to 90 mph were expected Thursday night, bringing large waves and debris. About 12 inches of snow was expected in Wales and the Peak District in central England.

There were four yellow weather warnings for snow and ice in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Midlands. There were two more in eastern England and Wales, and a wind warning in the southwest.

A bus in Kent slid into a ditch, and a school coach full of children crashed into a bus in Reading after hitting black ice.

“Crews are reminding everyone to use extra caution when driving in cold temperatures as there could be black ice on the roads, so avoid sudden breaking and leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front,” the Kent Fire District warned.

Some intercity trains told passengers to reschedule Thursday travel to Wednesday to avoid the worst of the weather.

Flights from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport were canceled and delayed for the past week due to inclement weather. About 700 flights were canceled Wednesday, and Dutch airline KLM has been hit the hardest for the past six days, The Independent reported. Flightradar24 said more than 3,200 flights were canceled over the past week.

“While Schiphol certainly can operate during winter weather, the airport’s de-icing infrastructure obviously isn’t designed to handle a barrage of snow for multiple days in a row,” Daniel Gustafsson of Flightradar24 wrote on the site. He said there was also a “critical shortage” of de-icing fluid.

​​More than 1,000 people spent the night at Schiphol, the airport told Euronews. It said it set up cots and offered breakfast to travellers who had to sleep there.

Jan. 4 (UPI) — A far-left activist group sent police a letter taking credit for setting fire to part of a power plant near Berlin, leaving nearly 50,000 customers in the dark, as a protest against the fossil fuel industry.

The German activist group Vulkangruppe, or Volcano Group, acknowledged in a 2,500-word letter that it set a fire on Saturday near the Lichterfelde heat and power station, damaging high-voltage cables to “cut the juice to the ruling class,” The Guardian reported.

On Sunday morning, Stromnetz Berlin, the power company that owns the station, reported that roughly 45,000 homes and 2,200 businesses had lost power in the outage, Deutche Welle reported.

The power company said that while some connections have been turned back on in small waves, some customers may not have their electricity until as late as Thursday afternoon.

Some schools may also be closed for the part of the week because they do not have power, The BBC reported.

“We are expecting damage costing millions to plants and machines and owing to high losses in revenue,” Alexander Schirp, director of the regional business associations in Berlin and Brandenburg, said of the arson.

“This is a serious problem and stokes a feeling of insecurity in the business world,” he added.

Early Saturday, cables near the power plant were spotted burning and incendiary devices were later found to have caused the inferno.

In the aftermath, several hospitals and health care facilities received emergency generators, but many people had to be moved from either facilities or their own homes because there was no power.

Vulkangruppe said in the letter, which police have said is credible, that they set the fire in an “act of self-defense and international solidarity with all those who protect the Earth and life.”

The group condemned “greed for energy” by burning fossil fuels for the ever-growing electricity needs of humanity, and specifically called out the massive, and exponentially growing, use of electric for artificial intelligence computing.

“We are contributing to our own surveillance and it is comprehensive. The tech corporations are in the hands of me with power, which we give them,” the group wrote, calling the fire an “action in the public interest.”

Vulkangruppe previously took credit for a fire that was set at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Berlin in March 2024.

That arson included deliberately setting fire to a high-voltage electric pole, which damaged the electric line and cut power to the surrounding area, including the plant, officials said at the time.

Dec. 29 (UPI) — A winter storm is hitting the Midwest with strong winds, snow, ice and canceled flights expected.

A winter rainstorm is happening in the northeast and the south. In Massachusetts and Maine, that rain could turn to freezing rain.

As of 3 p.m. EST Monday, about 1,231 flights had been canceled in the United States, and more than 23,393 others were delayed, according to FlightAware.

Delta Air Lines showed the highest number of affected flights, with 3% (128 flights) canceled, and 15% (507) flights delayed.

Buffalo Niagara International Airport had the highest number of outbound flights canceled at 48% (47 flights). The Buffalo, N.Y., area could see 1 to 3 feet of snow this week, and wind gusts up to 65 mph could create whiteout conditions.

Storms capable of creating blizzard conditions with near-hurricane-force winds in the Great Lakes will hit Monday night and bring cold temperatures to the Midwest and Northeast, Accuweather reported. The storms will also bring colder temps to the southern states.

In Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, wind gusts of up to 45 mph are predicted, ABC News reported.

Gusts up to 65 mph are possible in Ohio, Michigan and parts of Pennsylvania.

There will also be lake-effect snow and clipper storms, which could make travel dangerous in the Midwest and Northeast.

Parts of Iowa, Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan are under a blizzard warning, and the areas are facing whiteout conditions. Minneapolis had a winter weather advisory Monday morning due to blowing snow.

East Champion, Mich., in the upper peninsula, has seen 24 inches of snow in the past 24 hours, the National Weather Service reported.

In the Northeast, the main danger Monday morning was ice. There is an ice storm warning in effect in New York and Vermont, where forecasters expect 0.4 to 0.7 inches of ice. That amount can bring down trees and powerlines, as well as make roads extremely dangerous. Rain, including possible freezing rain, will be affecting Boston and Maine on Monday afternoon.

Lake-effect snow is expected to continue around the Great Lakes throughout the week.

Dec. 26 (UPI) — Winter Storm Devin is slowing road traffic and impacting flights amid post-holiday travel in the Great Lakes and Northeast, while torrential rain and localized flooding are affecting travel in California.

Airlines for America estimated a record 52.6 million airline passengers from Dec. 19 through Jan. 5, with Friday and Saturday seeing the most, CNBC reported.

The record number of flight passengers means a large number of passengers will be affected by flight cancellations and delays due to the stormy weather.

A total of 5,902 flights were delayed and 1,865 canceled so far at U.S. airports as of 5 p.m. EST on Friday, according to FlightAware.

The airport affected the most is John F. Kennedy International, with 153 outbound flights canceled and 143 delayed, and another 220 inbound flights canceled and 67 delayed and affecting about 45% of inbound and outbound flights.

Newark Liberty International in New Jersey has 104 outbound flights canceled and 163 delayed, and 140 inbound flights are canceled and 98 delayed.

New York City’s LaGuardia Airport also has a significant number of flights impacted, with 87 outbound flights canceled and 97 delayed, and 153 inbound flights canceled and 43 delayed.

The airlines most impacted are Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Republic and Southwest, but virtually all airlines have scheduled flights affected, so travelers are advised to check well ahead and watch for updates before traveling to respective airports.

AAA earlier forecast 109.5 million people would travel more than 50 miles by car to reach their holiday destinations over Christmas, millions of whom could encounter very poor driving conditions while heading home.

Snow, sleet and freezing rain in the Northeast and Great Lakes have triggered an ice storm warning in central and western Pennsylvania, while southern New York and the Tri-State area are subject to a winter storm warning into Saturday.

Stormy weather also continues in Southern California and along the West Coast, with heavy rainfall causing flooding, mudslides and debris flows in low-lying areas and snowstorms at higher elevations.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — High winds, torrential rains and localized river flooding could make the Christmas holiday particularly challenging across much of Southern California.

A storm system is forecast to bring between 4 and 7 inches of rainfall to valleys and coastal areas located south of Santa Barbara County’s Point Conception on Thursday and Friday before dissipating on Saturday, KTLA reported.

Further east in San Bernardino County, heavy rainfall caused flash flooding and debris fields early Wednesday.

The potential for heavy rainfall and localized flooding caused the National Weather Service in Los Angeles-Oxnard to issue a flash flood warning for Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties from 4:02 a.m. to noon PST on Wednesday.

“Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles,” NWS forecasters said. “Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding.”

NWS forecasters also advise holiday travelers and others to be aware of their surroundings and to avoid driving on flooded roads.

“In hilly terrain, there are hundreds of low water crossings, which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route,” NWS forecasters advised.

Small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses are particularly vulnerable to flash flooding, according to the NWS. So are low-lying areas and others with poor drainage.

“Some locations that will experience flash flooding include: Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Santa Ynez, Montecito, Point Conception, Carpinteria, Solvang, Isla Vista, El Capitan State Beach, Refugio State Beach, Highway 101 through Gaviota State Park, Summerland, Rincon Point, La Conchita, Goleta, Buellton, Lake Cachuma, Highway 154 over San Marcos Pass, Santa Barbara Airport and Hope Ranch,” NWS forecasters warned.

Areas north of Point Conception are expected to get between 2 and 4 inches of rainfall in coastal and valley areas and between 4 and 7 inches in foothills and mountains through Friday.

Those south of Point Conception are expected to see heavier rainfall amounts of between 4 and 7 inches in coastal and valley areas and between 6 and 14 inches in foothills and mountains through Friday.

Heavy rainfall would become especially dangerous and destructive in local burn areas, where flooding and debris flows are more likely.

The rainfall could be accompanied by strong and gusty southeast and south winds on Wednesday and Thursday, with gusts of between 60 and 80 mph predicted across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, in the Ventura and Los Angeles mountains and Antelope Valley.

Winds gusting to between 35 and 55 mph are predicted in other areas, and high wind warnings and wind advisories remain in effect until the storm system passes on Saturday.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (R) talks with President Donald Trump in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 13, 2020. On Monday, Polis called on Trump to reverse his recent decision to deny the state disaster relief for recent flooding and fire damage. File Pool Photo by Doug Mills/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 22 (UPI) — Colorado lawmakers have called on President Donald Trump to reverse a recent decision denying state disaster aid requests in the wake of “life-threatening flooding and historic wildfires.”

In a statement Sunday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced Trump had rejected the state’s requests for help and accused the president of playing “political games.” He said the state would be appealing the decision.

“Coloradans impacted by the Elk and Lee fires and the flooding in Southwestern Colorado deserve better than the political games President Trump is playing,” Polis said.

“I call on the president’s better angels, and urge him to reconsider these requests. This is about the Coloradans who need this support, and we won’t stop fighting for them to get what they deserve,” the Democratic governor added.

Polis declared a disaster emergency on Aug. 3, for the Elk Fire and added the Lee Fire three days later. He filed an executive order by the end of August as the state revealed initial damage estimates from the fires and mudslides totaled more than $27 million.

In October, Polis declared a disaster emergency to unlock $6 million in state funding for flood response and recovery in Western Colorado.

Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet said, “Trump’s decision to deny Colorado’s request for critical federal assistance is unacceptable.”

“Communities in Western Colorado are in serious need of help after the life-threatening flooding and historic wildfires earlier this year,” Bennet added. “Trump continues to use Coloradans for political games; it is malicious and obscene.”

While a president can tap additional federal assistance with a major disaster under the Stafford Act, the Trump administration has recently denied some states’ requests for aid as it works to downsize the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The White House said Monday, “there is no politicization to the president’s decisions on disaster relief.” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson explained Trump’s decision, adding that the administration sent two firefighting planes to Colorado to help fight the fires.

“The president responds to each request for federal assistance under the Stafford Act with great care and consideration,” Jackson said, “ensuring American tax dollars are used appropriately and efficiently by the states to supplement — not substitute, their obligation to respond to and recover from disasters.”

Dec. 20 (UPI) — A flood watch is in effect in the greater Portland area and large portions of western Oregon and southwestern Washington as rainy conditions continue.

The National Weather Service issued the flood watch on Saturday morning, which is in effect until 4 p.m. PST and follows a week of heavy rainfall, Oregon Live reported.

Local flooding is likeliest in urban areas and in locations with relatively little water drainage, and the day’s forecast calls for an 80% chance of rainfall during the morning hours.

The Sandy and Clackamas rivers are especially vulnerable to flooding, and at least one person has died as many roads in western Oregon became covered by landslides and other weather-related damage, according to OPB.

“The Clackamas River in the last 24 hours, we’ve been seeing 3 to 4 inches [of rain] and in some cases even higher amounts southeast of Estacada,” NWS meteorologist Sebastian Westerink told OPB on Friday.

“Those amounts are certainly contributing to the rapid rise of the river,” he added.

Despite the continued rainy weather, most local evacuation orders were lifted on Friday in areas along and near the Clackamas River, KATU reported.

The river set a new record when it crested at 26.25 feet during the early morning hours on Friday. The prior record was 25.52 feet in 1972.

The rainy weather likely will continue through Sunday as a cool and moist airmass covers much of the region.

Hundreds of local residents have evacuated the area, and some flood waters have started to recede but many bodies of water will remain higher than normal into Sunday, NWS forecasters said.

Some, though, took advantage of rare whitewater kayaking opportunities afforded by the week’s weather.

Many traveled to Gladstone’s High Rocks Park, where local waters were flowing at a very high rate on Friday and could continue doing so through the weekend.

Dec. 16 (UPI) — Officials are warning that conditions could worsen parts of Washington state already reeling from deadly flash flooding as a blizzard conditions approach amid evacuations and warnings of further flooding.

At least one person has been reported dead after the body of a 33-year-old male was recovered from a vehicle that was completely submerged in water at 1:30 a.m. PST on Tuesday in Snohomish County, ABC News reported.

“The vehicle left the roadway and entered a lower farmland/ditch area containing approximately 6 feet of water,” officials with Snohomish County Fire District 4 said in a prepared statement.

“Upon arrival, deputies located the vehicle in the water,” they said. “Fire rescue swimmers made contact with the vehicle and removed the driver from the car.”

The motorist had driven past road closure signs warning drivers of localized flooding and was pronounced dead at the scene after first responders attempted lifesaving treatment.

Two levees were breached as strong rainstorms passed through the Pacific Northwest in recent days. Weather conditions are now expected to take a turn for the worse.

The National Weather Service has issued wind and blizzard warnings in the same areas impacted by flash flooding.

Heavy rainfall is predicted to continue into Tuesday night before changing to snow after 1 a.m. on Wednesday.

Outdoor temperatures are expected to fall to 24 degrees, with a west wind of 28 mph creating a wind chill of between 7 and 17 degrees, according to the NWS.

Snow could be heavy at times on Wednesday and Thursday, with between 8 and 12 inches possible by Wednesday night and wind gusts of up to 49 mph on Wednesday. That’s on top of possibly between 4 and 8 inches of snowfall on Thursday and wind gusts of up to 31 mph.

Snow is expected through the next seven days, with lows in the low 20s and highs near 32 degrees.

The wind and blizzard warnings come as major flooding is possible on Wednesday morning along the Skagit River and potentially cresting on Thursday morning in Mount Vernon, the Seattle Times reported.

An estimated 2,100 residents of Pacific in the state’s King County are subject to an evacuation warning telling them to leave now due to a levee failure on the White River.

Highway 2 also could stay closed until further notice, while Highway 167 remained closed between Auburn and Kent, two small cities south of Seattle, on Tuesday morning.