Month: October 2019

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist Raleigh, N.C. — A round of much-needed rain will arrive Sunday afternoon then leave before returning in the middle of the work week and bringing us much cooler temperatures. The lower half of Wake County and other counties south of the Triangle are under a level 1 risk for severe weather Sunday. The chance for rain and some storms is greatest Sunday afternoon and evening, with some rain also falling…

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and MICHAEL R. BLOOD, Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Three people have died at the scene of Southern California wildfires this week, authorities said Saturday, as firefighters aided by diminishing winds beat back a blaze on the edge of Los Angeles that damaged or destroyed more than 30 structures and sent a blanket of smoke across a swath of neighborhoods. Los Angeles officials said the fire in the city’s San Fernando Valley…

MIAMI — A late-season tropical storm has formed off the coast of Massachusetts but is expected to weaken as it moves away from the U.S. The Hurricane Center in Miami says Tropical Storm Melissa poses minor to moderate coastal flooding at high tide along some portions of the Mid-Atlantic and southeastern coasts throughout the weekend. On Saturday afternoon, Melissa had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph), with higher gusts, and was located about…

By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer WASHINGTON — Expect more preventative power blackouts in California as the climate gets hotter and drier and the wildfire season gets nastier and longer, scientists say. The Golden State already is fire-prone with lots of dry plants and woodlands — but add high winds that can knock down power lines or cause them to spark, then watch out, wildfire experts say. The darker outlook hits close to home for…

To avoid breathing wildfire smoke, it’s important to have the right gear. Dust masks, bandanas and damp pieces of cloth won’t adequately protect you from inhaling fine particulate matter like PM2.5. “The tiny particles in the smoke and any other kind of PM2.5 can filter down into your lungs and get into your bloodstream,” according to AccuWeather meteorologist Faith Eherts. Experts recommend that you stick with masks specifically made to keep you safe. “The big…

By Dakin Andone, CNN CNN — The fall nor’easter spinning southeast of New England strengthened into Subtropical Storm Melissa on Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center. At 11 a.m. ET, the storm was about 190 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, with maximum sustain winds of 65 mph. Despite the change in the storm’s status, its impacts are expected to remain the same. That means wind gusts up to 50 mph and coastal flooding from…