Articles by Brian K. Sullivan

Severe Storm Threatens Central US With Heavy Rains, Tornadoes

Heavy rain, severe thunderstorms and the risk of tornadoes are threatening more than 40 million people from Michigan to Texas as a slow-moving cold front hovers over the region. There’s a rare high risk for damaging winds and long-lasting powerful …

California’s Snowpack Data Likely Signals Another Fire-Prone Summer

California is emerging from its wettest time of the year with new fire and drought risks. The state is scheduled to measure the snowpack amassed over winter on Tuesday — April 1 is the typical peak point before springtime melting. …

Weather Service Merges Units as Staffing Pressure Rises

The US National Weather Service will merge two of its largest forecasting units as it prepares for the loss of as many as 1,000 staffers. Employees were encouraged to take early retirements asa handful of consolidations were announced during an …

Unusually Active Hurricane Season in Store for the Atlantic: AccuWeather

Another above-average hurricane season will threaten the Atlantic this year, with as many as six storms affecting the US, AccuWeather Inc. said. Between 13 and 18 storms will at least reach tropical storm strength, and seven to 10 of those …

Cascading Extreme Weather Events Unleash Billions in Damages Globally

First came a dry spell that parched the land, then a spark, followed by some wind. Suddenly, swaths of South Carolina were consumed by voracious flames. More than 100 fires ignited in the state last weekend — an unusually high …

Critical Fire Conditions to Grip Texas’ Oil-Rich Permian Basin

Critical to extreme fire conditions are expected to affect more than 2.7 million people across the Southwest, lower Great Plains and Texas, including the oil-rich Permian Basin. A large low-pressure system is forecast to move across the central Great Plains, …

Winter Chill Gripping Central US Breaks Temperature Records

Intense cold will grip the central and southern US for at least another day, sending temperatures to all-time lows in some cities before milder weather is set to arrive over the weekend. At least 40 daily cold records have been …

Record-Breaking Cold to Slam Central US and Test Texas Grid

Winter storms and record-breaking cold will descend on the central and southern US this week, snarling transportation and putting the vulnerable Texas power grid to yet another test. Temperatures are forecast to drop to 15F (-9C) in Dallas Wednesday night, …

Los Angeles Sees Mudslides With Heavy Rains

Heavy rains caused flooding and mudslides in Los Angeles late Thursday and early Friday, as authorities ordered evacuations and warned of potentially dangerous conditions across land burned by last month’s devastating wildfires. About half a foot of rain has fallen …

California Faces Mudslide Threat From Flooding Rains After Wildfires

Weeks after wildfires that killed at least 29 people and destroyed entire neighborhoods, Southern California is facing another extreme-weather threat: Too much rain. After drenching the northern part of the state, a massive Pacific storm will start to move south …