Heat Bubble Remains In Southern U.S. – National Weather Outlook For August 17, 2023

by | Aug 17, 2023 | Weather

National Weather Forecast

We’ll be watching storm activity across portions of the eastern and southwestern United States on Thursday. Meanwhile, hot conditions start to move from the Pacific Northwest to the Northern Rockies, and they will start to return to the southern United States after a very short break in the heat.

The heaviest rain through the second half of the week will be in the eastern United States – particularly from the Mid-Atlantic to Florida where some 3”+ tallies are expected.

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Power lines likely caused Maui’s first reported fire, video and data show

More from the Washington Post: “At 10:47 p.m. last Monday, a security camera at the Maui Bird Conservation Center captured a bright flash in the woods, illuminating the trees swaying in the wind. “I think that is when a tree is falling on a power line,” says Jennifer Pribble, a senior research coordinator at the center, in a video posted on Instagram. “The power goes out, our generator kicks in, the camera comes back online, and then the forest is on fire.” At that exact moment, 10 sensors in Makawao, a small, rural town in the East Maui region of Upcountry — where the Conservation Center is located — recorded a significant incident in Hawaiian Electric’s grid, according to data from Whisker Labs, a company that uses an advanced sensor network to monitor grids across the United States. The bright light in the video was probably an “arc flash,” something that happens when a power line “faults” — meaning it has come in contact with vegetation or another line, or gets knocked down, releasing power, usually through sparks, according to a Whisker Labs official and other experts.”

Solar Cycle 25 is more active and powerful than predicted

More from EarthSky: “We’re currently four years into Solar Cycle 25, but this one has already proven surprising. The maximum activity of the 25th cycle was predicted to occur in 2025. But solar activity has already exceeded the expected maximum. This means we’ve been seeing more geomagnetic storms, more auroral displays (and at lower latitudes than usual) and, potentially, more hazardous conditions for satellites in low-Earth orbit.”

Behind the Scenes in the Senate, This Scientist Never Gave Up on Passing the Inflation Reduction Act. Now He’s Come Home to Minnesota

More from Inside Climate News: “The “Never Give Up Caucus” got its name at a time when many people who cared about climate change were ready to give up. In December of 2021, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) had announced that he would oppose the Build Back Better climate legislation. The bill looked dead. But in meetings of Senate staff members, Pete Wyckoff struck the tone of a coach preparing his team for a fourth-quarter comeback. “Things would fall apart,” said Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota). “And then Pete would be right there the next day saying, ‘Okay, I think there’s a way that maybe we can start to rebuild this bridge.’” Wyckoff worked on her staff as the top adviser on energy issues. She called him “Dr. Pete” because of his background as a professor of biology and environmental studies at the University of Minnesota-Morris, and because it helped to distinguish him from the other two Petes in the office.”

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– D.J. Kayser