#severe cyclonic storm

[jasminewilson143]

Cyclone Dana Approaches: Evacuations and Preparations Underway in Odisha and West Bengal

Cyclone Dana Approaches: Evacuations and Preparations Underway in Odisha and West Bengal Cyclone Dana, a severe cyclonic storm forming over the Bay of Bengal, is set to make landfall tonight, October 24, or in the early hours of October 25, along the eastern coast of India. The storm is expected to bring with it high-speed winds, heavy rainfall, and widespread disruption in the states of Odisha…

[cometconmain]

Someone in Brisbane pissed in this man's cereal and I'd really like to know who because goddamn XD

[riding-the-cyclone]

Guys I accidentally got attached to the baby in that one post I made and now I’m sobbing over their make believe family

update: I colored them

[stone-cold-groove]

Your summer reading list: The Nature of Violent Storms - 1961.

[youthchronical]

Rare cyclone weakens to a tropical low weather system as it approaches the Australian east coast - The Times of India

BRISBANE: A tropical cyclone weakened into a tropical low weather system on Saturday as it approached Brisbane, Australia’s third-most populous city, bringing flooding rain that was expected to lash the coastal region for days.Tropical Cyclone Alfred had been expected to become on Saturday the first cyclone to cross the east Australian coast near the Queensland state capital since 1974. But it…

[aryanpages]

What bomb cyclones truly are, why they are becoming more common, and, most importantly, how to safeguard yourself and your loved ones when one strikes. Get answers to all your question in this highly informative post on the subject.

[thehansindiaseo]

Cyclone Dana to Hit Odisha-West Bengal Coasts on October 24 Night

Cyclone Dana is set to make landfall on Odisha-West Bengal coasts on the night of October 24, bringing severe winds, heavy rains, and a potential threat to coastal areas.

[kawaiijohn]

After the hurricane recovery is starting in the states and the damage is so bad in some places, they're either gone or don't have a single road left into town.

The power outage map for the states affected is honestly astounding. I actually know friends in southwestern Ohio that had a tornado/cyclonic thunderstorm from this system knock their power out.

Some places might not get power back for 2+ weeks.

The western half of North Carolina, where the Appalachian mountains are, is so badly damaged that some news stations are warning from any travel, and to consider every road closed until further notice.

Asherville is so damaged there seem to be almost no major roads left in or out of town.

The flooding from this storm is devastating and has destroyed entire towns and wiped some off the map. Damns and other infrastructure are failing all over the affected areas.

Until the flood waters recede sometime in the next few days, we won't have a full scope of just how badly people have been affected, nor will we have a final death toll.

Oh also, apparently the governor of Tennessee has not declared a state of emergency despite several places being catastrophically inundated. Instead he's done this, which is pissing a lot of people off.

[fireinmoonshot]

the tyler owens effect | tyler owens x fem!reader

Pairing: Tyler Owens x Fem!Reader Summary: After realising why other storm chasers think you and Tyler are dating when you aren't, you confront Tyler about it, only to be surprised by his solution. Warnings: Mentions of drinking/alcohol, reader drinks a beer. Word Count: 1.9k A/N: Surprise! Is there any better time to start writing for Tyler Owens again than when a cyclone is meant to make landfall in Australia tomorrow? I don't live in the direct path of it but we have had some insane wind and a lot of rain is forecast for the weekend, so I figured it was the perfect time to write for him again. Enjoy! 💗

Before you and Tyler started dating officially, everyone from the other storm chasing teams always assumed you were a couple. You never really understood why – he always treated you like every other member of the Tornado Wranglers and you were nothing more than just two good friends. 

It’s only when you’re out having some drinks with the other storm chasers in the motel parking lot that you realise exactly what it is that makes everyone assume.

You’re standing by the cooler, a beer in hand, talking to Kate and keeping an eye on Boone – who is already several drinks deep and very much out of it – when you feel a hand on your waist. It’s gone just as quickly as it came and you already know it’s Tyler before you even look at him. He doesn’t even look at you as he steps past you to bend down and grab a couple of drinks out of the cooler.

Kate stops talking mid sentence, noticing your attention has shifted elsewhere. “I didn’t realise the Tyler Owens effect was something a fellow Tornado Wrangler could be affected by,” she says, expecting you not to hear her.

You blink, looking away from Tyler and back at Kate. She has a small smile on her face.

“Sorry, what was that?”

“My point exactly,” Kate takes a sip of her drink and shakes her head, laughing a little. You really were so clueless, even after working with Tyler every day. 

You narrow your eyes. “Kate.”

“I said that I didn’t realise that Tornado Wranglers could be affected by the Tyler Owens effect.” 

“The Tyler Owens effect?” You almost laugh. “Is that a thing?” You’ve never heard of it, even though you’ve been a member of the Tornado Wranglers for a few years now.

Kate nods. “What, you haven’t noticed that everyone turns to look when Tyler enters a room? I don’t think it’s all cause he’s a semi-famous storm chaser, either. I think it’s more to do with the fact that everyone finds him so good looking they can’t help but look at him.”

You stare at her for a few moments and then laugh. You being caught up in the Tyler Owens effect? Please. You can admit that he’s good looking, but so is Boone and so are plenty of other storm chasers you see on a daily basis. You’d only been looking at him before cause he’d walked behind you and made you aware that he was there. It’s totally normal for you to watch him – he’s one of your best friends. The butterflies in your stomach don’t count for anything.

Before you can reply to Kate, you catch Tyler stand up from the cooler, closing the lid and moving back towards the two of you. He has two beers in his hands – likely one for himself and one for another member of the Tornado Wranglers. He holds the necks of both beer bottles with one hand.

“Ladies,” he says in way of greeting.

He doesn’t stay to talk, though. He has a beer to deliver. As he walks past you and Kate, his hand touches your waist again, having to get past a group of storm chasers that are headed for the cooler after him. You ignore the chill that goes down your spine at the feeling of his hand on your waist.

It’s then that the realisation hits.

Tyler always touches you – especially when you’re in public. A hand on your waist as he’s moving past you in a room, an arm around your shoulder when your’e sitting around a make-shift bonfire in a motel parking lot, holding your hand to get you through a packed crowd of storm chasers at a gas station…

“I have a question,” you look back up at Kate, having turned around to look at Tyler as he walks away. Kate is looking at you with a knowing smile on her face, as if she already knows what you’re about to ask her. “Is the reason why people always assume Tyler and I are together is because he touches me so casually? Like just then, he put a hand on my waist as he walked past.”

Kate can’t help it – she laughs. “It took you long enough to realise that. To everyone else, it looks a hell of a lot like a boyfriend just being touchy with his girlfriend.”

“Oh, god,” you run a hand over your face. “That is so…” You take one final swig of your beer before handing it to Kate. “I need to talk to Tyler. I’ll be right back.” 

You spin on your heels immediately, heading in the direction Tyler had been going before. The parking lot is crowded but not so crowded that you can’t see where he’s sitting with Dexter and Dani. He’s sitting on the tailgate of his truck, beer in hand.

Tyler spots you when you’re not too far away from him and raises his hand to wave you over to them. He taps the tailgate beside him, motioning for you to join him there.

“What brings you over this way, darlin’?” He asks, flashing you a grin.

You give a quick greeting to Dexter and Dani before looking at Tyler again. “Ty, we need to talk.”

His eyebrows furrow briefly but he continues acting playful for the benefit of Dexter and Dani. “Well, that never ends well,” he says, setting his beer down on the tailgate beside him. “Can you watch that? I’ll be back for it.” He asks the other two.

It’s second nature for him to reach down and grab your hand, starting to walk you away from your friends and towards the motel, near where your room is and away from all the storm chasers chatting. You’re so used to holding his hand that you don’t even remember that the whole reason you’ve come over to talk to him is to stop him from holding your hand and initiating other random touches.

It’s a little quieter over by your room. There are a few people milling about here and there, going into their rooms or coming out of them, but it’s much better compared to being in the thick of the storm chasers. 

“What’s goin’ on, darlin’?” He asks, letting go of your hand and leaning up against one of the poles holding up the second floor hallway. You can tell he’s worried just by the sound of his voice.

You sigh and prepare yourself for what is likely to be an incredibly awkward conversation on your behalf. Tyler will probably barely even blink at it. You, on the other hand? You’re ready for a lifetime of embarrassment. “Are you aware that a heap of other storm chasers think that we’re dating each other?”

Tyler slowly nods. “Yeah, I’ve had a few people ask me if we are. Why?”

“I know why,” you continue. “You know how you held my hand as we were walking over here? And you came over to get a drink earlier and put your hand on my waist when you were walking past. Kate even confirmed it. People always think we’re dating cause they always see us touching like a couple would.”

Tyler is a little confused. He’s never really put two and two together but it makes sense. He doesn’t touch anyone like he touches you. You are the only person whose hand he holds and whose waist he touches as he passes by. He never even really means to. He just always finds himself drawn to you and it’s just habit at this point. He supposes that the crush he’s been harbouring for a few months now would have something to do with that.

“Do you want me to stop doing that?” Tyler asks, genuinely concerned. If it was something that made you uncomfortable, he’d stop doing it immediately. 

You open your mouth to say yes, but stumble over the word. You know without even thinking about it properly that you’ll miss the comfort of holding his hand or having his hand on your waist if you stop him from doing it… it’s not that you don’t like it, it’s more just that you don’t want people to assume anymore. 

“No, I just…” You trail off and shake your head. “I just want people to stop assuming that we’re dating when we aren’t.”

Tyler looks at you for a moment, then swallows and says “Well, maybe we should just date then.” He shrugs a shoulder, making it look like he’s someone who is totally cool, calm and collected about this – as if his heart isn’t beating a million miles an hour in his chest and he’s not quietly terrified that you’ll shut him down.

You stare up at him, opening and closing your mouth a few times when your mind goes blank and you can’t find anything to say to him. “I– what?” 

Tyler clears his throat. “Go on a date with me, a proper date.”

“A date… with you…” You repeat. “Tyler, how many drinks have you had tonight? Are you drunk?”

You know that he isn’t. He’s not a particularly heavy drinker, often choosing to keep reasonably sober. But for some reason, the words coming out of his mouth make it seem like he is. Why would Tyler Owens be asking you on a date? He’s your co-worker, your friend… and you get butterflies in your stomach whenever he smiles at you. Totally normal, right?

Tyler chuckles. “I’ve had half a beer, darlin’, I’m not drunk. I’m asking you a genuine question right now. Will you go on a date with me? You said you want people to stop assuming that we’re dating, so let’s date for real and they won’t have to assume anymore.”

You let out a breath and shake your head. “Ty, I… you don’t have to offer me a date just cause you feel bad that I don’t like people assuming things about us, okay? We can just make an effort not to do things that make them assume.”

“Do you not wanna go on a date with me?” He asks, a tinge of hurt in his voice. He considers you one of his best friends but he can understand if you don’t feel the same way about him as he feels about you. “If you don’t, just say so and I’ll drop it. But if even one part of you wants to… say yes, darlin’.”

“Yes,” the word is out of your mouth before you even register it. You throw a hand up to cover your mouth, a little shocked at your own instinct. “I mean… okay, yes, I’ll go on a date with you.” Just to test whether the butterflies in your stomach really mean something or not… just to see…

Tyler can’t keep the grin off his face. He isn’t as terrible at guessing things like this as he had started to wonder he was. “All right,” he smiles. “So, give me a couple days to work somethin’ out and I’ll keep you updated.”

You laugh. “You’ll keep me updated? Ty, I see you every day. I sit in the back seat of your truck for like twelve hours a day.”

He shrugs, a smile on his face. “You’ll obviously be upgraded to the front seat if things go well on our date. I couldn’t have my girlfriend sitting in the back seat while Boone sits up front.”

“Girlfriend, huh?”

“Don’t go getting ahead of yourself, darlin’,” he teases. 

You gasp. “You were the one who said it!”

Tyler laughs, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “C’mon, my beer is getting warm waiting for me over there and I can feel Dexter and Dani’s eyes staring a hole in the back of my head. And I’ve got a busy night of date planning ahead of me.”

[iguanodont]

So. How’s the tornado situation in birgworld?

(Text courtesy of my pal @merkabatraindepot ) "Though there is no direct correlation between axial tilt of a planet, and stronger synoptic patterns, Hyperborea* still has much more intense seasonal temperature shifts than Earth or Tir n'Aill**. Consequently, every tornado season and hurricane season is more intense than their terrestrial counterparts. This is particularly bad on the great interior escarpment, as moist air from the eastern coastal gulfs mix with ice belt currents to, in layman's terms, unleash hell. There's a reason traditional Twowic inland architecture is partially sunken into the ground."

*Hyperborea is the less silly exonym for birgworld

**Tir n’Aill likewise refers to the peeb homeworld

Cultural segment under the cut ~~~

“There are a multitude of traditional cultural interpretations of tornadoes on the Western Continent, as giant murderous destruction clouds are wont to inspire. These range from the greater Twowic mythos of tornadoes being the severed limb of Cloud-Reaver (a former major weather deity who has been supplanted by Sky-Mother starting around 700 years ago) ravaging the land in infinite paroxysisms- death of even a leg being indefinitely suspended for the supernatural. The traditional Krakoum version is quite similar, with the added aspect of two great wind spirits (personifications of early spring storms) engaged in a fierce chance to defend the divine limb from competing scavengers, lest they claim the blood-power of the primordial being.

The Wis’Sachoi conversely view the funnels as a vast disemboweled spiral valve gut torn form the first town builder.

Ss’wassoum territory as a rule has less devastating cyclones, and consequently see them as vast swarms of spirits whose composition varies regionally.

Of course, the modern birg knows enough about weather formations to smugly explain tornadic currents, and supercell formation to some out-of-towner. Then promptly wet themselves upon first sight of the storm track.

[beardedmrbean]

NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft is alone drifting through interstellar space after a communications breakdown left it unable to receive commands or transmit data back to Earth.

Communications with Voyager 2, which is currently around 12.4 billion miles (19.9 billion kilometers) from Earth, were severed as a result of planned commands. These commands rotated the spacecraft's antenna two degrees away from our planet, enough to cut its links to the ground antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN).

As a result, Voyager 2 is no longer sending data back to the DSN, and mission control on Earth can't send any commands back to the interstellar spacecraft.

Not all is lost, however. Voyager 2, launched in 1977, is programmed to reset its orientation several times a year to keep its antenna directed at Earth. Another reset is scheduled for Oct. 15 this year, and this should result in Voyager 2 resuming contact with its ground control. Until that time, operators  expect the spacecraft to stick to its planned trajectory. 

Voyager 2 was launched from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 20, 1977. It made history on Dec. 10, 2018, when it became the second spacecraft to leave the solar system and enter interstellar space. 

Six years prior to this, its sister craft Voyager 1 became the first man-made craft to journey beyond the influence of our star, the sun. Voyager 1 is currently around 15 billion miles (24 billion km) from Earth and remains in contact with our planet.

Both Voyager 1 and 2 were designed to find and study objects at the edge of the solar system, according to NASA. In the course of doing this, Voyager 2 has been responsible for a number of scientific firsts. It is the only spacecraft that has conducted close-up studies of all four giant planets of the solar system — the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn and the ice giants Neptune and Uranus.

In Jan. 1986, Voyager 2 became the first human-made object to fly past Uranus. During that trip, Voyager 2 discovered 10 new moons and two new rings around the ice giant. In Aug. 1989, it also became the first spacecraft to buzz past Neptune, and while there, it discovered five moons and four rings. While studying Neptune, Voyager 2 also discovered an 8,100-mile by 4,100-mile (13,036 km by 6,600 km) cyclonic storm with winds of up to 1,300 miles per hour (2,092 km/h) raging on the ice giant, which has been dubbed the Great Dark Spot.

In April 2023, NASA announced that Voyager 2 would postpone a planned instrument shutdown by at least three years, continuing to gather valuable deep space data until at least 2026. 

"We are definitely interested in keeping as many science instruments operating as long as possible," Voyager project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in southern California, Linda Spilker, said in a statement issued on Wednesday, April 26.

[unbuttonedown]

Fault Lines

Pairing: Beau "Cyclone" Simpson x Wife!reader (Mitchell!reader)

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: Consensual, legal age-gap relationship; Estranged Father/Daughter relationship (Maverick & Reader); Named Simpson!OC child; Angst; Pregnancy; No Beta

Synopsis: After the successful Dagger Squad mission, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell returns home — only to be blindsided by the revelation that his estranged daughter is married to Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson. Maverick is forced to confront the years he lost and the family he never knew existed. Tensions rise between the two men as Maverick struggles to find his place in a life that has moved on without him, leaving the question — can broken bonds ever truly be repaired?

A/N: My first go at writing (and actually posting!) something like this. Would love to hear your thoughts!

next chapter

As the roar of jet engines faded into the distance, the tarmac at NAS Miramar buzzed with the hum of returning pilots, maintenance crews, and the lingering adrenaline of a mission well-executed. The Dagger Squad had returned victorious, and among them was Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the legendary aviator who had once again defied expectations and survived against all odds. But despite the accolades, the hero’s welcome, and the relieved camaraderie, Maverick’s thoughts were elsewhere — drawn to the woman walking toward him, her presence as unexpected as the storm brewing inside him. 

You. 

He hadn’t seen you in years. Not since you had left without a word, tired of the strained relationship, the half-hearted attempts at fatherhood that never quite measured up. And now, here you were, moving across the tarmac with a confidence that made his breath hitch. But it wasn’t just you — his gaze was pulled to the little girl sprinting ahead of you, her laughter carrying over the commotion, and then lower, to the small swell of your belly. 

Then he saw the man she was running to. 

Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson stood tall, his normally severe expression softening as he crouched to scoop up the little girl — your daughter — who launched himself into his arms with an unbridled joy that made Maverick’s chest tighten. The man’s hand, strong and sure, settled on her back before shifting ever so briefly to your waist as you reached him. An intimately protective gesture. A husband’s gesture. 

Beau pressed a kiss to your temple, murmuring something only you could hear, before his sharp eyes lifted — meeting Maverick’s stare with an expression that was unreadable, save for the unmistakable glint of challenge beneath the surface. It wasn’t the professional disdain Maverick was used to from the admiral. No, this was something else. Something deeply personal. 

For a long moment, Maverick just stood there, heart hammering against his ribs, the weight of everything — your marriage, your daughter, the life you had built with a man who was supposed to be his adversary — crashing down on him all at once. 

And then, for the first time in his life, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell didn’t know what the hell to say. 

Beau held Maverick’s gaze for a beat longer before his focus shifted back to you, his hand never leaving you. He murmured something low, something meant only for you, and you nodded, fingers brushing over his knuckles in silent reassurance. 

Maverick had seen a lot of things in his time, but this? Seeing you here standing beside a man like him — the very embodiment of rules and structure, of everything Maverick had spent his entire career pushing against — knocked the wind right out of him. 

“Mama, who’s that?” 

The little girl’s voice snapped him back to the present, her curious eyes bouncing between you and him as she clung to Beau’s shoulder. 

Your daughter. His granddaughter. 

Maverick swallowed hard as you took a slow breath before stepping forward, closing the space between you. “Stella, sweetheart,” you said gently, brushing a loose strand of hair from her forehead. “This is Pete.” A pause. A hesitation so small, yet so heavy. “He’s my father.” 

Stella’s brows scrunched up, and then she looked back at Beau, as if the pieces weren’t quite fitting together. “But Daddy’s your husband.” 

A flicker of something — amusement, tension, or maybe just patience — passed over Beau’s face as he adjusted Stella on his hip. He didn’t speak, didn’t intervene, just let you take the lead. 

Maverick cleared his throat, forcing himself to meet the little girl’s inquisitive gaze. “That’s right,” he said, his voice rougher that he’d meant it to be. “Your dad and I… we know each other.” 

Stella considered that for a second, then, with all the bluntness of a child, asked, “Are you friends?” 

The silence that followed was deafening. 

A slow, measured breath left Cyclone’s nose, and you exhaled softly, a sound that was more tired than anything. Maverick let out a low chucked, more at himself than anything else, because how the hell was he supposed to answer that? 

You saved him from trying. “Not exactly, honey,” you said carefully, smoothing a hand over her back. “But we do go way back.” 

Stella seemed to accept that answer, but her little nose scrunched up in thought. “Then why I haven’t I seen him before?” 

Maverick flinched. Damn, this kid was sharp. 

You hesitated, and Beau’s jaw twitched like he was biting back a response of his own. There was history here, years of it, and Maverick could feel it pressing down on him from all sides. You had moved on. You had built a life, a family, without him. And yet, here he was, standing in the middle of it, decades too late and with no idea how to fix what had already been broken. 

Finally, you sighed, shifting closer to your husband. “It’s… complicated,” you admitted.

Maverick caught the way Beau’s grip tightened just slightly around your waist at that. Protective, territorial. Like he wasn’t quite sure if here was where Maverick should be. 

And hell, maybe he was right. 

Stella seemed to think it over for a second before shrugging, apparently satisfied for now. Then, just as quickly as she put Maverick on the spot, she turned back to Beau with the boundless energy only a child could have. “Can we get ice cream now?” 

You huffed out a low chuckle, shaking your head. “We just had ice cream yesterday, kid.” 

“But I was really good today.” She turned big, pleading eyes on Beau, the same ones you had used on Maverick as a kid, because damn if they weren’t affective. 

Your husband sighed, clearly resigned to this fate. “We’ll see.” 

Stella beamed, satisfied, and wriggled out of his arms to run towards her “Uncle” Warlock and his family nearby. 

Maverick exhaled, watching her go before turning back to you. There was still so much unsaid, so many things that wouldn’t fit in the space of one conversation. But when his gaze flickered to your stomach again — he hadn’t just missed your life. He had missed this one too. 

“I didn’t know,” he finally said, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant. 

You studied him for a long moment. Silence stretched between you, but it wasn’t entirely hostile. Just… heavy. 

Then, Beau shifted beside you. “We should get going.” It wasn’t rude, but it wasn’t exactly warm either. 

Maverick met his eyes again, and this time, there was something new in them. Not just the usual distrust, but something deeper. A line drawn in the sand. A promise. 

This is my family now. 

And Maverick wasn’t sure if there was a place for him in it.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Ilana Berger at MMFA:

As President Donald Trump’s administration orders mass layoffs and cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, local meteorologists and influencer storm chasers — including some weather experts who previously claimed to avoid politics or expressed right-leaning views — are speaking out in support of federal employees and the essential information provided by the agency. 

Trump’s funding cuts and layoffs will hobble NOAA and the National Weather Service, potentially restricting access to a vital public good that costs taxpayers very little

NOAA and its subsidiaries, including the National Weather Service, employ thousands of scientists, engineers, and other experts to conduct vital research that is shared with the public. NOAA’s products and services range “from daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration and supporting marine commerce.” The NWS estimates that the critical information it provides costs just $4 per U.S. resident per year. [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, accessed 3/14/25; The New York Times, 2/8/25]  

Project 2025 — the right-wing plan for a second Trump administration organized by The Heritage Foundation with over 100 conservative partner organizations — called for NOAA to be “broken up and downsized” and urged the National Weather Service to “fully commercialize its forecasting operations.” Weather experts across the country have expressed alarm at Project 2025’s plans to dismantle NOAA under the new administration. Project 2025 architect Russell Vought, who now heads Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, has promised, “We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected.” [Media Matters, 5/31/24, 9/27/24, 2/28/25; ProPublica, 10/28/24]  

Starting on February 27, the Trump administration has laid off more than 800 NOAA employees, plus another 500 who resigned if the agency promised to pay them through September. According to The New York Times, “The two rounds of departures together represent about 10 percent of NOAA’s roughly 13,000 employees.” On March 12, NOAA announced in an email to its staffers that the agency would be laying off another 1,029 employees, or roughly 10% of the agency’s remaining workforce. [The New York Times, 2/27/25, 2/28/25]  

The Associated Press: “After this upcoming round of cuts, NOAA will have eliminated about one out of four jobs since President Donald Trump took office in January.” “This is not government efficiency,” said former NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. “It is the first steps toward eradication. There is no way to make these kinds of cuts without removing or strongly compromising mission capabilities.” [The Associated Press, 3/12/25]  

The NWS’ National Hurricane Center has made great strides in tracking dangerous storms, but Trump’s layoffs are threatening that progress. A February preview of a report from the National Hurricane Center concluded that for the first time, the center managed to “explicitly forecast a system that was not yet a tropical cyclone (pre-Helene potential tropical cyclone) to become a 100-kt (115 mph) major hurricane within 72 hours.” However, experts fear that funding cuts and layoffs at NOAA’s Office of Aircraft Operations will impact the ability of the agency’s specialized “Hurricane Hunters” to collect data used for tracking and predicting destructive storms. [National Hurricane Center, 2/24/25; Yale Climate Connections, 3/6/25]

Meteorologists and storm chasers of all political persuasions issue dire warnings that the Project 2025/DOGE-inspired cuts to the NOAA and the NWS threaten public safety and forecast accuracy.

[theaologies]

spinning my chair around and sitting in it backwards: GOOOOOD MORNING CLASS

FIRST AND FOREMOST: this is not a panic post. It’s an informational preparedness post. Don’t panic. Just be prepared for this like you’d be prepared for an earthquake but you know it’s coming and it’s wet.

I’m 30, lived in Central Florida for the first 26 years of my life, and have experienced more hurricanes and tropical storms than you can imagine. Never in my life did I think I would have to discuss HURRICANE SAFETY again after moving to LOS ANGELES from FLORIDA and yet HERE WE ARE-

(This information is accurate as of 8/17 at 9am PST)

SO models are still early but it seems like as of last night, Pacific Hurricane Hilary is rapidly intensified AND has shifted its track pretty severely inland. Originally SoCal was predicted to get some bands off the coast but this does NOT seem to be the case anymore

As our good friend Jim Cantore mentioned above, if Hilary DOES make landfall in SoCal, it will be the first tropical storm to do so since 1939. Fucking yikes.

THE GOOD NEWS:

It isn’t looking like Hilary will make landfall anywhere as a strong hurricane. If it makes landfall in central Baja it looks like it’ll be a Cat 2 which isn’t great but still- better than the Cat 5 it’s currently strengthening to.

As for SoCal, we’re not predicted to get anything over a Tropical Storm. And mountains tear up tropical cyclones like crazy. It’ll (probably) be weak and, wind wise, no worse than the Santa Ana’s

THE BAD NEWS:

Our Cone of Uncertainty is currently pretty wide- this fluctuation matters as it determines which side of the storm hits us. Is this significant? Yes. The right side of a Hurricane is considered the “dirty” side- it’s the side that is most likely to produce severe weather, such as severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. It’s still too early to determine what side will affect us the most but it’s something to keep in mind.

Also, I can’t speak for the rest of SoCal, but I would not bet on the LA infrastructure doing well even with a weak tropical storm. Which is why I have brought you here today, to run down the IMPORTANT HURRICANE CHECKLIST

NOTE: I made this several years ago for FLORIDA so not all of it will be accurate to SoCal. Most of us live in apartments and have no say over tree trimmings and the likes. If the storm is feeling like it’s going to get bad, I would recommend moving important things and electronics away from windows and hanging out in areas of the apartment that have the least amount of windows. I don’t think boarding up windows or anything will be necessary but here’s information if you need/want it

ANOTHER NOTE: if you have the means, please check up on your unhoused neighbors and immediate community groups that do so, as well. As always, they will be the ones most affected by severe weather. Tarps, anything that rises up off the ground, waterproof bags, etc would be good to grab for them. I am not an expert here and would recommend following the lead of your community groups that work with your unhoused neighbors to find out what will be needed most.

I don’t at all think we’ll see any shutdowns so if the rain does get bad be prepared for dangerous driving conditions. I know it’s dangerous to drive any time it rains in LA but, you know. The Weather Channel isn’t predicting a TON of rain at the moment (for LA) but, just like our winter/spring this year, be on the look out for flash floods.

And again, this is all JUST IN CASE. It’s better to be prepared than not. SoCal’s infrastructure is not at all prepared to handle a tropical event so who knows! Anything is possible. If I was in Florida I wouldn’t at all be worrying about this but I’m not anymore and our wet winter absolutely fucked our roads in LA so I’d rather everyone be safe than sorry.

I’m sure it’ll all be fine and now you just have more safety information, which is never bad! Because frankly climate change is very real and I would not be surprised to see this happening more and more in the coming years. And it does have me worrying that El Niño this year is going to be worse than we imagined.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: Weather

Bombogenesis and bomb cyclone - A bombogenesis is “the process that occurs during a 24-hour period when the atmospheric pressure of an extratropical cyclone drops with enough intensity to produce explosive cyclogenesis.” The central barometric pressure drops quickly, producing hurricane-force winds and heavy snow or rainfall—like 77 inches worth of snow in one day. Nor’easters often undergo bombogenesis as cold winds from the north mix with warmer ocean water from the south, creating a big temperature range. These “weather bombs” or bomb cyclones can become blizzards when the conditions are just right. These bombs happen mostly in the fall and winter, but they aren’t unheard of during other times of the year.

Crepuscular ray - A twilight ray of sunlight shining through breaks in high clouds and illuminating dust particles in the air.

Derecho - A widespread and severe windstorm that moves rapidly along a fairly straight path, and it is associated with bands of rapidly moving thunderstorms. In some instances, the media will refer to derechos as "inland hurricanes".

Frazil - “Ice crystals formed in turbulent water, as in swift streams or rough seas.” However, frazil can also form in lakes and oceans; it is the start of sea ice. Frazil usually forms on very clear nights with very low temperatures.

Gloriole - “A halo, nimbus, or aureole.” When ice crystals are suspended in the atmosphere, light catches them causing a bright halo or even a rainbow around the sun or moon. The gloriole forms 22 degrees away from the center of the object, but this phenomenon can often be confused with coronas that form due to water droplets.

Graupel - A type of precipitation that is formed when really cold water droplets collect, freeze, and fall on snowflakes. This creates what is known as a ball of rime, which is “an opaque coating of tiny, white, granular ice particles.”

Haboob - “A thick dust storm or sandstorm that blows in the deserts of North Africa and Arabia or on the plains of India.” Haboob’s dust-storm cousin also hits the United States—just ask anyone who lives in Phoenix. These dust storms usually occur during or as a result of a thunderstorm.

Hunch weather - This term dates back to the 1700s; drizzle or winds that are strong enough to make you hunch over when you walk.

Monkey's wedding - Sunshine and rain at the same time; also known to be called sun showers. However, in South Africa, a “sun shower” is also known as a monkey’s wedding.

Moonbroch - A large halo around the moon; it is a sign of an approaching storm. A broch is an old term for a Scottish circular stone tower.

Petrichor - The distinct scent of rain in the air. More precisely, it’s the name of an oil that’s released from the earth into the air before rain begins to fall.

Polar vortex - A massive whirlpool of cold air that hovers above Earth’s North and South poles. During the warm months, the vortex shrinks toward the poles and generally stays out of our hair, which is nice. During the winter though, the vortex’s boundary—a narrow band of fast air called the polar front jet stream—expands, dipping toward the equator and dumping frigid weather onto any unsuspecting towns (or commuters) in its path.

Sastruga - (Sastrugi in the plural form) means “ridges of snow formed on a snowfield by the action of the wind.”

Smuir - “A thick atmosphere, a dense enveloping cloud or swirl of smoke, snow, rain, or mist.” Alternatively, a blind smuir is merely a snowdrift.

Snow - The partially frozen water vapor which falls in flakes.

Snow eater - When there’s snow everywhere. But, all of a sudden, a nice warm breeze blows over the snow and melts it all away. This usually happens in the Rockies.

Snow flurries - Light, intermittent snowfall without significant accumulation; tend to come from stratiform clouds.

Snow showers - A short period of light-to-moderate snowfall, also characterized by a sudden beginning and ending. There is some accumulation with snow showers, and they fall from convective or cumuliform clouds.

Snow squall - A heavy snow shower with strong winds.

Sugar weather - In Canada, when they have nice warm days but chilly nights, that’s known as sugar weather. That type of weather is just right for getting the maple syrup running in the maple trees.

Swullocking - Hot, sticky, humid weather during the summer; humid weather.

Thundersnow - When snow is the primary form of precipitation in a thunderstorm (instead of rain).

Virga - The virga phenomenon is when you can see that it is raining, but it evaporates on the way to the ground and ends up changing back to water vapor before you can feel it. When it rains and the rain actually makes it to the ground, there’s a meteorological word for that, too: praecipitatio.

Williwaw - A violent squall that blows in near-polar latitudes, as in the Strait of Magellan, Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands.

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: On Weather ⚜ Calm & Stormy ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[wilwheaton]

“This is actually the first time that tropical storm watches have been issued on the West Coast of the United States,” said Elizabeth Adams, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in San Diego. Typically, when a tropical storm makes its way to the southwestern U.S., it has severely dissipated, weakening to a depression or storm remnants, she said. The only tropical cyclone to actually make landfall in Southern California was in 1939.

Hurricane Hilary: SoCal on its first tropical storm warning

But I heard that climate change wasn’t real because one time it was moderately warm in Virginia. And that guy from Oklahoma threw a snowball in the House of Representatives.

Someone needs to tell this storm to turn around because obviously it’s all made up.