Why more frequent cold blasts could be coming from global warming
Frigid air that normally stays trapped in the Arctic has escaped, plunging deep into the United States for an extended visit that is expected to provoke teeth-chattering but not be record-shattering. It’s a cold air outbreak that some experts say is happening more frequently, and paradoxically, because of a warming...
Polar vortex keeps a huge swath of the U.S. in its icy grip
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A huge swath of the U.S. was blasted with ice, snow and wind on Monday as the polar vortex that dipped south over the weekend kept much of the country east of the Rockies in its frigid grip, making many roads treacherous, forcing school closures, and causing...
Snowstorm brings modest totals in most of Western Pa.
The predicted snowstorm that closed schools and caused traffic restrictions Monday failed to live up to the hype in many parts of Western Pennsylvania — at least so far. Officials had expected 2 to 4 inches of snow in the Pittsburgh area and higher accumulations south of Interstate 70. But...
The heaviest snowfall in a decade possible as a wintry blast roils parts of the U.S.
A blast of snow, ice, wind and plunging temperatures stirred up dangerous travel conditions Sunday in parts of the central U.S., as a disruptive winter storm brought the possibility of the “heaviest snowfall in a decade” to some areas. Snow and ice blanketed major roadways in nearly all of Kansas,...
Western Pa. snowstorm will impact Monday morning commute
A snowstorm coming into Western Pennsylvania starting Sunday evening will likely impact the Monday morning commute. Allegheny County will see between 3-6 inches of snow, and Westmoreland County will see between 3-10 inches, according to Andrew Kienzle, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Moon. Pittsburgh is expected to...
Meteorologists: snow to start falling after 10 p.m. Sunday in Pittsburgh, with heaviest snow hitting Monday commute
Some school districts began canceling Monday classes and the Pennsylvania Turnpike began travel restrictions as storm-watchers tried to get ahead of an impending snowstorm. Snow was expected to begin falling in Pittsburgh as early as 10 p.m. Sunday, and the heaviest accumulations could fall during the Monday morning commute, meteorologists...
Double dose of nasty winter is about to smack much of the U.S. with snow, ice and biting cold
A strong snow and ice storm followed by brutally cold conditions will soon smack the eastern two-thirds of the United States as frigid air escapes the Arctic, plunging as far south as Florida, meteorologists forecast. Starting Saturday, millions of people are going to be hit by moderate to heavy snow...
Snowfall impacting morning commutes in Western Pa.
Western Pennsylvanians woke up to a blanket of white this morning. Jeff Verszyla, meteorologist for WTAE, said a round of widespread snow showers will move across the area for the Friday morning commute. Before 5 a.m., a winter weather advisory for Allegheny County was issued by the National Weather Service....
Southerners cleaning up from tornadoes that swept the region
NEW CANEY, Texas — Cleanup was underway Monday after a strong storm system spawned hail, rain, damaging wind and tornadoes across the southern U.S. over the weekend, killing at least four people. As of Monday afternoon, over 30 tornadoes had been confirmed as crews worked through about 50 reports of...
4 killed as storm system that spawned tornadoes moved across southern U.S.
Officials were beginning to assess the damage on Sunday after a strong storm system moved across the southern U.S. over the weekend, spawning tornadoes across the region and killing at least four people. The line of severe weather led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, National...
Tornadoes touch down around Houston, killing 1
HOUSTON — At least one person has died and four more were injured as several tornadoes touched down in the Houston area on Saturday, damaging homes and flipping vehicles. By Saturday afternoon, the storm system was moving east, into Louisiana, where tornado warnings were issued. “These storms are probably going...
Powerful thunderstorms rumble across Texas, delaying holiday travel
DALLAS — Some flights were delayed or canceled on Thursday in Texas after a line of thunderstorms started moving across parts of the state in a system the National Weather Service predicted could bring damaging wind, hail and possible tornadoes. More than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more canceled...
Man dies after large wave traps him under debris on California beach
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A man died Monday after a large wave trapped him beneath debris on a California beach, likely related to the storm pummeling the West Coast that brought high surf and flooding to central California, officials said. First responders were called to Sunset State Beach, a state...
Death toll in French territory of Mayotte from Cyclone Chido is ‘several hundred,’ top official says
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The death toll in the French territory of Mayotte from Cyclone Chido is “several hundred” and may run into the thousands, the island’s top government official told a local broadcaster Sunday. France rushed rescue teams and supplies to its largely poor overseas department in the...
Storms across U.S. bring heavy snow, dangerous ice and a tornado in California
OMAHA, Neb. — A tornado near a mall in central California swept up cars, uprooted trees and sent several people to the hospital. In San Francisco, authorities issued the first-ever tornado warning. Elsewhere, inclement weather plagued areas of the U.S., with dangerous conditions including heavy snow in upstate New York,...
East Coast storm makes a mess at ski resorts as strong winds cause power outages
PORTLAND, Maine — Colder weather began to return Thursday after a storm that swept up the East Coast delivered a blow to New England, packing powerful gusts that knocked out power along with a deluge of rain and warming temperatures that washed away snow and dampened ski resorts. An atmospheric...
22-car crash in Pittsburgh sends 5 to hospital amid icy road conditions
A massive crash involving 22 vehicles occurred at 6:30 a.m. on the Boulevard of the Allies/Forbes Avenue off ramp coming off of Interstate 376, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety officials. Five people were transported to hospitals with minor injuries from the crash in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, officials said. A number...
Atmospheric river brings weather whiplash to East Coast as bomb cyclone develops
PORTLAND, Maine — The U.S. East Coast was beginning a whiplash-inducing stretch of weather on Wednesday that was rainy, windy and potentially dangerous, due in part to an atmospheric river and developing bomb cyclone. Parts of Maine experienced freezing rain that caused vehicles to slide off roads followed by a...
Frigid temperatures in Pittsburgh area return following rainstorm later this week
A warm-up throughout the Pittsburgh area will transition into frigid conditions with a chance of snow later this week. Temperatures on Tuesday will reach highs in the upper 50s, warming up conditions across the region, but don’t expect that to last long. Rain showers are reported to start Tuesday afternoon...
Santa Ana winds return means increased fire risk, possible power shut-offs for Southern California
LOS ANGELES — Southern California’s notorious Santa Ana winds were predicted to return Monday night and utilities said they are prepared to cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers in areas where strong gusts could damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires. The National Weather Service issued a rare “particularly...
7.0 earthquake off Northern California prompts brief tsunami warning
SAN FRANCISCO — A 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook a large area of Northern California on Thursday, knocking items of grocery store shelves, sending children scrambling under desks and prompting a brief tsunami warning for 5.3 million people along the West Coast. The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale,...
Storm brings squalls to the Northeast; 2 dead from heart attacks after shoveling snow
Snow squalls — sudden bursts of heavy snow and gusty wind — created whiteout conditions in parts of the northeast during a storm that brought even more snow to the Great Lakes region Thursday. Two people died from heart attacks after shoveling snow in upstate New York, officials said. The...
Thundersnow marks arrival of cold front in Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvanians got a rare treat overnight — thundersnow — a winter thunderstorm. The rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning while snow was falling startled awake Tom Bell, Greensburg’s fire chief and streets superintendent. “I was like ‘What the hell was that?’” he said. Bell immediately looked at remote...
What is ‘lake-effect snow’? Warm air from large bodies of water is the key ingredient
When towns along the Great Lakes get buried in drifts of blowing snow, like several have over the past few days, weather experts start talking about the “lake effect.” Lake-effect snow often occurs in relatively narrow bands that dump copious amounts of snow. The weather phenomenon can drastically increase snowfall...
Already buried under snow, Great Lakes region expected to see more stormy weather this week
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Snow continued to fall Monday around parts of the Great Lakes region, where storm-weary residents who have plowed and shoveled for days faced the prospect of even greater accumulations. Lake-effect snow fell on parts of western New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio that were already blanketed with...
