Weather

The Many Ways Lightning Can Kill You

When a 32-year-old man was struck and killed by lightning while visiting Sunken Meadow State Park in Long Island, New York this August, he became the first lightning fatality recorded in the state since 2016. And he was only the 16th lightning death reported in the entire U.S. this year. As late as the 1940s,…

Human History Ed Cara Oct 26

The House That Survived Hurricane Michael Reminds Us What Climate Change Will Cost

In the sea of destruction that is Mexico Beach, the Sand Palace stands out like an oasis. Hurricane Michael’s wind and waves pitched lesser domiciles off their moorings, tore roofs away, or simply obliterated them. But as numerous news outlets have observed, the stately white house at the end of 36th St. withstood the storm…

Climate Change Brian Kahn Oct 17

Bacteria Floating 30,000 Feet Overhead Could Be Influencing the Weather

We humans tend to pride ourselves on our ability to adapt, but bacteria have been beating us at this game for billions of years. Our microbial brethren have carved out a niche in some of Earth’s most hostile environments, from deep sea vents to Antarctic lakes. Some hardy bugs can even survive in an upper…

Earth Science Starre Vartan Oct 5

That Viral Shredded Hurricane Florence Flag Sold For $10,900 on eBay, and I Wish My Battered Spirits Were Worth as Much

Last month, millions of people watched the American flag that flew at the Frying Pan Tower lighthouse about 39 miles off the North Carolina coast, as a livestream showed the flag being pummeled by the 100-mph winds of Hurricane Florence. Now, that symbol of dreams and natural nightmares will live on for a good cause.…

Earth Science Jennings Brown Oct 3

Climate Change Worsened 2017’s Hurricane Season From Hell, Study Finds

We’re still living with the impacts of the 2017 hurricane season from Puerto Ricans living in hotels to the president saying grotesque stuff. It was the most costly season in history as Harvey, Irma, and Maria each caused tens to hundreds of billions in damage in the U.S. There’s been a lot of ink spilled…

Climate Change Brian Kahn Sep 27

South Carolina Coast Braces For Worst Flooding Yet More Than a Week After Florence

Potentially record-breaking flood waters are set to inundate areas that didn’t see much flooding last week.

Earth Science Yessenia Funes Sep 24

Officials Warn Those in Path of Hurricane Florence It’s Their Last Chance to Evacuate

Authorities are warning coastal residents in the path of Hurricane Florence to evacuate now or be at the mercy of the Category 3 storm, which is expected to slow upon hitting the coast of the Carolinas on Thursday and ravage the region with storm surge, rainfall, and flooding. According to CNN, North Carolina Governor Roy…

Earth Science Tom McKay Sep 12

Oh My God Look at the Atlantic Ocean Right Now

Hurricane Florence is the biggest threat in the Atlantic right now, but it’s hardly the only storm. The tropics have gone wild, with three hurricanes spinning at the same time, as you can see for yourself in satellite imagery captured as the sun rose on the Atlantic Monday morning. In addition to rapidly-strengthening Florence (which…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Sep 10

Florence Is a Hurricane Again, Projected to Hit East Coast at Near Category 4 Strength

Hurricane Florence, which was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm last week, was re-upgraded to hurricane status on Sunday and looks like it is destined to barrel straight at the U.S.’ East Coast. According to CNN, odds are good that it will have strengthened to Category 4 status—meaning sustained winds in the range of 130-156…

Earth Science Tom McKay Sep 9

Bizarre Tropical Storm Florence Could Become a Hurricane and Strike the East Coast

It’s been a year of unique weather to say the least. The latest potentially bizarre weather happening to add to the list? Florence, the first major hurricane of the season, could follow a highly unusual route from the center of the Atlantic into the heart of the Eastern Seaboard thanks to a weird atmospheric setup.…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Sep 7

We Just Sweated Through the Hottest Summer Nights on Record

The three-month span from June to August is always the worst season. It’s a season of armpit sweat; a time of searching for shade or air conditioning. And if it felt like this summer sucked even more than usual, you’re not imagining it. The summer of 2018’s hellacious heat set a new record. U.S. summer nights…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Sep 6

Hurricane Florence Is the Atlantic’s First Major Hurricane

The Atlantic hurricane season has suddenly found its legs. Following some summer doldrums, a number of factors have come together to fuel a run of tropical weather. That includes Hurricane Florence, which just became the first major hurricane of the season. The storm reached Category 3 status—the threshold for major hurricanes—on Wednesday morning. The storm…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Sep 5

Why the Atlantic Hurricane Season Is Suddenly Heating Up

After two mercifully quiet months, the Atlantic hurricane season has suddenly roared to life. There are currently two storms spinning in the Atlantic basin with a potential third on the horizon. While it’s not like 2017’s record-setting run of storms, the sudden spate of unwelcome activity is the result of similar climate conditions. And those…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Sep 4

Feud Week, Dungeons & Dragons, Shooting Bigfoot, and IFA 2018: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week

Here at Gizmodo, we’ve just wrapped up Feud Week: A series on personality and business clashes in the tech world, scientific disputes, and whether or not to shoot Bigfoot. (I say let the big guy do his thing, unless it turns out it’s kidnapping people with mind-waves to make more Bigfoots.) Some have said that…

Tech News Tom McKay Sep 2

How a Battle to Build the Best Weather Model Impacts Everyone on Earth

Hurricane Sandy was one of the most destructive storms in U.S. history. But beyond the catastrophic losses of life and property, the storm also dealt a blow to the American weather modeling community. The American weather model whiffed on the initial forecast, but its European counterpart was dead on. Nearly six years later and the…

Earther Brian Kahn Aug 30

American Wildfire Forces Canadian National Park to Shut Down

Canada and the U.S. share a lot of things, chief among them a border. To commemorate said border, there’s a peace park that ceremonially joins Glacier National Park in the U.S. and Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. But our peaceful relations have been riled up by the hellacious wildfire season. On Thursday, the Boundary…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Aug 24

Earth Is Throwing a Rave in NASA’s Latest Wild Visualization

If there is a lesson of 2018, it is that we live in hell. This is canon. But leave it to NASA to make hell look pretty spectacular and maybe even a place I want to live. We’ve seen record wildfires, powerful hurricanes, and massive dust plumes rip across our fair planet this summer. And…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Aug 24

Why Hurricane Lane Poses a Major Threat to Hawaii

Hurricane Lane continues to bear down on Hawaii, posing a catastrophic threat to residents and tourists alike. The storm could bring hurricane force winds to the Aloha State for the first time in 26 years, along with pounding surf and torrential rain. Hawaii has only seen three hurricanes reach its shores in the historical record.…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Aug 23

Hurricane Lane Could Make a Rare Landfall in Hawaii

In a year of supremely weird weather, we may be in for yet another very odd event: a landfalling Hawaiian hurricane. Hurricane Lane is currently the strongest storm on the planet with winds of 150 mph, making it a very potent Category 4 storm according to the latest National Hurricane Center advisory. Hurricane Hunter aircraft…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Aug 21

Typhoon Headed for South Korea Has Freakishly Huge Eye

After a period of quiet, the tropics have again come alive. Multiple tropical cyclones are roaring across the Pacific, but the most freaky looking is easily Typhoon Soulik, currently a weak Category 4-equivalent storm that’s on a path toward South Korea. I mean, just look at that thing. The eye on Soulik is an estimated 57 miles…

Earth Science Brian Kahn Aug 21

The Many Ways Lightning Can Kill You

The House That Survived Hurricane Michael Reminds Us What Climate Change Will Cost

Bacteria Floating 30,000 Feet Overhead Could Be Influencing the Weather

That Viral Shredded Hurricane Florence Flag Sold For $10,900 on eBay, and I Wish My Battered Spirits Were Worth as Much

Climate Change Worsened 2017’s Hurricane Season From Hell, Study Finds

South Carolina Coast Braces For Worst Flooding Yet More Than a Week After Florence

Officials Warn Those in Path of Hurricane Florence It’s Their Last Chance to Evacuate

Oh My God Look at the Atlantic Ocean Right Now

Florence Is a Hurricane Again, Projected to Hit East Coast at Near Category 4 Strength

Bizarre Tropical Storm Florence Could Become a Hurricane and Strike the East Coast

We Just Sweated Through the Hottest Summer Nights on Record

Hurricane Florence Is the Atlantic’s First Major Hurricane

Why the Atlantic Hurricane Season Is Suddenly Heating Up

Feud Week, Dungeons & Dragons, Shooting Bigfoot, and IFA 2018: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week

How a Battle to Build the Best Weather Model Impacts Everyone on Earth

American Wildfire Forces Canadian National Park to Shut Down

Earth Is Throwing a Rave in NASA’s Latest Wild Visualization

Why Hurricane Lane Poses a Major Threat to Hawaii

Hurricane Lane Could Make a Rare Landfall in Hawaii

Typhoon Headed for South Korea Has Freakishly Huge Eye

‘Marvel Rivals’ Wants to Start Being More Than Just a Hero Shooter

‘How Do We Make Sure That Claude Behaves Itself?’: Anthropic Invited 15 Christians for a Summit

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