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Why future hurricanes could bring flooding to millions more Americans
Hurricanes are bringing more rainfall than ever before, mainly due to climate change. With oceans absorbing an estimated 91% of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions, waters are warming at unprecedented levels. Hotter oceans provide energy that enables hurricanes to rapidly intensify and drop extreme amounts of precipitation.
Traditionally, hurricanes are examined by wind speed. The current hurricane warning system, known as the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, is a 1 to 5 rating that is based upon the maximum sustained wind of a storm. The scale is best used to predict property damage related to wind, but the scale does little to inform the public about potential flooding.
Warmer oceans can help hurricanes rapidly intensify as they approach land, meaning the wind can increase more than 35 mph in a 24-hour period, turning that storm from a Category 1 into something much higher. But hot oceans also feed moisture into the atmosphere, which increases the amount of precipitation that accompanies a storm. Current scientific modeling predicts rainfall rates will increase between 10-15% on average for most storms as the Earth approaches 2 degrees/Celsius of warming.
Already, many hurricanes that have made landfall in the United States in the past 10 years have demonstrated rapid intensification and extreme levels of precipitation that have devastated communities. Hurricanes Harvey, Florence, and Ida produced catastrophic rainfall that caused record-level flooding, mainly inland:
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Hurricane Ida rapidly intensified multiple times before making landfall in 2021 as a Category 4 on the Louisiana coast, but the storm produced historic flooding as far away as New York and New Jersey as it traveled up the East Coast, leading to the drowning deaths of 36 people.
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As climate change transforms today’s hurricanes into stronger and wetter storms, the old Saffir-Simpson scale is less accurate in predicting damage and danger because it only addresses a storm’s wind speed and omits a hurricane’s flood potential. Researchers have developed an “extreme rain multiplier” metric to be included with storm reports, but the National Hurricane Center has not formally incorporated a rainfall metric into its projections. nothing has been formally incorporated by the National Hurricane Center. Looking towards the future, sSuch a warning could provebecome necessary.
A CBS News analysis of data from First Street Foundation, a research group specializing in climate, shows that by 2053, hurricanes could cause flooding damage to more than 19 million properties across the country. The flooding could reach areas not seen in modern history.
However, federal flood insurance would only cover properties in specific flood zones, leaving 75.3% of property owners left to foot the bill. With 39 tropical storms, including hurricanes, causing more than $1.2 trillion in damage across the U.S. in the last 20 years, these storms continue to be the costliest and most damaging type of weather event.
Actor John Ashton, best known for his role as the by-the-book detective in the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise, has died, his publicist Alan Somers confirmed to CBS News on Sunday. He was 79.
Ashton died Thursday in Ft. Collins, Colorado, after a battle with cancer.
“John was a loving husband, brother, father, and grandfather who will be deeply missed by all who knew him,” a statement said.
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Ashton was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on Feb. 22, 1948, and raised in Enfield, Connecticut. He received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern California.
Throughout his 50-year career in show business, Ashton appeared in nearly 100 movies after making his debut in 1973’s “The Psychopath.”
He was probably best known for his role as Det. Sgt. John Taggart in the first two installments of the “Beverly Hills Cop” series alongside Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold. He reprised his role in 2024’s “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.”
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Other film credits include “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “She’s Having a Baby,” “Midnight Run,” “Little Big League” and “Gone Baby Gone.”
On television, he played Willie Joe Garr on several episodes of “Dallas” and made an appearance on such shows like “Columbo,” “Police Squad!” “Hardball” and others.
“John devoted his career to honing his craft and bringing characters to life on the screen. His presence will be greatly missed,” Somers said.
Ashton is survived by his wife Robin Hoye, three children, three step-children and a grandson. He also leaves behind two sisters and a brother.
“John leaves behind a legacy of love, dedication, and service. His memory will forever be treasured by his wife, children, grandchildren, as well as his brother, sisters, his extended family and all who loved him,” Somers said. “John’s impact on the world will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.”
The family requests any donations in Ashton’s memory be made to Pathways Hospice Care
Thousands of listeners were left without access to tunes and podcasts on Sunday after music streaming service Spotify was down temporarily on Sunday.
More than 40,000 people reported outages with the music platform on downdetector.com, a website that allows users to report problems with popular apps and services. Reports started spiking around 10:45 a.m. ET.
In Spotify’s desktop app, some users were greeted with the error message, “Something went wrong,” and attempts to play tracks were unsuccessful. Spotify’s phone app was also unresponsive to some users.
Spotify wrote on X on Sunday afternoon, “We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!”
Responding to the post, Spotify users complained about the outage disrupting workout routines and plans to stream a playlist at a child’s birthday party.
About an hour later, the streaming service posted that everything was looking much better. The app appeared to be working normally.
Millions of people use Spotify, which was the largest streaming service in 2023. The music platform reports having more than 626 million users, with 246 million subscribers.
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Primanti Brothers denies claim Sen. JD Vance was “banned” from entering, Vance encourages support of small business
NORTH VERSAILLES (KDKA) – Primanti Brothers is setting the record straight on claims that Republican vice-presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance was “banned” from making a political stop at their North Versailles restaurant Saturday.
The restaurant says it all comes down to momentary confusion for members of their staff, adding they were given no advance notice Vance would be coming.
Washington County GOP chair Sean Logue was one of what he said was about 100 Trump supporters inside the restaurant who had been tipped off that Vance would make a stop there. They arrived an hour early.
“The manager told patrons, other Republicans, that Vance is not allowed to make a campaign stop at Primanti Brothers,” Logue said. “And then when there was pushback to say, ‘Wait a second, Kamala Harris just did this a month ago,’ the response was, ‘Well, if he wants to sit down and order food, we can’t stop him.”
When Vance did arrive ahead of an event in Monroeville, Logue said that the restaurant’s manager ran out to tell him that he was not allowed in the restaurant, that he couldn’t have a campaign stop there, and that if he did go inside – they’d call the police and file trespassing charges.
“I think it’s absolutely insane,” Logue said.
Vance stayed out of the restaurant while one of his staffers tried to negotiate with the Primanti’s manager, who Logue says then called their corporate office.
Many of the Trump supporters walked out of the restaurant, where Vance was taking pictures.
In a statement to KDKA-TV, a Primanti’s spokesperson says Vance and his team were then welcomed into the restaurant where they were able to talk with different guests.
“Primanti’s prides itself on being a staple of the Pittsburgh community and a proud American business that has hosted sitting presidents, politicians, and political candidates from across the spectrum for over 90 years. Our doors are open to all patrons who wish to dine with us. Without any advance notice, today’s campaign stop caused some momentary confusion for our staff. However, Senator Vance and his team were welcomed into our restaurant shortly after and engaged with our guests inside and on the property. Senator Vance’s supportive comments that our manager got a little nervous given the secret service, police and crowd accurately reflect the nature of what occurred, but we are glad that it was resolved quickly.”
“Number one, he was not welcomed,” Logue said. “JD Vance, on his own accord, risking a trespassing charge, walked into Primanti’s, paid the bill for all of us, and walked out two minutes later.”
Logue posted a video to Washington County GOP’s Facebook page which shows Vance walking back inside the restaurant. He briefly addressed supporters when he exited the restaurant and returned to an SUV.
“Look I think what happened is she [the manager] just freaked out a little bit because there were a lot of people and she didn’t want to make her restaurant part of a campaign stop,” Vance said, in a video Logue shared. “It’s alright, don’t hold it against her, she just got a little nervous, it’s a great local business, let’s keep supporting it.”
Primanti’s addressed those comments in their statement.
We asked Logue about the positive nature of Vance’s comments.
“Vance is a true gentleman, and he was being very nice and very gracious, and he was being magnanimous, and he didn’t want to cause any other problems,” Logue said. “I’m being honest with you. I’m telling you that the way Primanti Brothers treated me and the other Republicans is absolutely unacceptable, and nowhere in their statement is an apology, where’s my apology Primanti Brothers.” Logue said Primanti’s has been trying to call him but he won’t take their calls.
In their statement, the Primanti’s spokesperson said their doors are open to anyone who wants to eat there.
KDKA reached out to a member of the Trump/Vance team for comment and are awaiting a response.
John Ashton, “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise actor, dies at 76
Spotify temporarily goes down as thousands of users report outage
Primanti Brothers denies claim Sen. JD Vance was “banned” from entering, Vance encourages support of small business
John Ashton, “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise actor, dies at 76
Spotify temporarily goes down as thousands of users report outage