Weather experts: Lack of planning caused cold catastrophe
(National Weather Service via AP)This week’s killer freeze in the U.S. was no surprise. AdThe event shows how unprepared the nation and its infrastructure are for extreme weather events that will become bigger problems with climate change, meteorologists and disaster experts said. He said the meteorological signal from the Arctic, where the cold air was escaping from, “was literally blinking red. University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Jason Furtado tweeted about “off the chart” cold on Feb. 5. “We come up with all kinds of rationale for ‘we’re going to be OK.'"__This story corrects the spelling of the name of a Texas A&M University meteorology professor.
2 months after hurricanes, Louisiana residents still hurting
– As southwest Louisiana recovers from the back-to-back hurricanes that hammered the region this year, signs of progress compete with lingering evidence of mass destruction. Hurricane Laura roared ashore in southwestern Louisiana on Aug. 27 as a Category 4 storm just south of Lake Charles. According to Louisiana government figures, nearly 47,000 homes were damaged by Hurricane Laura, with about 16,000 of those in need of major repairs. The bulk of those homes are in Calcasieu Parish, home to the state's fifth-largest city, Lake Charles, with 80,000 residents. A Facebook group set up after Hurricane Laura has become a lifeline for struggling residents.
DaBaby, Roddy Ricch to help BET celebrate awards virtually
The three-hour show will be jam-packed with heavy hitters currently dominating the pop charts and streaming services, including DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Summer Walker, Kane Brown and Chloe x Halle. The three-hour show will be jam-packed with heavy hitters currently dominating the pop charts and streaming services, including DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Summer Walker, Kane Brown and Chloe x Halle. Comedian, actress and TV personality Amanda Seales will host the 2020 BET Awards, which will air on CBS for the first time. Drake is the leading nominee: Hes up for six honors, including video of the year and best male hip-hop artist. Ricch and Megan Thee Stallion follow Drake with five nominations each.
Many states scrambling to update hurricane plans for virus
The Associated Press surveyed more than 70 counties and states from Texas to Virginia, with more than 60% of coastal counties saying as of late May that they're still solidifying plans for public hurricane shelters. Everything that we do will be affected in one way or another, big and/or small, by COVID-19, Florida Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said. Our biggest change to our hurricane plan is sheltering. During tornadoes in April, the state used hotels as shelters, which was good practice for hurricane season, he said. By August and September, typically the height of Louisiana's hurricane season, the number of infections and social distancing requirements may have changed, he said.