FOX Weather has you covered with the breaking forecasts and weather news headlines for your Weather in America on Thursday, January 30, 2025. Get the latest from FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin.
Welcome to the Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather. It’s Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. Start your day with everything you need to know about today’s weather. You can also get a quick briefing of national, regional and local weather whenever you like with the FOX Weather Update podcast.
Dallas faces slow morning commute as flooding rain, severe thunderstorms barrel across South
More than 4 million people in cities like Dallas, Arlington and Plano have been included in a Flash Flood Warning until at least 8 a.m. CT, and additional Flash Flood Warnings were issued to the south of Dallas.
A video shared from the Dallas-Fort Worth area shows vehicle driving over a flooded roadway as torrential rain and thunderstorms moved over the region on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.
The state’s governor said a shelter had been opened at a local church, but it remained unclear how many people were in the evacuation notice since many homes were destroyed in the region more than four months ago.
Photo of the Crooked Creek Fire burning on Jan. 29, 2025.
(Sarah Jane Gilliam)
Major low to blast Hawaii with heavy rain, flooding and damaging winds
The National Weather Service office in Honolulu has issued a Flood Watch for all islands from Wednesday through Friday afternoon as rain rates of 2-3 inches per hour are expected for some areas.
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Today, severe storms are threatening 17 million people across 10 states in the South with the possibility of dangerous floods. With heavy rain and strong winds expected to hit the region, residents are being urged to take precautions and stay informed about the weather conditions.
The storms are forecasted to bring significant rainfall to areas already saturated from recent weather events, increasing the risk of flash flooding and river flooding. The states at highest risk include Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
Residents in these areas are advised to stay updated on weather alerts and warnings, avoid driving through flooded roads, and have an emergency plan in place in case of evacuation. Local officials are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond to any emergencies that may arise.
As the storms continue to move through the region, it is crucial for residents to stay vigilant and prioritize their safety. By taking necessary precautions and staying informed, we can work together to weather this storm and protect our communities. Stay safe, everyone.
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Within his first 48 hours back in office, Trump has signed several executive orders that threaten the healthcare of millions of Americans.
Amid a flurry of executive orders, some of which were signed live on TV on inauguration night, the US president issued several orders that repeal Biden-era directives that had expanded healthcare access and options for lower-income and middle-class Americans.
Those orders are expected to affect the medical insurance coverage for upwards of 20 million people in the US.
“The previous administration has embedded deeply unpopular, inflationary, illegal, and radical practices within every agency and office of the Federal Government,” Trump said in the official statement, which referenced several health-related orders.The statement goes on to accuse diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies of having “corrupted” institutions for Americans.
Those people whose coverage is now deemed at risk are the roughly 24 million Americans who have purchased their health insurance via the Affordable Care Act this year. The ACA, also known as Obamacare, helped to expand Medicaid benefits and provides affordable health insurance to millions of people.
Trump’s actions this week will affect all aspects of the ACA, including eligibility requirements, federal subsidies and enrollment deadlines, which determine when Americans can apply for insurance, without repealing the act, which would take action from the US Congress. But the actions are expected to create more barriers and result in healthcare coverage becoming even less accessible.
In a one-page document published by Politico, Trump outlines options for spending cuts. These plans include measures that would reduce the amount of money states have to fund Medicaid and limiting health program eligibility depending on citizenship status. Every option listed involves cutting funding for and access to healthcare coverage.
Some of the Biden-era orders Trump has already repealed include executive order 14009, or the Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, which broadened access for Americans and their families, allowing more parents with young children to be eligible for more extensive coverage. Some estimates suggest that this repeal alone could result in a nearly 25% loss of ACA coverage.
Additionally, Trump repealed executive orders aimed at reducing the cost of prescription drugs for people on the government health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid that chiefly serve older and lower-income Americans.
The Biden administration also previously introduced the American Rescue Plan Act, a subsidy program that lowered the cost of health insurance premiums. This broadened the eligibility requirements, extending them to many more people in the US middle class.
But this program is set to expire at the end of this year. The White House website has been purged of any mention of the plan, and Trump has already repealed EO 14070, which highlighted the positive impacts of the ARP Act on access to coverage, including the enhanced marketplace subsidies that lowered premium costs.
Executive order 14070 also provided options for states to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage.
A weakened ACA has consequences that reach further than just those Americans who lose their coverage. A lack of federally funded healthcare options means privatized insurers are given more power to control the healthcare industry, making the remaining healthcare insurance options likely to increase in cost.
“The consequences of more people going uninsured are really significant, not just at an individual level with more medical debt and less healthy outcomes, but also has ripple effects for providers,” Sabrina Corlette, a research professor and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University, said.
Commercial insurance has proved difficult to navigate for millions, as people with insurance have been almost as likely to experience medical debt as those who are uninsured. In fact, people with health insurance may now represent the majority of debtors American hospitals struggle to collect from, according to medical billing analysts.
“Premiums go up for the people who do have health insurance. For the people without health insurance, it’s financially devastating,” Corlette said. “The result is medical debt, garnished wages and liens on people’s homes because they can’t pay off their bills.”
The Trump administration has recently issued a series of executive orders that could potentially threaten the healthcare of millions of Americans. These orders, which aim to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and cut funding for Medicaid, could have devastating effects on individuals and families who rely on these programs for their healthcare needs.
The ACA, also known as Obamacare, has provided coverage for millions of Americans who were previously uninsured. By repealing or weakening the ACA, the Trump administration is putting the healthcare of these individuals at risk. In addition, the proposed cuts to Medicaid could leave millions of low-income individuals without access to essential healthcare services.
The Trump administration’s actions to undermine the ACA and Medicaid are not only irresponsible but also cruel. It is essential that we fight back against these harmful policies and stand up for the healthcare rights of all Americans. We must hold our elected officials accountable and demand that they protect and expand access to affordable healthcare for all. Our health and well-being depend on it.
In the public debate over Medicaid expansion in Kansas, a critical fact often gets lost: Large numbers of residents already depend on the program.
What’s more, despite racist stereotypes, those benefiting from the program live mostly in rural areas.
A new report from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families sketches the present system and makes clear the threat of potential Medicaid cuts from Congress. A menu of potential spending reductions from U.S. House Budget Committee chair Rep. Jodey Arrington slashes $2.3 trillion — yes, that’s with a “t” — from the program covering low-income Americans, Politico reported.
“Medicaid is really the backbone of so many aspects of our health care system, from birth to long-term care, and many stops in between,” said Joan Alker, executive director and cofounder of the center. According to surveys, “this is literally the last thing voters want — voters of all political parties.”
As lawmakers in Washington, D.C., prepare a massive tax cut and spending bill, it seemed worthwhile to learn about what Medicaid means to rural areas. It also seemed worthwhile to learn about what it means for Kansas. Again: The program already covers Kansans of all ages. Alker and Benjamin Anderson, the president and chief executive officer of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, joined me on the Kansas Reflector podcast to sort through the issues.
Anderson told me the program is absolutely vital.
“A disproportionate share of seniors, of moms and and children in our area receive health care through Medicaid, and some of them represent the working poor,” he said. “We are a state that has not expanded Medicaid, but children in in Kansas, it is a significant source of access for them. And so, when parents have a sick kid who can’t access health care, those parents can’t work, and when they can’t work, then we see economic impacts for that as well. It’s an essential partner, specifically around maternal child health, and then also with caring for seniors.’ ”
The report, based on information from the Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey, stresses several key findings to bolster that perspective:
Of kids in small towns and rural communities, almost 41% receive coverage through Medicaid. In metro areas, 38% do.
Of adults under age 65 in small towns and rural communities, about 18% receive coverage through Medicaid. In metro areas, the figure is 16%.
In areas with large numbers of tribal residents (American Indian or Alaska Native), those of all ages are likelier to be covered by the program.
In Kansas, 32.3% of kids in rural areas are covered by Medicaid or CHIP, compared to 28.7% of metro-area kids. Also, 11.9% of seniors in rural areas are covered by Medicaid, while 11.3% of seniors in metro areas are covered.
“From birth to seniors, Medicaid is a vital source of health insurance to our residents, covering more Kansans in rural communities,” said April Holman, executive director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, on the report. “Additionally, this report makes clear that Medicaid is an important stable revenue source for hospitals and providers in rural Kansas, ensuring that we can access health care when and where we need it.”
Anderson spoke about his experience at Kearny County Hospital in Lakin. More than half of the births at the hospital were covered by Medicaid. Without that safety net, mothers wouldn’t have had access to prenatal care. Without prenatal care? Untold numbers of mothers and babies would suffer.
The effects on the elderly are similarly far reaching.
“They essentially deplete their resources before the end of their life,” Anderson said. “And these are people that diligently save, but people are living longer than they have, and just circumstances come up where that’s happened. And Medicaid is the backstop for skilled nursing. When we start compromising that infrastructure, and they can’t get into skilled nursing, they end up in our emergency department. There is well-documented evidence that among those vulnerable populations, over 50% of the health care spent in that person’s life is in their last six months. If we think we’re going to save by cutting this, we have a rude awakening coming.”
Taking a broader view, that means that Medicaid cuts have a negative multiplier effect, Alker said. If the federal government carves trillions out of the program, states will be forced to fill the gap. No one wants to see old people or children dying in the streets. But that means other services will suffer.
“This is going to impact education. It’s going to impact transportation, roads, law enforcement, everything in the state’s budget, because states will be left holding the bag,” she told me. “And it’s an absolutely untenable situation. They simply can’t manage their way out of this.”
Anderson characterized himself as a right-of-center conservative concerned about the deficit. But given his knowledge of the health care sector, he said, these types of cuts simply won’t have their intended effect.
“We’re only going to send people into the (emergency department) and spend more federal money in Medicare to offset it,” he said.
“There are ways to incentivize work,” he added. “There are ways to incentivize healthy families. This ain’t it, to use a west Kansas phrase.”
My discussion with Alker and Anderson proves a point that I’ve made repeatedly. Officials in Kansas and Washington, D.C., have to find ways to separate partisanship from policy. While Medicaid might not be perfect — we chatted about various reforms that could strengthen the program — it serves an invaluable role in the same rural communities that voted for the new president.
We all have a duty to care for those in need during their darkest hours. That duty transcends creed or party. It goes to the very core of what makes us human.
Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Rural Kansans depend on Medicaid at beginning and end of life. D.C. proposals threaten program. • Kansas Reflector
The Medicaid program plays a crucial role in providing healthcare coverage for rural Kansans, particularly during the most vulnerable times in their lives. From prenatal care to end-of-life services, Medicaid ensures that individuals in rural communities have access to the necessary medical support they need.
However, recent proposals in Washington D.C. threaten to dismantle the Medicaid program, putting the health and well-being of rural Kansans at risk. As policymakers debate the future of Medicaid, it is essential to consider the impact on those who rely on this program for essential healthcare services.
Rural Kansans deserve access to quality healthcare, regardless of their income or zip code. Medicaid is a lifeline for many in these communities, and any cuts or changes to the program could have devastating consequences. It is imperative that we advocate for the protection and expansion of Medicaid to ensure that all Kansans, especially those in rural areas, have access to the care they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives.
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — On a face-numbingly frigid afternoon last week, Gov. Kristi Noem used a farewell address to South Dakotans to warn of an “invasion” far away from the state’s windswept prairies and freedom-loving farmers.
The “illegal aliens” and “got-aways” crossing the southern border, the governor said, pose an existential threat to the U.S. economy and national security, spreading cartel violence and deadly drugs.
“We see the consequences of Washington’s inaction here,” said Noem, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, a job that would put her at the forefront of the administration’s promised immigration crackdown. “Even known terrorists have crossed the border amongst the illegals – and they could be anywhere.”
But Noem’s heated rhetoric belies a stark reality: With unemployment at 1.9% — the lowest in the country — her state faces an acute labor shortage and has grown increasingly dependent on the same migrants she may be tasked with deporting.
It’s those migrants, many in the U.S. illegally, who provide the low-paid labor powering the booming slaughterhouses, dairy farms and construction sites in South Dakota. And any immigration actions spearheaded by Noem, who is expected to be confirmed by the Senate in coming days, could have crippling consequences for businesses in her own backyard.
That disconnect reflects a broader clash with fellow Republicans here who say she’s put her own ambition for higher office ahead of local needs.
The tension is most apparent in her embrace of Trump’s hardline stance on immigration. Whether it’s expressing support for a “Muslim ban” during Trump’s first administration, or dispatching South Dakota’s national guard to the southern border “war zone” more than 1,000 miles away, Noem has left little doubt she will follow Trump’s orders.
And that is what is terrifying migrants, business owners and advocates alike.
“If strict enforcement comes into play, we’re going to drown in our own red meat,” said Ray Epp, a hog farmer and former Yankton County commissioner, who noted the unparalleled work ethic — and growing presence — of migrant laborers in the state’s pork industry. “There’d be a crash.”
Nitza Rubenstein, a community activist who works closely with migrants, was even more blunt: “Who’s going to milk the cows? If the Latinos don’t, nobody will.”
Nitza Rubenstein, owner of Julia’s Tienda Latina, a grocery store selling products from Latin America poses for a photo in Flandreau, S.D., Jan. 16, 2025. Rubenstein, who came to the U.S. from Honduras decades ago, is a community activist who assists younger generations of migrants, many in the U.S. illegally, who have flocked to this rural state seeking a brighter future. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
Nitza Rubenstein, owner of Julia’s Tienda Latina, a grocery store selling products from Latin America poses for a photo in Flandreau, S.D., Jan. 16, 2025. Rubenstein, who came to the U.S. from Honduras decades ago, is a community activist who assists younger generations of migrants, many in the U.S. illegally, who have flocked to this rural state seeking a brighter future. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
Freedom fighter brand of politics
In Noem’s telling, her father’s death in a farming accident in 1994 produced a political awakening that would come to define her small government, freedom fighter brand of politics.
Pregnant at the time, she dropped out of college to take the reins of the family business — soon feuding with bureaucrats over what she called a “death tax” that nearly bankrupted the ranch.
“Overseeing all the operations was eye-opening,” she wrote in “No Going Back,” an autobiography that drew scorn last year for describing how she killed a rambunctious puppy. “The government had its hand in everything we did.”
Twelve years later, at the urging of Tom Daschle, then the top Democrat in the U.S. Senate, Noem ran for the state Legislature — as a Republican. An unbeaten string of eight electoral victories followed on her way to Congress and then the top office in the Mount Rushmore State.
The South Dakota State Capitol building in Pierre, S.D., Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Gov. Kristi Noem, President Donald Trump’s pick to be Homeland Security Secretary, used a farewell address to South Dakotans to warn of an “invasion” at the southern border far away from the state’s windswept prairies and freedom-loving farmers. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
The South Dakota State Capitol building in Pierre, S.D., Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Gov. Kristi Noem, President Donald Trump’s pick to be Homeland Security Secretary, used a farewell address to South Dakotans to warn of an “invasion” at the southern border far away from the state’s windswept prairies and freedom-loving farmers. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
Noem won those races thanks to a homespun and hard-knuckled approach to politics. As if to emphasize her reputation for bashing opponents, she ended her State of the State address last week handing her longtime lieutenant governor a signed baseball bat.
“This used to be an old men’s club,” said Jim Smith, the Capitol’s longtime sergeant at arms, who remembers when lawmakers kept whisky bottles on their desk and filled the chambers with cigar smoke. “You need sharp elbows to survive.”
Wooing Trump
She catapulted to national prominence in 2020 as South Dakota rejected COVID-19 restrictions and remained open for business during the pandemic. That year she also wooed Trump to Mount Rushmore for a Fourth of July fireworks display over the objection of federal bureaucrats concerned about potential wildfires.
As her national profile has risen, South Dakota’s first female governor feuded repeatedly with state Republican lawmakers who said they believe she has been more focused on auditioning for Trump than on the state’s needs. Those fights range from her use of a government plane to attend out-of-state political events, state funding for a shooting range the Legislature previously rejected and a pipeline project she backed over the objections of landowners.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump reacts with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem after dancing to the song “Y.M.C.A.” at a campaign town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center & Fairgrounds, Oct. 14, 2024, in Oaks, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump reacts with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem after dancing to the song “Y.M.C.A.” at a campaign town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center & Fairgrounds, Oct. 14, 2024, in Oaks, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
“Valuable time has been wasted on one person’s political aspirations while life-changing issues have gone on the back burner,” said Steven Haugaard, a former speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives who challenged Noem in 2022 for the Republican nomination for governor, garnering 24% of the vote.
As her political ambition outgrew the newly fenced-in governor’s residence in Pierre, Noem increasingly has turned her attention to immigration, though her record was not always as harsh as her rhetoric.
In 2019, for example, Noem rejected an offer by the first Trump administration to stop South Dakota’s cooperation with a U.S. State Department program to resettle refugees. It’s not clear how she feels about that program now. In her address last week, she criticized programs that have allowed “many thousands who caught a free plane ride over our borders courtesy of the federal government.”
At her Senate confirmation hearing last week, Democrats questioned Noem’s qualifications for the job. As DHS secretary, she’ll be charged with managing the third-largest federal agency, with 240,000 employees and a budget of $108 billion — more than 15 times the spending of South Dakota, with just 13,000 workers.
The sprawling department is not only responsible for running immigration and border policy but oversees agencies investigating terrorism and cybersecurity threats as well as the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Secret Service.
When asked how she would protect rural states from work shortages while carrying out Trump’s deportation plans, she offered few details other than to say she’ll focus initially on what she claimed were 425,000 migrants with criminal convictions.
The number of migrants encountered trying to enter the U.S. skyrocketed under President Joe Biden, peaking in December 2023, when officials reported 301,000 encounters at the border. But they’ve since ebbed to less than a third that amount.
Noem, 53, didn’t respond to repeated interview requests but has left little doubt on how she will run DHS.
“We will ensure that our borders are secure,” she told the committee, “and we’re addressing all threats that may come in from any direction.”
Migrants, business owners are anxious about crackdown
Among those bracing for the crackdown is a young Guatemalan couple living without legal status in a prairie hamlet about an hour from Noem’s homestead.
Yoni and Petrona fell in love in South Dakota after each handed over their life’s savings to human smugglers, known as coyotes, to guide them across the U.S. border during the pandemic.
Like many migrants interviewed by the AP, the two lack health insurance, a driver’s license and can’t open a bank account. But that hasn’t stopped them from finding work.
Within two weeks of arriving, Yoni, just 15 at the time, landed a job at the local egg farm for $12 an hour with a fake green card he bought for $150. He now earns double that in construction and says he’s able to wire more remittances to family in Guatemala than friends who settled in California because rent in his state is cheap.
The couple’s dream is to gain legal status — or save enough to return home and provide their 18-month-old daughter, who was born in the U.S., a better upbringing than the one they had. The Associated Press agreed not to disclose the couple’s last names because they are afraid of being arrested and deported.
“Things are a little bit better here,” Yoni said in Spanish on a rare day off because his employer suspended work due to the extreme cold. “At least I know that if I work hard here I’ll get paid.”
The couple, who spoke to the AP days before Trump was sworn in, live in fear that Noem will follow through on the threats and one day separate them from their daughter.
“I’ve heard that they’re only going to deport the mothers and the kids will stay here,” said Petrona. “Imagine that.”
But those fears, stoked by Trump and Noem, don’t match the warm welcome migrants described in nearby Huron, where on a recent evening a red wolf moon flooded the desolate plains surrounding the town’s turkey plant.
A co-op of ethnic German Hutterite farmers, who arrived in the 19th century, own the Dakota Provisions plant. But migrants from Venezuela, Thailand and other countries, earning around $14 per hour, perform the dangerous, back-breaking work.
Huron, population 14,000, flourished with the arrival of the railroad in the 1880s, attracting migrants from all over Europe. But when the rail depot fell into disuse in the 1960s, the city began a long decline: a college closed, businesses shuttered and families uprooted.
Migrants are now fueling something of a rural renaissance.
The first contingent arrived some 20 years ago from Mexico and Central America. The latest are refugees fleeing ethnic violence in Myanmar. At the Beadle County courthouse, translation services are now offered in seven languages: Arabic, French, Karen, Nepali, Russian, Spanish and Swahili. A beef processing plant that is about to break ground is expected to attract even more foreign workers.
All the while, the town’s high school soccer team has become competitive. A half-dozen Latin bodegas sell exotic foods. And once-abandoned parks are brimming with families.
“It’s not an invasion — it’s an invitation,” said Todd Manolis, owner of Manolis Grocery on Main Street. “There were lots of growing pains at first. But without a doubt they saved us.”
Todd Manolis poses for a photo at Manolis Grocery, in Huron, S.D., Jan. 15, 2025. Residents of Huron have embraced the arrival of so many migrants to South Dakota, crediting them with saving a town that had been on the decline for decades. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
Todd Manolis poses for a photo at Manolis Grocery, in Huron, S.D., Jan. 15, 2025. Residents of Huron have embraced the arrival of so many migrants to South Dakota, crediting them with saving a town that had been on the decline for decades. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
On a recent afternoon, as Manolis waited on customers who chewed the fat and bought goods on store credit, the owner pointed to the store’s license hanging from a wall. It showed the business had been started a century ago — by Manolis’ grandfather, shortly after his arrival as an immigrant from Greece.
___
Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report from Washington.
As South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem considers a potential role in the Department of Homeland Security, her immigration policies could have major implications for her home state. With a strong stance on border security and enforcement, Noem’s approach could impact the state’s economy, workforce, and overall demographics.
South Dakota relies heavily on immigrant labor in industries such as agriculture, hospitality, and healthcare. Any crackdown on immigration could lead to labor shortages and hinder economic growth in the state. Additionally, the state’s growing immigrant population contributes to its cultural diversity and vitality.
Noem’s policies could also strain relationships with neighboring states and tribal nations, as immigration enforcement often spills over into bordering areas. This could create tensions and disrupt the peace and cooperation that South Dakota relies on for regional stability.
As Governor Noem navigates her potential role in DHS, it will be crucial for her to consider the unique needs and challenges of her home state. Balancing national security interests with the well-being of South Dakota residents will be a delicate task, and the repercussions of her decisions could have lasting effects on the state’s future.
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New Orleans residents are on high alert as severe storms threaten the area, prompting a tornado watch for the city. The National Weather Service issued the watch, warning residents to be prepared for possible tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail.
The threat of severe weather comes as a powerful storm system moves through the region, bringing with it the potential for dangerous weather conditions. The storm system is expected to bring heavy rainfall, strong winds, and lightning strikes to the area, increasing the risk of tornadoes.
Residents are advised to stay indoors and take shelter in a safe place if a tornado warning is issued. It is important to have a plan in place and know where to go in case of a tornado. Residents should also have an emergency kit prepared with essential items such as water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, and a first aid kit.
In addition to the threat of tornadoes, the storm system could also bring flooding to the area. Residents in low-lying areas should be prepared for the possibility of flooding and take precautions to protect their property.
Local officials are monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as necessary. It is important for residents to stay informed and heed any warnings or advisories issued by the National Weather Service.
As the storm system moves through the area, residents are urged to remain vigilant and take precautions to stay safe. By being prepared and staying informed, residents can help minimize the impact of severe weather on their community.
#Orleans #Tornado #Watch #Severe #Storms #Threaten #Area,severe storms could bring a tornado risk to new orleans on saturday.
DALLAS (AP) — Parts of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas were under severe weather watches early Friday as the National Weather Service predicted a storm system in the Gulf of Mexico could bring high winds, hail and possible tornadoes to the region.
“Heavy showers and thunderstorms continue to race across Louisiana and the Gulf waters at this time, with SETX in the clear for the rest of tonight. Please stay safe all,” the weather service’s office in Lake Charles, Louisiana, posted on the social platform X shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday.
The weather service issued a tornado warning late that afternoon for parts of Texas northeast of Houston, meaning weather radar indicated there was a tornado in the area. There were no immediate reports of damage.
After a line of thunderstorms started moving across parts of Texas, more than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more canceled at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Delays and thunderstorm-related cancellations also were reported at Dallas’ Love Field and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, according to FlightAware, an aviation company that tracks flights across the world.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated state emergency response resources because of the increased severe weather threat.
“As Texans and out-of-state visitors begin traveling after the Christmas holiday, it’s crucial that everyone regularly monitor road conditions, make an emergency plan and heed the guidance of state and local officials,” Abbott said in a statement.
The greatest weather risk was forecast for a stretch of Texas east of Dallas, between Houston and portions of southern Arkansas and western and northern Louisiana, said Brian Hurley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center.
“There does look like the possibility of one or a few tornadoes with this risk, but the main risk will be with high winds and hail,” Hurley said, adding that he expected wind gusts generally between 60 and 80 mph (96 to 128 kph), and hail 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter or greater.
The storms were likely to push into southern Arkansas and western and northern Louisiana after nightfall, posing a potentially dangerous situation for holiday travelers, Hurley said.
“People can’t see a whole lot and may not be as weather aware,” he said.
With the holiday season in full swing, many travelers are facing delays and disruptions as powerful thunderstorms threaten Texas and Louisiana. The severe weather is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and possibly even tornadoes to the region, making travel conditions hazardous.
Airports in cities such as Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans are already experiencing flight cancellations and delays, leaving many passengers stranded and frustrated. Roadways are also expected to be affected, with the potential for flooding and dangerous driving conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued severe weather alerts for the area, urging residents and travelers to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel until the storms pass. With Christmas just days away, many are left wondering if they will make it to their destinations in time for the holiday.
As we navigate through these challenging weather conditions, it is important to prioritize safety and be prepared for potential delays. Stay informed, stay safe, and stay patient as we weather this storm together.
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