Weather

Recent heavy snow is crucial to the Colorado River but it's not a drought ender

5:10am January 19, 2023

by Alex Hager

Rain in California and deep snow in the Rocky Mountains have brought temporary relief to drought-stricken states in the West. But water managers say the long-term water supply picture remains bleak.

Rainstorms helped California's drought conditions, but there's further to go

4:39pm January 16, 2023

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University on what California needs to end their drought.

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A home is submerged in floodwater, after the Salinas River overflowed its banks on Friday.

National

For California, weeks of deadly storms are finally set to wane after Monday

4:35pm January 16, 2023

by Becky Sullivan

Since late December, a series of storms had dropped a year's worth of rain in just a few weeks, causing widespread floods and power outages. At least 19 people have died as a result of the storms.

More rain is forecasted for California

5:10am January 16, 2023

by Nathan Rott

California continues to get hit with a barrage of damaging winter storms. But the precipitation is helping with the state's longstanding drought.

Rocks and vegetation cover Highway 70 following a landslide in the Dixie Fire zone on Oct. 24, 2021, in Plumas County, Calif.

National

California's system to defend against mudslides is being put to the ultimate test

1:52pm January 15, 2023

by The Associated Press

California has seen hundreds of landslides this month. But the factors that make the state so vulnerable to landslides go well beyond the atmospheric rivers that have inundated the state.

Flood waters inundate a home by the Salinas River near Chualar, Calif., on Saturday. A series of atmospheric river storms continue to cause widespread destruction across the state.

National

California storms bring more heavy rain, flooding and power outages

9:24pm January 14, 2023

by Emma Bowman

After a brief respite, a new round of heavy rains and wind gusts are lashing the state, forcing evacuations and knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes.

National

Alabama's governor issues a state of emergency for counties hit by tornadoes

7:57am January 13, 2023

by Kyle Gassiott

Deadly storms hit Alabama before the start of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. A tornado caused much damage in city of Selma, which played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement.

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A damaged structure and debris are seen in the aftermath of Thursday's severe weather in Selma, Ala.

National

At least 7 people were killed as a giant storm system hits the Southern U.S.

10:09pm January 12, 2023

by The Associated Press

The system spawned a tornado that shredded homes, toppled roofs and uprooted trees in Selma, Ala.

National

Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, cost the U.S. $165 billion in 2022

7:18am January 12, 2023

by Nathan Rott

The U.S. suffered 18 separate billion-dollar disasters in 2022, highlighting the growing cost of climate change. (Story aired on All Things Considered on Jan. 10, 2023.)

National

Parts of California, such as Santa Cruz, get a break from relentless storms

5:09am January 12, 2023

by Jerimiah Oetting

With a brief break in the storms hitting the state, businesses in the Santa Cruz area are trying to clean up. Officials say true recovery can't begin until the last expected storm hits next week.