CNN-weather/environment

By Mary Gilbert and Allison Chinchar, CNN (CNN) — Hurricane Lee maintained major hurricane status Friday evening as the powerful storm’s indirect – yet dangerous – impacts were expected to reach the waters of the East Coast as early as this weekend. The hurricane, now a Category 3 storm that briefly strengthened to a rare

CNN By Mary Gilbert, CNN Meteorologist (CNN) — Hurricane Lee has strengthened into a major Category 4 storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 130 mph, according to the 5 p.m. EDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center. “Additional strengthening is expected tonight. Fluctuations in intensity are expected after that, but Lee is forecast to

By Mary Gilbert, CNN Meteorologist (CNN) — Hurricane Lee has strengthened into a major Category 5 storm, packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 160 mph as it spins over the Atlantic well east of the Caribbean, the National Hurricane Center said in an 11 p.m. ET advisory Thursday. Lee, which was a Category 1 storm

CNN By Mary Gilbert, CNN Meteorologist (CNN) — Hurricane Lee is expected to rapidly intensify in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday and will likely become a major storm by early Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The Category 1 storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 mph as of early

By Mary Gilbert, CNN Meteorologist (CNN) — Hurricane Lee has strengthened into a major Category 4 storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 130 mph, according to the 5 p.m. EDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center. “Additional strengthening is expected tonight. Fluctuations in intensity are expected after that, but Lee is forecast to remain

CNN By Mary Gilbert and Nouran Salahieh, CNN (CNN) — Tropical Storm Lee is expected to rapidly intensify into an “extremely dangerous” hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean by this weekend, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday morning, as the season approaches its typical early September peak. Lee could become a hurricane Wednesday then a major

By Mary Gilbert and Nouran Salahieh, CNN (CNN) — Tropical Storm Lee is expected to rapidly intensify into an “extremely dangerous” hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean by this weekend, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday morning, as the season approaches its typical early September peak. Lee could become a hurricane Wednesday then a major Category

By Aya Elamroussi and Rob Shackelford, CNN (CNN) — Severe thunderstorms bombarded the Phoenix area Thursday night, knocking out power for more than 30,000 homes and businesses in Arizona while threatening flash flooding and dust storm conditions. The northwestern portion of Maricopa County – home to the state’s most populous city of Phoenix – was

By Aya Elamroussi, CNN (CNN) — As many communities along Florida’s west coast face oppressive heat Friday without air conditioning or electricity, crews are racing to restore power to tens of thousands in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. Idalia inflicted record storm surge and knocked out power for hundreds of thousands after making landfall Wednesday

By Eric Zerkel, CNN (CNN) — Hurricane Idalia caused “significant damage” after it ripped into Florida’s Big Bend with 125 mph winds and record-setting storm surge. But the storm’s evolution before landfall, and lucky timing with the tides, likely prevented an even worse disaster. Forecasts from the National Hurricane Center called for Idalia to rapidly

By Aya Elamroussi and Holly Yan, CNN (CNN) — Idalia, now a post-tropical cyclone, is moving farther away from North Carolina’s coast after unleashing heavy rains and powerful winds across the Southeast this week and leaving parts of Florida’s west coast with “significant damage.” It was the most powerful hurricane to slam its Big Bend

CNN By Mary Gilbert and Brandon Miller, CNN (CNN) — Hurricane Idalia has left its mark on history, proving to be a once-in-a-lifetime storm for parts of Florida. Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of 125 mph Wednesday morning in Florida’s Big Bend region – where the panhandle meets

CNN By Mary Gilbert and Brandon Miller, CNN (CNN) — Hurricane Idalia remained an active threat to the Southeast on Wednesday afternoon, but it has already left its mark on history, proving to be a once-in-a-lifetime storm for parts of Florida. Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of 125

CNN By Christina Maxouris, Holly Yan and Nouran Salahieh, CNN (CNN) — Idalia weakened to a tropical storm Wednesday evening as it dumped heavy rain, unleashed strong winds and knocked out power in parts of southern Georgia and the Carolinas, just hours after pummeling Florida’s west coast and inundating communities there with floodwater. As the

By Mary Gilbert and Brandon Miller, CNN (CNN) — Hurricane Idalia has left its mark on history, proving to be a once-in-a-lifetime storm for parts of Florida. Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of 125 mph Wednesday morning in Florida’s Big Bend region – where the panhandle meets the

CNN By Mary Gilbert and Brandon Miller, CNN (CNN) — Hurricane Idalia has left its mark on history, proving to be a once-in-a-lifetime storm for parts of Florida. Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of 125 mph Wednesday morning in Florida’s Big Bend region – where the panhandle meets

CNN, WKMG By Nouran Salahieh and Holly Yan, CNN (CNN) — The center of Hurricane Idalia has slammed Florida’s Gulf Coast at dangerous Category 3 strength, inflicting deadly storm surge and catastrophic winds not seen in this region in 125 years while promising untold devastation far beyond the landfall zone. Idalia moved ashore midmorning Wednesday