Weather

World News

Hurricanes, Pandemic And Falling Economy Prompt Hondurans To Leave For The U.S.

4:38pm April 30, 2021

by John Burnett

After being hit by back-to-back hurricanes on top of the pandemic, families from Honduras are leaving the country in waves to cross the Southern border into the U.S. for a better life.

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Biden Taps A Former Top Scientist At NOAA To Lead The Weather And Climate Agency

5:27pm April 25, 2021

by Eric McDaniel

Rick Spinrad previously served as the agency's top scientist. His nomination comes at a difficult period for NOAA, which spent the Trump administration mired in scandal and without a permanent leader.

Firefighters douse the destroyed Jagger Library at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. A wildfire raging on the slopes of Cape Town's Table Mountain spread to the university, forcing the evacuation of students.

World News

Fast-Moving Fire On Table Mountain Destroys South African Landmarks, History

8:52am April 19, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

A fire spread from Table Mountain National Park to the University of Cape Town, where collections were destroyed at the Jagger Library.

World News

Humanitarian Crisis Unfolding On St. Vincent After Volcano Eruption

7:59am April 17, 2021

A volcano erupted last week on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, and the volcano is still active. NPR's Debbie Elliott talks with geologist Richard Robertson about what could happen next.

An ash plume rises over La Soufriere on St. Vincent on April 13. The volcano is expected to continue erupting and has caused a humanitarian crisis.

La Soufrière Volcano: A Growing Humanitarian Crisis

6:27pm April 15, 2021

by Dustin Jones

Between 16,000 and 20,000 people were evacuated from the area around the volcano on St. Vincent. Some evacuees are with family and friends; others are fleeing the island entirely.

National

Coast Guard, Good Samaritans Searching For Victims After Severe Weather Off Louisiana

10:15pm April 13, 2021

by Vanessa Romo

A "microburst of severe weather" may have caused a 256-foot lift boat to capsize in the Gulf of Mexico, about 8 miles south of Grand Isle.

Ash from the eruption of La Soufrière volcano on the island of St. Vincent covers vehicles on the outskirts of Bridgetown, Barbados, on Sunday.

From Bad To Worse: La Soufrière Volcano Continues To Erupt

9:04pm April 12, 2021

by Dustin Jones

Experts predict the volcano eruption on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent will last for days, even weeks. Officials urge people to seek safety as rescuers search for those who haven't evacuated.

A photo of La Soufrière erupting Friday in St. Vincent. The blast could be sending ash as far as Jamaica and South America.

Volcano On St. Vincent Could Experience Larger Eruption

6:30pm April 10, 2021

by Dustin Jones

The ongoing eruption at La Soufrière on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent is expected to be as big, if not bigger, than the last time it had a major eruption in 1979.

A satellite image from September 2017 shows Hurricane Irma, left, and Hurricane Jose, right, in the Atlantic Ocean. NOAA says the average annual number of tropical storms in the Atlantic has slightly increased.

Science

Expect More Tropical Storms, NOAA Warns

3:24pm April 09, 2021

by Rebecca Hersher

NOAA is updating its definition of what a "normal" Atlantic hurricane season looks like, based on the last 30 years. The average number of hurricanes in the new normal has risen from 6 to 7.

Smoke spews Thursday from the glowing dome of the La Soufrière volcano on St. Vincent.

World News

Volcano Erupts On Caribbean Island Of St. Vincent As Evacuation Continues

2:17pm April 09, 2021

by Vanessa Romo

St. Vincent's National Emergency Management Organization announced Friday that the volcano had erupted amid ongoing attempts to evacuate nearby residents.