High temperatures in the midwest recently caused thousands of cattle to die, prompting some to start asking questions as to what caused the sudden deaths.
Clay Scott lives in Kansas and used to own cattle. He discussed the situation with The Daily Wire, saying it was a “freak of nature thing,” and this type of situation has happened in the past due to the local climate.
He said it happens “once in a while, every twenty years or so,” where the weather quickly increases temperature. There had been a few days in a row of high temperatures, and the cattle had a difficult time getting cooled off.
He also explained that since May was abnormally cold, a lot of the cattle still had their winter coats.
The easy explanation, he added, was that it “was really hot, it was really humid, there was no breeze. We had a heat down burst,” which he explained is &#8220;a rare but not uncommon spike in temperatures in the morning.”
In some circumstances, the animals had almost a full winter coat. He noted that it was sad that several thousand animals died in the region, but pointed out that there are several million cattle in that area of the world, although the numbers seem large.
He said a local veterinarian pointed out on Twitter the heat index scores for cattle, and he said that for “three days in a row” the lethal heat amount for cattle was exceeded, but “it only took until the third day when we had that heat event that really spiked the numbers.”
Scott said it hurts the people who raise the animals “more than just a paycheck. They don&#8217;t like to see it because they work so hard. And you work with animals every day. You want to see &#8217;em do the best they can. You don&#8217;t want to see anybody suffer. So I know several of those guys are a little dejected. … It’s kind of like a flood or a fire, you know, it wasn’t anything they could control, but yet they suffer the consequences of it.”
The particular type of cattle that died were the heavy ones that are used to being on the range, Scott noted, and are the last to get rid of their winter coats. They were also from the northern rather than southern regions.
“99.9% of the time you [bring these cattle south], nothing ever matters of it,” he said, adding it was “a one-time event.”
According to Scott, if something malicious had happened to cause the cattle to die, the people who raise the animals would be “up in arms” about it.
“It’s pretty evident that we got some really good people taking care of our cattle supply,” he said. “They’re really working hard to make sure it&#8217;s right.”
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/up-to-10000-cattle-die-as-extreme-heat-bakes-kansas">reported</a>, as many as 10,000 cattle died in the midst of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/weather">triple-digit temperatures</a> in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kansas">Kansas</a>.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said at least 2,000 head of cattle died due to high heat and humidity as of Tuesday last week, spokesperson Matthew Lara said. The calculation came from the number of carcasses the agency had been requested to help dispose of.
The farming journal <a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/livestock/beef/cattle-losses-reported-due-heat-stress">AgWeb.com</a> reported the amount of dead cows could be as many as 10,000 — and more have been reported deceased in nearby Nebraska.
Greg Wilson contributed to this report.

2B26B942-1D5F-4EEC-9465-400A70B21715_1_201_a

Former Cattle Owner In Kansas Explains Freak Heat Incident That Killed Thousands Of Cattle

Former Cattle Owner In Kansas Explains Freak Heat Incident That Killed Thousands Of Cattle During Recent High Temperatures

Farming

Food

Kansas

Nebraska

Weather

A massive sunspot named AR3038 doubled in size over the last 24 hours, sparking concerns about a solar flare alert that may head toward Earth.
SpaceWeather.com reports the sunspot went from &#8220;big&#8221; to &#8220;enormous&#8221; within a day.
Sunspots produce radiation waves after forming dark areas on the sun&#8217;s surface with strong magnetic fields.
Spaceweather.com also added it has an &#8220;unstable beta-gamma magnetic field that harbors energy for M-class solar flares.&#8221;
&#8220;And it is directly facing Earth,&#8221; the website says.
NASA&#8217;s Solar Dynamics Observatory video footage confirms AR3038 has evolved while twisting and contorting, techexplorist.com reports.
Although M-class flares — the second largest out of five solar flares ranked — can temporarily cause radio blackouts for approximately ten minutes and disrupt GPS signal transmissions, the explosions are not strong enough to cause any physical harm.
X-class flares can cause more significant disruption on Earth, such as radio communication interference for network and marine or aviation navigation systems.
&#8220;The explosive heat of a solar flare can&#8217;t make it all the way to our globe, but electromagnetic radiation and energetic particles certainly can,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/flare-impacts.html#:~:text=The%20explosive%20heat%20of%20a,be%20off%20by%20many%20yards.">NASA</a>.
Currently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration&#8217;s Space Weather Prediction Center has not issued any warnings about a solar flare event, but is keeping an eye on its progress.
Like the Richter scale for tracking earthquakes, scientists divide solar flares into five separate letter categories — A, B, C, M, and X — ranging from smallest to largest.
Each solar flare sends energy, light, and high-speed particles into space after giant explosions occur.
Last month, the <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/r3-strong-flare-955-am-edt-10-may-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Space Weather Prediction Center</a> reported that an &#8220;impulsive&#8221; X-class solar flare exploded from the sun sending high-frequency energy and light that likely restricted sunlight on much of the Atlantic Ocean, and portions of eastern North and South America, western Africa, and Europe.
Solar flare activity increases approximately every 11 years, with NASA claiming large and small radiation-filled flares will impact the Earth in the future.

Solar Flare

Massive Sunspot Doubles In Size, Sparking Solar Storm Concerns

NASA

Natural Disaster

Solar Power

Space

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/baby-formula">baby formula</a> plant in Sturgis, Michigan, closed once again amid “severe thunderstorms and heavy rains.”
The low supply of baby formula had been worsening for months, leading to multiple <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/us/baby-formula-shortage-tennessee-hospitalized.html">hospitalized</a> babies and elevated prices for parents. Abbott Nutrition, which voluntarily <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/abbott-voluntarily-expands-recall-powder-formulas-manufactured-one-plant">recalled</a> several baby formula products from the Michigan plant in February at the recommendation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-nutrition-reopens-baby-formula-plant-at-center-of-nationwide-shortage">resumed production</a> earlier this month and said that new inventory would hit shelves by June 20. Yet, the company revealed on Wednesday that production has again been halted.
“Severe thunderstorms and heavy rains came through southwestern Michigan on Monday evening, resulting in high winds, hail, power outages and flood damage throughout the area,” Abbott said in a <a href="https://www.abbott.com/corpnewsroom/nutrition-health-and-wellness/abbott-update-on-powder-formula-recall.html">statement</a>. “These torrential storms produced significant rainfall in a short period of time — overwhelming the city’s stormwater system… and resulting in flooding in parts of the city, including areas of our plant.”
Abbott has therefore stopped production of EleCare — intended for children unable to digest other types of formula — while it evaluates damage and resanitizes the plant. “We have informed FDA and will conduct comprehensive testing in conjunction with the independent third party to ensure the plant is safe to resume production,” the company added. “This will likely delay production and distribution of new product for a few weeks.”
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf had told members of the Senate last month that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fda-announces-when-the-baby-formula-shortage-will-likely-end">expects</a> a “gradual improvement up to probably somewhere around two months until the shelves are replete again.” During its evaluation of the Michigan plant, the FDA found standing water, roof leaks, bacteria growths, and inadequate hygiene. “We knew that ceasing plant operations would create supply problems but we had no choice given the insanitary conditions,” Califf told lawmakers.
The baby formula shortage worsened this year but began much earlier due to supply chain fallout from COVID-19 and the lockdown-induced recession.
Abbott CEO Robert Ford apologized to the nation in a recent <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/05/21/abbott-ceo-robert-ford-formula-elevil/">Washington Post</a> opinion piece, telling parents “the past few months have distressed us as they have you.”
“We believe our voluntary recall was the right thing to do,” Ford wrote. “We will not take risks when it comes to the health of children. The data collected during the investigation, genetic sequencing, retained product samples and available product from the four complaints did not find any connection between our products and the four reported illnesses in children. However, the FDA’s investigation did discover a bacteria in our plant that we will not tolerate. I have high expectations of this company, and we fell short of them.”
President Joe Biden tried to address the baby formula shortage with “Operation Fly Formula,” through which the military is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-slammed-for-bragging-about-flying-baby-formula-in-from-europe-turned-us-into-3rd-world-nation">importing the product from Europe</a>.
“Folks, I’m excited to tell you that the first flight from Operation Fly Formula is loaded up with more than 70,000 pounds of infant formula and about to land in Indiana,” Biden announced. “Our team is working around the clock to get safe formula to everyone who needs it.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-spox-flips-through-binder-for-20-seconds-cant-find-anything-new-on-baby-formula">said</a> on Monday that the Biden administration had “nothing new” to add on the baby formula shortage.

A baby formula display shelf is seen at a Walmart grocery

Extreme Weather Leads Baby Formula Plant To Close After Just Reopening

Baby Formula Plant Shuts Down Once Again Due To Severe Weather

baby formula

Joe Biden

Michigan

Supply Chain

As many as 10,000 cattle have died amid <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/weather">triple-digit temperatures</a> in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kansas">Kansas</a>, and more livestock could perish over the next several days, according to reports.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said at least 2,000 head of cattle succumbed to high heat and humidity as of Tuesday, spokesperson Matthew Lara said. The calculation is based on the number of carcasses the agency has been asked to help dispose of.
&#8220;It was essentially a perfect storm,&#8221; A.J. Tarpoff, beef extension veterinarian for Kansas State University, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/heat-humidity-kill-least-2000-kansas-cattle-state-says-2022-06-15/">told Reuters</a>.
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Thousands of cattle suddenly died last weekend in Kansas. The reason given &#8211; high temperatures. <a href="https://t.co/Gd0I5k5eRP">pic.twitter.com/Gd0I5k5eRP</a>
&mdash; James Melville (@JamesMelville) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesMelville/status/1537149934213992451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The farming journal <a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/livestock/beef/cattle-losses-reported-due-heat-stress">AgWeb.com</a> reported the number of dead cows could be as high as 10,000, and more have been reported dead in neighboring Nebraska.
&#8220;During these bouts of extreme heat, the cattle can’t dissipate the heat at night because there’s not night cooling and so this perfect storm hits,” Veterinarian Dr. Dan Thomson of Iowa State University told the site. “No different than a tornado hitting a cattle feeding facility or a derecho or whatever and we have these natural disasters.”
Livestock on ranches in the western part of the state, which has 2.4 million cattle, suffered heat stress over the weekend as temperatures rose and cooling winds abated, said Scarlett Hagins, spokesperson for the Kansas Livestock Association. Temperatures reached as high as 108 degrees by Monday, Drew Lerner, president of World Weather, told Reuters. Temperatures could go even higher in the coming days, although officials believe wind and lower humidity levels could offer relief to the herds.
&#8220;It&#8217;s going to be oppressively hot and stressful for the animals,&#8221; Lerner said.
Ranchers are giving more water to their herds and checking on them with greater regularity.
“There’s mitigation strategies that we place, whether its nutrition, strategies for increasing water tank space and decreasing movement of cattle, all these things we’re doing on a day to day basis,” Thomson said.
The cattle deaths come as the ranching industry battles droughts and soaring feed costs linked to a global grain squeeze. In addition, extreme drought has left western and central Kansas parched. Experts project the state&#8217;s wheat yield to drop by more than 100 million bushels from last year&#8217;s harvest, costing farmers more than $1 billion.
&#8220;That is driven primarily from severe drought, particularly in the southwest part of the state, and to a certain degree in the south-central part of the state,&#8221; Ernie Minton, dean of Kansas State University&#8217;s College of Agriculture, <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/drought-conditions-across-much-kansas-104508704.html">told the Topeka Capital-Journal</a>.

Cattle

Up To 10,000 Cattle Die As Extreme Heat Bakes Kansas

drought

Historic flooding forced Yellowstone National Park to evacuate everyone and close on Monday after the rushing water left main roads damaged or submerged and bridges either impassable or washed out.
According to a <a href="https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/local/historic-flooding-damages-yellowstone-infrastructure-strands-gateway-community/article_244ada4e-5462-5a03-a9e2-c20b70a5ab2c.html">report</a> from the Jackson Hole News and Guide, storms on Sunday evening brought heavy rains that overwhelmed the rivers and streams that flow through the surrounding area, causing the swollen Yellowstone River to damage roads leading into the park. Carbella Bridge in Red Lodge, Montana, was wiped out — and the river also destroyed a number of buildings in Gardiner, MT, which sits on the northern border of the park.
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Current conditions of Yellowstone’s North Entrance Road through the Gardner Canyon between Gardiner, Montana, and Mammoth Hot Springs.
We will continue to communicate about this hazardous situation as more information is available. More info: <a href="https://t.co/mymnqGvcVB">https://t.co/mymnqGvcVB</a> <a href="https://t.co/S5ysi4wf8a">pic.twitter.com/S5ysi4wf8a</a>
&mdash; Yellowstone National Park (@YellowstoneNPS) <a href="https://twitter.com/YellowstoneNPS/status/1536470361210077184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Due to record flooding events in the park and more precipitation in the forecast, we have made the decision to close Yellowstone to all inbound visitation,&#8221; park Superintendent Cam Sholly explained in a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/220613.htm">statement</a>. Citing &#8220;multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides, and other issues,&#8221; Sholly announced plans to evacuate amid fears that flooding would also impact roads toward the southern end of the park.
&#8220;We will not know the timing of the park’s reopening until flood waters subside and we’re able to assess the damage throughout the park. It is likely that the northern loop will be closed for a substantial amount of time,&#8221; Sholly said.
Gardiner resident Jim Halfpenny said that the flooding was far more devastating than any he&#8217;d seen in his lifetime — and according to a stream gauge located in Corwin Springs, MT, Halfpenny was right. The gauge was measuring flows of 49,200 cubic feet per second on Monday afternoon, and the previous record for June 13 was set in 1918: 30,000 cubic feet per second.
Jeff Olson, a guide with Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures, called the flooding &#8220;the worst thing that’s happened disaster-wise since the fires of ’88&#8221; — when wildfires burned more than one-third of the park. &#8220;To have all five entrances closed because of one event during the summer season? It’s crazy.&#8221;
Park officials shared an update to the situation on Tuesday evening, tweeting, &#8220;Northern portion of Yellowstone likely to remain closed for substantial length of time due to severely damaged, impacted infrastructure. Visitors traveling to park soon must stay informed about current situation, roads &amp; weather.&#8221;
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⚠️UPDATE (6/14 @ 6:38pm)⚠️ Northern portion of Yellowstone likely to remain closed for substantial length of time due to severely damaged, impacted infrastructure. Visitors traveling to park soon must stay informed about current situation, roads &amp; weather <a href="https://t.co/mymnqGvcVB">https://t.co/mymnqGvcVB</a> <a href="https://t.co/li6Vwy4qLt">pic.twitter.com/li6Vwy4qLt</a>
&mdash; Yellowstone National Park (@YellowstoneNPS) <a href="https://twitter.com/YellowstoneNPS/status/1536876878836932609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The National Park Service posted a <a href="https://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com">more detailed update</a> to the official <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/33-patriotic-sites-to-make-your-kids-fall-in-love-with-america/">Yellowstone National Park</a> website on Tuesday as well: &#8220;The road from Gardiner, MT, to Cooke City, MT., will likely not reopen for the rest of the 2022 season due to the recent road damage. This will adversly effect the Northern Loop rd and surrounding communities at the North and Northeast Entrance including Gardiner, Mammoth and Cooke City. Hard closures will take place at Canyon and at Norris going north for the season. Assesment on when to reopen the Southern Loop rd including Canyon Village is underway based on the current flood damage but should reopen relatively soon. When the South Loop does reopen, it will include the West Entrance, the South Entrance and the East Entrance. Assesement should take approximately a week or less.&#8221;

Yellowstone National Park Flooding Damage

Yellowstone National Park Closes After Historic Flash Floods Take Out Bridges, Roads

National Park Service

Yellowstone

As a massive heat wave swept the nation over the weekend, energy output in Texas reached record highs, straining the already vulnerable energy grid.
It has faced serious issues in the past, like in 2021, when freezing temperatures left millions without power for days. Over the weekend, there was <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-12/texas-power-use-tops-all-time-record-as-heat-bakes-state#xj4y7vzkg">record</a> high electricity usage throughout Texas, straining the grid even further. Officials said the grid is functioning adequately, and they have enough resources to meet the increased demand. Still, June is early to see this energy demand because historically, Texans see peak temperatures later in the summer.
The state <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/12/texas-heat-wave-grid/">experienced</a> more than 75 gigawatts of electricity demand on Sunday, passing a record set in August 2019. 
The northern Texas region has already had two days of triple-digit temperatures, almost a month earlier than usual. This amount of energy grid strain is not normal for a weekend. Typically, there’s less demand for electricity on weekends because people aren’t in offices, so again, another troubling sign that there could be even higher demand later in the summer.
On <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/12/texas-heat-wave-grid/">Sunday</a>, the National Weather Service put out a heat advisory for every county in Texas except for eight. Many of those were issued an excessive heat warning, meaning the heat index was anticipated to go up to 105 degrees or more for 2 hours or longer.
Some areas experienced lengthy outages over the weekend, but those are believed to mostly just be incidents associated with the high temperatures and not caused by the grid. Oncor Electric Delivery, a utility company in Texas, <a href="https://thetexan.news/ercot-grid-maintained-substantial-reserves-amid-triple-digit-temperatures-and-record-demand/">said</a>, “The record-setting heat is putting additional stress on our equipment.”
To this point, the grid has held up, and ERCOT didn’t have to ask Texans to conserve energy, which happened back in May when another heat wave hit at the same time that some plants went down.
This is being closely watched because of the grid’s issues in the past — specifically during the freeze early last year that resulted in over 240 deaths.

5CFA1D23-E242-4828-BB61-7F26031CF749_1_201_a

Texas Sets Record For Energy Usage As Demand Surges During Heat Wave

Energy

Texas

Singer Halsey was forced to cancel a scheduled <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music">concert</a> in Maryland as an unexpected deluge of rain caused the stadium to flood. Footage of the water pouring in started making the rounds on social media.
The Columbia, Maryland, show was delayed from the original 7 p.m. start time, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/06/09/halsey-fans-drenched-as-maryland-show-floods-gets-canceled/">reported</a>, as organizers believed the storm would pass through quickly. Fans gathered waiting for the “Without Me” singer to come on, but eventually, the entire event was nixed due to safety concerns.
Videos on social media showed water pouring down the bleachers to the front of the stage in the Merriweather Post Pavilion. Someone captured a stage crew member kicking a rodent off the stage, which some fans first identified as a rat but was later said to be a squirrel. Despite the dismal conditions, a large crowd waited patiently for Halsey to start the show.
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Halsey’s team went all out with the special effects for this tour <a href="https://t.co/ydEvGVZwtb">pic.twitter.com/ydEvGVZwtb</a>
&mdash; stace (@Th3yCallMeSTACI) <a href="https://twitter.com/Th3yCallMeSTACI/status/1534706544834666496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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They were in good spirits too, making jokes about the terrible weather. “Halsey’s team went all out with the special effects for this tour,” one person joked when they posted a <a href="https://twitter.com/Th3yCallMeSTACI/status/1534706544834666496?s=20&amp;t=S_JcnWam1LvR65duYWXP9w">video</a> of what looked like a waterfall pouring down from the upper balcony.
Someone else described the event as a “pool party.”
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i NEED answers <a href="https://t.co/dQHrFwZVt8">pic.twitter.com/dQHrFwZVt8</a>
&mdash; ☪ (@IICHLlWP) <a href="https://twitter.com/IICHLlWP/status/1534722794449121280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The singer apologized when she was forced to cancel the show, saying everyone’s safety was her main concern. Halsey went live on Instagram saying the storm was “supposed to pass.” But, some “unpredictable” weather immediately became dangerous.
She said, “I just want everybody to be safe” and “I’m literally heartbroken.”
Halsey also addressed the cancellation later on <a href="https://twitter.com/halsey/status/1534722030901370881">Twitter</a>. “Maryland I don’t even know what to say,” she shared. “If you missed my live, I’ll post something soon explaining what happened. But right now I’m heartbroken and panicked and I just want to know when/that you all get home safely. I love you guys more than anything.”
In a follow-up post, the 27-year-old shared, “I really want to add that I am beyond disappointed with the way the venue handled everything tonight and my rescheduled date will be happening somewhere else. I hear you guys loud and clear I promise.”
Halsey is currently on tour as part of her Love and Power Tour, which she announced in January. The tour began in mid-May and will make stops throughout the United States before concluding in July. The next stop is her New York City show on June 11.

2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards ‚Äì Show

‘Heartbroken And Panicked’: Halsey Concert Canceled After Stadium Floods And Rodent Crawls Onstage

'Heartbroken And Panicked': Halsey Concert Canceled After Stadium Floods And Rodent Crawls Onstage

Celebrities

Entertainment

Halsey

Maryland

Music

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has invited residents in his state to join its newly established Florida State Guard (FLSG) to assist with upcoming emergency response ahead of hurricane season.
DeSantis shared the invitation in a Twitter post and in a statement from the Florida governor&#8217;s website on Tuesday.
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Hurricane season is right around the corner, and we need your help in the Florida State Guard to keep Floridians safe.
Sign up today: <a href="https://t.co/3Nb2lvIYSv">https://t.co/3Nb2lvIYSv</a> <a href="https://t.co/0YaQfbmVvw">pic.twitter.com/0YaQfbmVvw</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1531677400001544196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;To be a member of the FLSG, Florida is looking for individuals between the ages of 18 and 60, to volunteer and train to ensure that the Guard is ready to step in when emergency strikes,&#8221; the governor&#8217;s <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2022/05/31/application-portal-open-for-director-of-the-new-florida-state-guard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> read.
&#8220;If you love the state of Florida, have a desire to help your community, and have skills beneficial to protect the state from a disaster, we encourage you to apply to join the FLSG. Skilled Floridians with emergency response, law enforcement or military training are encouraged to apply,&#8221; the statement added.
Applicants must also be able to pass a physical and will be required to attend an annual weekend training event, according to the statement. Candidates must also be high school graduates (or equivalent), Florida residents, and pass a criminal history check, among other <a href="https://flsg.myflorida.com/how-to-apply/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">requirements</a>.
The FLSG is expected to have approximately <a href="https://flsg.myflorida.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 guard members</a> who will be ready to volunteer when emergencies strike.
DeSantis pushed for reviving the state guard in December to lessen Florida’s reliance on resources from the federal government in the event of a disaster such as a hurricane or flooding, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-proposes-reviving-florida-state-guard-civilian-force-not-encumbered-by-the-federal-government" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The governor proposed that the FLSG would “not [be] encumbered by the federal government,” DeSantis said in a December press conference. He said the civilian force would give him “the flexibility and the ability needed to respond to events in our state in the most effective way possible.”
DeSantis’ proposal to form a state guard comes as the Biden administration has cracked down on National Guardsmen who have resisted the federal government’s vaccine mandates for the military. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has directed that National Guardsmen who remain unvaccinated will be barred from participating in the training needed to maintain their station.
“We are proud of our veterans and active-duty military members and proud of what our communities do to support them,” DeSantis added. “Florida is one of the most veteran friendly states and I think there are very few places that you would rather be on duty than in the state of Florida. As a veteran, I really appreciate what everyone who wears the uniform does in our state and am excited about these proposals – they will go a long way and have a meaningful impact. In Florida, we are going to continue our momentum of supporting our military, supporting our veterans, and being good stewards of our military installations.”
The FLSG is also currently seeking a director. The governor&#8217;s statement on Tuesday noted, &#8220;The Director of the FLSG will be in charge of the 400 guard members and will oversee recruitment, training and mobilization of the force in the event of an emergency. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience in military style operations, emergency management, leadership and problem solving.&#8221;

Ron DeSantis

Gov. Ron DeSantis Calls Floridians To Join State Guard Ahead Of Hurricane Season

Florida

A rare <a href="https://www.space.com/greatest-meteor-storms-in-history">meteor storm</a> could be visible over North America late Monday night, sending the Memorial Day holiday out with a bang, astronomers have predicted.
&#8220;On Monday night into Tuesday morning, the Earth may cross paths with the remnants of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann (SW3), a defunct comet that broke apart in 1995,&#8221; Accuweather meteorologist Brian Lada explained. &#8220;After SW3 splintered into countless pieces nearly three decades ago, debris from the breakup could intersect the Earth at the end of Memorial Day weekend. If this comes to fruition, it could spark a brief but intense meteor shower over North America.&#8221;
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2. The potential meteor storm is due to comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, which broke apart in 1995. Countless pieces of the splintered comet could hit Earth on Monday night, sparking the best meteor shower in years: <a href="https://t.co/ViP3jKgqdl">https://t.co/ViP3jKgqdl</a> <a href="https://t.co/WoBsPhkT7E">pic.twitter.com/WoBsPhkT7E</a>
&mdash; AccuWeather (@accuweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/accuweather/status/1530898535427751936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The American Meteor Society has said that the best time to catch a glimpse of the possible phenomenon will be on Monday night into Tuesday morning, between 12:45 and 1:17 am, ET. The AMS also recommended that viewers start watching the sky an hour prior to the predicted time in case the predictions are slightly off.
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5. “Start your viewing session at least an hour prior to the time of the expected outburst, just in case the predictions are off,” the American Meteor Society said: <a href="https://t.co/ViP3jKgqdl">https://t.co/ViP3jKgqdl</a> <a href="https://t.co/Usw0ElYio4">pic.twitter.com/Usw0ElYio4</a>
&mdash; AccuWeather (@accuweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/accuweather/status/1530927946613104642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We believe that this event has a chance of being something spectacular,&#8221; the AMS said in a statement. &#8220;When viewing events such as these, one should expect nothing extraordinary to happen but certainly hope for the best!&#8221;
While meteor showers occur relatively often — approximately 30 are visible from Earth every year — meteor storms are far fewer and farther between. The last major meteor storm visible from the United States was the Leonid Meteor Storm on November 17, 1966. &#8220;At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory&#8217;s Table Mountain Observatory in California, observers saw &#8216;a rain of meteors turn into a hail of meteors, finally becoming a storm of meteors too numerous to count,'&#8221; Space.com reported. &#8220;At the peak, estimates ranged anywhere from 10 to an incredible 40 meteors per second!&#8221;
Another meteor storm, which <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/132597a0">occurred</a> in the wake of periodic comet Giacobini-Zinner, took astronomers by surprise in 1933 when it exploded over Western Europe. It was so intense over parts of rural Portugal that residents became frightened. Reports stated that the meteors fell like snowflakes over Ireland.
According to Monday&#8217;s reported weather forecasts, the atmospheric conditions should be good for viewing the potential celestial event across most of the United States — but experts note that ambient light can dramatically impact visibility. Those hoping to see the potential meteor storm are advised to seek out areas with unobstructed views of the sky and as little man-made light interference as possible.

The Geminid meteor shower

Rare Meteor Storm Could Strike Over Holiday Weekend, Astronomers Say

Over 400 people have been killed in South Africa following massive floods and mudslides that have also led to thousands being left without homes. 
The heavy cost of human life has been coupled with steep economic losses, as operations at Durban, one of the most trafficked ports in Africa, have been seriously hampered by the flooding. Some <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/rescuers-hunt-missing-after-south-african-floods-kill-more-than-400-2022-04-17/">estimates</a> place the total infrastructure damage cost at around $684.6 million dollars. 
Deaths could rise to over 500 as the premier of KwaZulu-Natal, the province which has borne the brunt of the flooding, announced that 63 people were still missing in addition to 443 confirmed deaths. 
&#8220;We haven&#8217;t lost hope. Although we are constantly worried as [the] days continue,&#8221; one resident, who is looking for her 8-year-old nephew, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/rescuers-hunt-missing-after-south-african-floods-kill-more-than-400-2022-04-17/">told</a> Reuters. 
Another told the outlet that, &#8220;We are traumatized by the sight of rain.&#8221;
The storms caused an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/19/world/south-africa-floods">estimated</a> 40,000 to leave their homes, and left many in the province without water though some have been able to get it back through the efforts of Operation Chariot, the military-led operation to aid flood victims. 
“At this point, we are still surveying all the damage and quantifying,&#8221; <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/death-toll-south-africa-floods-rises-443-thousands/story?id=84143049">said</a> KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala. “We want to be scientific and not alarmists about it, and to ensure that we have covered all sectors affected.&#8221;
Close to 4,000 homes were destroyed during the flooding, and many of those most impacted were those living in small, makeshift shacks.
“Much of the death and destruction occurred in settlements of flimsy shacks constructed by people who could not otherwise afford stable housing,” The New York Times explained. “Some took place in communities of small, cube-like homes that sit in valleys near rivers or cling to hillsides.
Authorities will also need to mobilize to rebuild critical infrastructure like roads and repair about 600 schools in the aftermath of the storms. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/19/world/south-africa-floods">aftermath</a> of the storms will likely exacerbate the economic struggles of the nation which currently has an unemployment rate of about 35 percent. 
South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said that the country would need to prepare more adequately for “climate change” to prevent similar situations in the future. 
“We need to increase our investment in climate adaptation measures to better safeguard communities against the effects of climate change,” Ramaphosa said. 
The president added that relief construction, “will also involve the construction of houses in suitably-located areas and measures to protect the residents of these areas from such adverse weather events in the future.”
According to Premier Zikala, the floods are some of the worst that have ever hit the province. 
&#8220;We need to summon our collective courage and turn this devastation into an opportunity to rebuild our province,&#8221; he noted. &#8220;The people of KwaZulu-Natal will rise from this mayhem.&#8221;

TOPSHOT-SAFRICA-WEATHER-FLOOD

South African Flooding Death Toll Hits Over 400, Thousands Left Homeless

Africa

Economy

Infrastructure

Nature

South Africa

A winter storm began to affect close to 100 million people on Wednesday as a a massive weather event traveled through much of the country, leading to flight cancellations and prompting state leaders to take action ahead of time.
NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/winter-storm-flights-canceled-us-braces-snow-rain-travel-chaos-rcna14510">reported</a> that the major weather event is anticipated to have heavy amounts of snow, freezing rain, and affect travel in states around the nation, leading to emergency declarations, flights being called off, and schools closing.
The outlet noted: “[m]ore than 1,400 flights within, into and out of the United States were cancelled for Wednesday as of 9 a.m. ET, according to flight tracker FlightAware. A number of airlines, including American, United and Delta Air Lines issued waivers allowing travelers who may be affected by the storm to rebook their trips at no extra cost.”
Flight Aware <a href="https://uk.flightaware.com/live/cancelled/">reported</a> as of 11:36a.m. EST: 
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Total delays today: 3,144 
Total delays within, into, or out of the United States today: 904 
Total cancellations today: 2,794 
Total cancellations within, into, or out of the United States today: 1,646
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&#8220;This winter storm will bring a variety of winter weather hazards, including heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain,&#8221; the National Weather Service said in a Wednesday update, per NBC. 
According to the service, the storm is expected to be &#8220;prolonged with several rounds of winter weather lasting through Thursday for portions of the central U.S. before shifting to the interior Northeast.”
The weather service also <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd">noted</a> that “[l]ocations impacted by snow and or ice are expected to have temperatures remain below freezing and well below average for at least a couple of days after the wintry precipitation ends. The cold temperatures will be due to the emergence of arctic high pressure, which will descend over the Plains on Wednesday.”
It stated that the high pressure will direct “very frigid air down through the Plains between today and Friday,” adding that the high temperature for many areas across the Plains “will be between 15-25 degrees below average during this period.”
It added that the “eastern third of the country will warm up a bit out ahead of the cold front associated with the winter storm.” Temperatures will become less extreme when the cold front passes on Friday night.
There also might be high levels of rainfall in the warm areas of the storm system.  
Heavy snow is expected to fall in the “Southern Rockies and from the Southern/Central Plains and the Middle Mississippi Valley through the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley and Interior Northeast. A corridor of heavy ice (rain/freezing rain) accumulation is likely from Texas through the Ohio River Valley.” 
The NWS Weather Prediction Center <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSWPC/status/1488844737754931202">tweeted</a> about the storm on Wednesday morning:
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In addition to widespread, significant wintry precipitation, very chilly and much below normal temperatures will spread throughout central and eastern portions of the country. Temperatures will slowly begin to moderate through the weekend, but remain below normal for many places. <a href="https://t.co/KGRQAZwSX9">pic.twitter.com/KGRQAZwSX9</a>
&mdash; NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSWPC/status/1488844737754931202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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As The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/02/us/winter-storm-warning-snow.html">reported</a>, Illinois, Missouri, and Oklahoma governors announced emergency efforts on Tuesday before the storm came to the areas. 
&#8220;In Michigan, nine to 16 inches of snow was expected, through late Thursday night, the Weather Service announced,&#8221; the Times noted.
ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/major-winter-storm-strikes-denver-dallas-heading-northeast/story?id=82620887">reported</a> that &#8220;More than 1 foot of snow is expected from northern Missouri into Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.&#8221;
NBC noted that as of early on Wednesday morning, around 4 inches of snow had already come to the Chicago area, with more expected to fall. 
“Overall, snowfall totals of 6 to 12 inches are possible for the Windy City, as well as in Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo and Burlington,” the outlet added.

Departure flight board with cancelation at the Airport.

Massive Winter Storm To Affect U.S., Over A Thousand Flights Canceled

Officials said late on Saturday that more than 80 people have died as a result of dozens of tornadoes that ravaged several Midwest and southern states late on Friday night and early Saturday morning as rescue efforts remain ongoing for those still trapped in collapsed structures.
&#8220;Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky said that at least 70 had been killed, and the state’s death toll could increase to more than 100,&#8221; The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/12/11/us/tornadoes-midwest-south">reported</a>. &#8220;Officials said that at least six people had been killed at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois, four had died in Tennessee and two had died in Arkansas.&#8221;
At least 30 tornadoes were reported throughout Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. The largest tornado that struck the region tore through more than 200 miles in Kentucky.
The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/10/arkansas-nursing-home-tornado/">reported</a>:
<blockquote>The “quad-state tornado” was unusually long-lasting and strong for the time of year, weather experts said. The twister, which ripped through Monette, Ark., and Mayfield, Ky., on Friday evening is likely to have carved out a 240-mile path, crossing into Missouri and Tennessee, as well. If the tornado remained on the ground without interruption, it would rank as the longest tornado track in U.S. history and the first to cross through four states. &#8230; In the quad-state tornado’s path, weather radar detected debris from a twister for more than three hours straight, sometimes lofted over 30,000 feet into the sky.</blockquote>
Beshear said that the devastation was &#8220;unlike anything I have ever seen in my life&#8221; and he predicted that the number of deaths counted by the end of the day could go well over 100 before the end of the day.
Hundreds of thousands of homes were left without power, including 136,000+ in Tennessee, approximately 60,000 in Kentucky, 25,000+ in Arkansas, roughly 24,000 in Illinois, and nearly 10,000 in Missouri.
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The most intense damage I have found in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mayfield?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mayfield</a>. The entire path in the town is less than 2% of the total path length. Homes with only slabs remaining. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tornado?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tornado</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wxtwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wxtwitter</a> <a href="https://t.co/nXxoxNBVhY">pic.twitter.com/nXxoxNBVhY</a>
&mdash; WxChasing- Brandon Clement (@bclemms) <a href="https://twitter.com/bclemms/status/1469700003128033284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Dawson Springs, Ky is 70 miles away from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mayfield?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mayfield</a> and was also devastated by the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tornado?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tornado</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WX</a> <a href="https://t.co/kBwBxcxURi">pic.twitter.com/kBwBxcxURi</a>
&mdash; WxChasing- Brandon Clement (@bclemms) <a href="https://twitter.com/bclemms/status/1469815153780793347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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This pretty much sums it up in :19. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mayfield?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mayfield</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MayfieldTornado?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MayfieldTornado</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KyWx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KyWx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WX</a> <a href="https://t.co/IcPL4XGtPS">pic.twitter.com/IcPL4XGtPS</a>
&mdash; WxChasing- Brandon Clement (@bclemms) <a href="https://twitter.com/bclemms/status/1469662822795816968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Some of the most devastating scenes included a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/amazon-warehouse-in-illinois-collapses-during-severe-storm-fatalities-confirmed-dozens-trapped">collapsed Amazon warehouse</a> and a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/candle-factory-destroyed-by-tornadoes-in-kentucky-trapping-more-than-100-people-inside">candle factory that was destroyed</a> with more than 100 people inside.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos weighed in Saturday afternoon on the several lives that were lost at the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois.
&#8220;The news from Edwardsville is tragic. We’re heartbroken over the loss of our teammates there, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones,&#8221; he said. &#8220;All of Edwardsville should know that the Amazon team is committed to supporting them and will be by their side through this crisis. We extend our fullest gratitude to all the incredible first responders who have worked so tirelessly at the site.&#8221;
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(2/2) All of Edwardsville should know that the Amazon team is committed to supporting them and will be by their side through this crisis. We extend our fullest gratitude to all the incredible first responders who have worked so tirelessly at the site.
&mdash; Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1469849247042334721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I’m monitoring the situation very closely since early this morning.  This is likely to be one of the largest tornado outbreaks in our history,&#8221; President Joe Biden said on Saturday. &#8220;I want to emphasize what I told all the governors: The federal government will do everything — everything it can possibly do to help.&#8221;
This report has been updated to include additional information.

Biden Approves Help For Kentucky After Tornadoes Kill Dozens

Death Toll Rises After Severe Tornado Storms: ‘Devastation Unlike Anything I Have Ever Seen In My Life’

Tornado

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