Posts

cancelled

Thousands Of US Flights Canceled Amid Storms And TSA Agent Shortage 

/in , /by

Thousands of flights across the US were canceled or delayed over the weekend and into Monday amid powerful storms across the eastern half of the country, and a partial government shutdown impacting TSA screenings for a second month. 

Embed from Getty Images

The shutdown that began on February 14th has greatly strained staffing at security checkpoints at a time where airports are crowded with spring break travelers and fans heading to March Madness games, according to reports from AP. 

This week, flights were greatly delayed and canceled at some of the nation’s largest airports due to major storms and snow throughout the Midwest and moving to the East Coast. Airports in New York, Chicago, and Atlanta were affected by high potential for heavy winds and tornadoes, the National Weather Service said on Monday. 

Specifically, over 4,400 flights scheduled to fly into, out of, or throughout the US on Monday were canceled with about 10,400 being delayed, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking site. About 290 flights in the US scheduled for Tuesday have been canceled as well. 

“The nationwide cancellations included about 570 in and out of Chicago O’Hare International, more than 430 at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International and over 270 at John F. Kennedy International Airport,” according to FlightAware.

The current partial government shutdown impacts only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration. Many airport security screeners missed their first full paycheck over the weekend. 

Embed from Getty Images

AP reports that Democrats in Congress have stated Homeland Security won’t get funded until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations after the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis this year. 

This is the third shutdown in less than a year to leave TSA workers temporarily without pay, and once the government reopens, employees will have to wait longer for back pay. 

Some airports are seeing longer security lines due to staffing shortages with TSA workers needing to take on second jobs to pay for their basic needs. Homeland Security stated that over 300 TSA agents have quit since the beginning of the shutdown. 

TSA union leaders in Atlanta held a news conference this week outside Hartsfield-Jackson where they said that air travelers could experience increasingly long wait times as the shutdown continues. 

TSA workers “are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts,” said Aaron Barker, a local leader with the American Federation of Government Employees. 

hot

Climate Change Is Making ‘Best Time To Visit’ Vacation Planning Obsolete 

/in , /by

Planning the perfect vacation is dependent on a lot of specific factors. Besides the location, one must take into consideration the time of year, tourist opportunities, and weather conditions. Many people research the “best time to visit” their destination to ensure they get the most out of their travel experience. 

However, in today’s world, many people are facing climate-driven disruptions when it comes to planning their vacations. Summers are extremely hot, winters are extremely cold, and the seasons in between are just as unpredictable when it comes to weather events and how it will impact a multitude of destinations. 

Australia, for example, recorded the hottest March on record this year and Japan’s famous cherry blossom season saw the beautiful trees blooming earlier than ever this year. 

Embed from Getty Images

“The planet’s warming since around 1980 is making heatwaves, droughts and floods more frequent and severe. All three of these are most common during summer, when travel peaks,” said Jonathan Erdman, senior meteorologist at The Weather Company‘s weather.com, to the BBC. 

“Extremely wet and dry periods can happen any time of year – including shoulder season – if the weather pattern gets stuck for a while.”

One of the most traditional ways that travelers plan their trips is looking into the “best time to visit” their destination. The term refers to the peak travel seasons of particular locations, and often will be the times where the weather is nice, there’s easy access to tourist experiences, and fewer crowds in more popular destinations. 

Travel agents have stated their struggle to help their clientele find these ideal times because of how unpredictable the world is now. For example, Juliana Shrestha, co-founder of Duluwa Outdoors, a female-led Nepal-based company that provides educational outdoor experiences, said inconsistency in weather is a major challenge. 

“Earlier, when clients asked for a snow trek in December, we could suggest options like Annapurna Base Camp, but now, it’s harder to say confidently whether conditions will be right. We just don’t know anymore,” she said to the BBC.

Reports also show that even short-term weather predictions are less dependable due to the current state of climate change, according to Stanford research.  

“When it comes to critical details like current weather conditions, or even basic advice like ‘bring a mask because of the pollution’, they either don’t know or don’t think it’s necessary to share,” Sherestha said.

Shrestha also discussed how within the industry, a lot of agencies omit climate realities which leave their clients unprepared for potential weather events and can ruin a lot of experiences. 

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make money, but are you treating customers like numbers, or are you guiding them into a thoughtfully curated experience, with transparency?”

Embed from Getty Images

“[Some agencies] don’t build an idea of a place based on reality, but an idealized version, and it doesn’t get updated,” said Laura Hall, a travel writer and journalist.

Hall continued to explain that some of the “idealized versions” stem from an avoidance to accept that there are now travel experiences that aren’t the same as they used to be. Social media creates an even greater unrealistic picture of many of the world’s most famous sites, and since most people book their trips months, or even years, in advance, timing can also make it difficult. 

“It’s unlikely you’ll be scrolling through news articles while booking and stumble upon a warning that it’s going to be over 40C,” Hall said. 

Shrestha said that the industry needs to adopt empathy and the ability to adapt in order to give their clients the best vacation possible. Tour operators should prepare travelers of potential disruptions on their trips by recommending what to pack for unpredictable weather. 

Additionally, they need to set realistic expectations and encourage the purchase of travel insurance with backup plans should itineraries fall through. Shrestha also said that for Duluwa Outdoors specifically, they rely on the local’s expertise and ensure all of their guides have visited the sites they recommend at a recent time. 

“While we can’t predict exact conditions at the time of booking, this helps us give real-time updates closer to the trip. We don’t believe in blanket answers like, ‘September is the best time,'” says Shrestha. 

Susanne Etti, a global environmental impact manager at Inrepid Travel, told the BBC that with extreme weather on the rise more travelers are utilizing what’s known as “shoulder season trips.” 

“We’re seeing this trend really take off in Europe, with global bookings for some of our top summer spots, like Italy, Spain and Portugal, shifting to spring and autumn.” 

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, extreme weather disruptions are only going to get worse as time goes on, even if “global warming stays within 1.5C.”

“This reality gives us a real chance to rethink how we design trips, stay agile and build a future for tourism that’s genuinely better,” Etti says. 

“A future where destinations can grow sustainably and actually offer travellers a richer, more meaningful experience than they do now.”

wave

California Citizens Encouraged To Avoid The Ocean As Large Waves Expected To Impact Shorelines 

/in , /by

California residents are currently being urged to avoid shorelines and structures such as wharves and piers as 20 to 30 foot waves are expected to impact the northern Pacific coast throughout the rest of the week and into the New Year. 

The National Weather Service advisory came after the wharf in Santa Cruz experienced a 150 foot section collapsing from high waves earlier this week. Debris from multiple storms are also being blamed for the death of a resident in Santa Cruz county. 

The coast guard in southern California announced that it has suspended the search for two men who went missing after a fishing trip off the coast of Palos Verdes, NBC Los Angeles reported. They also suspended the search after finding wreckage from a boat that was believed to belong to the fishermen. 

“Inexperienced swimmers should stay out of the water due to life-threatening surf conditions. Never turn your back on the ocean,” the NWS warned in the Bay Area.

Embed from Getty Images

High surf and rip currents are being reported throughout the Los Angeles area. 

Santa Cruz also experiences three city workers falling into the ocean when a large section of a pier they were working on collapsed and floated away during a high surf this week. Luckily the workers survived with minor injuries. 

“Nearly 20 miles to the south, at Sunset State beach, California state parks and fire crews responded at around 11.30am on Monday about a man trapped under debris. The man was pronounced dead at a local hospital,” a spokesperson for the Santa Cruz county sheriff’s office said. 

“It’s total chaos. I just did a drive through the south side of town and the beaches are all tore up. It looks like a bomb went off,”  a Santa Cruz resident told the Los Angeles Times.

storms

Major Storms And Torrential Rain Have Hit France, Switzerland, and Italy

/in , /by

Major storms and torrential rains hit France, Switzerland, and Italy this past weekend, leaving seven people dead, according to local authorities.

Authorities spoke with the media outlet Agence France-Presse, and detailed that three people in their 70s and 80s died in France’s north-eastern Aube region on Saturday after their car was crushed by a tree while they were driving against major winds. A fourth passenger is currently in critical condition. 

Embed from Getty Images

Four people died in Switzerland and another is missing, according to the local police. Three were killed from a landslide brought on by torrential rains in the south-east, according to Italian police. 

According to the Guardian, police said that a man was found dead in a hotel in Saas-Grund in Valais, likely due to rapid and sudden flooding. Another man is also currently missing in the same area. 

“Several hundred people” were evacuated in Valais and multiple roads were closed from flooding and landslide warnings, according to civil security services. 

Emergency services had to navigate how to evacuate 300 people who were in Peccia for a football tournament, and 70 individuals who were at a “holiday camp” in the village of Mogno. 

Embed from Getty Images

In recent years when major natural disasters have occurred, scientists have reminded the world that climate change brought on by human activity and lack of government intervention has caused the intensity, frequency, and length of extreme weather events to increase immensely. 

Police also discussed how rescue efforts have been very difficult due to continuous poor weather conditions and destruction that has made a lot of areas inaccessible, such as several valleys. Electric networks have also been cut off in multiple areas. 

The federal alert system also stated that parts of the impacted areas were without drinking water. In the west side of Valais, several hundred people were evacuated and roads were closed due to repetitive dangerous weather conditions.

Extreme rainfall in Switzerland also caused major damage and led to the death of one individual. Recovery and rescue efforts are still underway. 

Hail Storm

Golf Ball-Sized Hailstones Fall in Australia

/in , /by

Over the past several weeks, Australia has experienced extreme wildfires which threaten wildlife all over the continent and continue to this day. Now, another extreme weather event has befallen Australia, as golf ball-sized hailstones have fallen from the sky in Canberra, destroying vehicles and threatening human safety and property. The hail arrived alongside severe thunderstorms, which left two tourists in the hospital after they were struck by lightning. The hail has already caused serious damage in Australia; glasshouses in which studies on crop sustainability were being conducted were destroyed by the hail, ruining the scientific endeavors conducted in the building and leading the Insurance Council of Australia to declare the storms a “catastrophe.” 

Embed from Getty Images

Given the apocalyptic nature of the wildfires that have destroyed large swaths of the country, the rain provided by the storms is welcome, but the destructive hail it brought only contributes to more misery in a country besieged by recent rare and extreme weather events. Unfortunately, such weather events are likely to continue throughout the coming years and decades, as scientists believe that the weather was made much more powerful by the effects of climate change, which will only worsen over the next century irrespective of whether humans eliminate their greenhouse gas emissions, which itself seems unlikely. The country’s Bureau of Meteorology warned of “giant” hailstones in advance of the storm, but it was impossible for people to prepare for the destruction that the hail wrought upon the city of Canberra and the surrounding areas. The hail injured a large number of birds, many of which were brought to vets by concerned passersby.

While the hailstorm lasted just thirty minutes, it badly damaged hundreds of cars and buildings, according to The Guardian. Fortunately, no deaths were reported, although two people were treated for minor injuries from the hail. As a result of the storm, 20,000 houses and buildings lost power in the south-east part of the country. The winds from the storm were so powerful that they ripped branches from trees and knocked over trees, in some cases causing people to be trapped in their cars on the road as felled trees blocked their path. Additionally, the National Museum of Australia experienced serious damage as the storm tore off part of the building’s roof, caused leaks in hallways, and damaged shade cloths, leading the building to close its doors. According to the Insurance Council of Australia, more than 11,000 claims have been filed in connection with the storm. 

Embed from Getty Images

And as if these extreme weather events weren’t enough, the weather has also brought huge dust storms to the country, which were so powerful that they blocked out the sunlight. New South Wales was particularly affected, and citizens shared videos of the tremendous storms on social media, drawing significant attention online. People around the world have chipped in to help Australia in the aftermath of these wildfires; for instance, runners are participating in a virtual race for charity in order to raise money to benefit the country. With hope, calm weather will return to Australia soon, and the country will have a chance to recover. 

Flooding

Indonesia Hit By Extreme Flooding

/in , /by

Extreme weather conditions have been rocking the world recently and Indonesia has been one of the latest regions to be hit. Last week torrential rains hit Jakarta and its surrounding areas which in turn caused landslides and floods that have taken the lives of 29 individuals. At one point over 62,000 citizens had to be evacuated from Jakarta, although Agus Wibowo – a spokesman for the disaster mitigation agency – confirmed that the numbers of those evacuated had dropped to 35,000 people.

The city of Bekasi was also hit, although the waters are starting to recede, leaving muddy roads covered in garbage, as well as damaged cars littering the area. With so much damage locals were forced to use tire inner tubes or rubber lifeboats just to get around the city.

Many buildings showed signs that the water had reached the second floors after a local river broke its banks with local Deddy Supriadi saying he “saw the water coming and it just kept getting higher and higher. It swept away 40 or 50 cars that were parked right here.”

Many residents across the region became trapped in their own homes as rescuers were seen helping seniors and children evacuate via inflatable boats. The National Search and Rescue agency confirmed that they had been called to make many rescues, including an incident where rescuers had to wade through water that was ‘chin-deep’ so they could rescue a baby who was carried to safety in a small bucket.

The agency’s spokesman Yusuf Latif confirmed “we’ve been rescuing new-borns, mothers who just gave birth and babies trapped in houses without food.”

Embed from Getty Images

“In some places, the rescue operation was quite challenging and difficult. The water was deep with a strong current. Some alleyways were so narrow that it was hard for our inflatable boats to pass through.”

However, children in the area were spotted swimming in the waters while others took to the streets with their fishing rods. Agung Rosiadi, 28, saw people fishing so he joined them, however he commented that “there were lots of fish before but I don’t know why they’ve all gone now.”

Sadly at least 26 people have lost their lives in greater Jakarta with a further three dying during flash floods in the nearby Lebak regency. Police have confirmed they are still looking for eight missing people with Social Affairs Minister Juliari Peter Batubara admitting “we hope the toll won’t keep going up.”

While most deaths were caused through hypothermia or drowning, there were also other instances including a 16-year-old boy who was electrocuted by a power line and an eight-year-old boy who died during a landslide.

One resident saw many families flee the floods in the western edges of Jakarta, telling reporters “the floods hit without warning. The water came very fast and it rose quickly. We couldn’t manage to get our stuff out, including my car.”

Other residents were evacuated from their homes in East Jakarta including Umar Dani who was rescued with his family on a rubber boat after the flood waters rose to neck height. “It has not flooded for so long here. We didn’t have the chance to bring anything. I have to live on the streets now.”

Embed from Getty Images

Following several electrocutions, officials decided to turn the power off in many areas in Jakarta to prevent further incidents, thus resulting in several train lines being closed down, as well as a local airports, however the majority of services were back to normal within 24 hours.

Joko Widodo – Indonesia’s President – spoke to reporters and confirmed that both safety and evacuation procedures would be prioritized and demanded more planning between the central government and local administrations.

Speaking via his Twitter feed Widodo blamed flood control infrastructure projects being delayed for the flooding, with some being delayed for nearly three years as a result of land acquisition problems.

During a visit to areas in East Jakarta the governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, announced that the authorities had been deploying hundreds of pumps in an attempt to remove the majority of the rainwater from several residential settings throughout the capital, meaning many residents could return back to what was left of their homes.

“They want to return home immediately and start cleaning up their houses as soon as they are able to enter their houses as water recedes.”

Reports confirmed that water levels have dropped dramatically in some of the affected areas with images showing many streets needing clearing of mud and rubbish.

However if locals thought the danger has passed authorities have warned them that the “extreme weather” is due to continue for another week – with heavy rainfall predicted until the middle of February – and urged people to “remain vigilant.”

Bad Weather Traffic

Storms Threaten Holiday Travel Across US

/in , /by

The holidays are undoubtedly the most difficult time of the year to travel in the United States, as roughly 55 million Americans take to airports and highways to visit their families before the end of the year. This year, however, may pose even more of a travel headache than usual, as multiple storms are forecasted to hit various parts of the US this Thanksgiving. According to U.S. News, a snowstorm is expected in Colorado, Kansas, and northern New Mexico on Friday and Saturday, potentially wreaking havoc on these states’ roads. Additionally, a mixture of rain and snow is forcasted for Missouri and Maine, among other states. Much of the southeastern U.S., alongside the East Coast, is expected to be impacted by thunderstorms as well. 

Embed from Getty Images

Over the weekend, the disruptive weather system is predicted to continue moving east, causing freezing rain in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, West Virginia, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. Next week, rain will turn into snow in Chicago on Tuesday, and Wisconsin and Michigan will receive heavy snow on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the Northeast, temperatures will not reach freezing, but a storm system will cause rain on Tuesday and Wednesday, thankfully clearing up in time of New York’s Thanksgiving Day parade on Thursday.

Already, a winter storm in Denver has caused a 50 car pile-up, and this storm is moving from the Rockies toward the Northeast, according to ABC 7 NY. The central U.S. is predicted to be the area of the country most affected during the peak of Thanksgiving travel, but travel is sure to be disrupted throughout the country due to weather over the coming days and weeks. According to the AAA, travel during the holidays already takes four times longer than usual due to the increase in traffic, and weather will likely make this travel time even longer to the point of being nearly impossible in some areas. Even more people are predicted to travel this year than last year, as the AAA predicts an additional 1.6 million more people will travel in 2019 than in 2018, as a result of a strong economy.

Embed from Getty Images

If you’re one of the millions of Americans planning on traveling this year, it would be wise to take some precautions to ensure you arrive at your destination safely and on time. According to a AAA report, the absolute worst day to travel is Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, though roads are likely to see very heavy congestion all week. AAA predicts that it will receive more than 368,000 calls from motorists in need of help this holiday season, with dead batteries, lockouts, and flat tires being the most common issues. While gas prices are predicted to stay at a relatively low $2.57 per gallon this holiday, this means that more people will be motivated to drive, making congestion worse.

Many people travel to warm-weather areas during the holiday season, and this year will be no different. According to the AAA, the top three travel destinations for Thanksgiving will be Orlando, Florida; Anaheim, California; and New York, New York, with theme parks being a major attraction during the holidays. In addition to car and plane travel, travel by train, bus, and cruise ship is also expected to peak during the holiday season, though not to the same degree as the other, more popular forms of travel. Air travel in particular will be more difficult this year than last year, as the AAA predicts that air travel will grow by 4.6% this year, a substantially higher margin than any other form of travel. The most important thing to consider when traveling during the holidays, especially when weather conditions are projected to cause difficulties, is the personal safety of yourself and your passengers. As such, you should take steps to prepare for the event of an emergency if you plan to travel.