Southwest: Multiday Flood Threat From Lorena Ahead
As meteorologist Jonathan Belles recently noted, September is historically known as the most active month of Atlantic hurricane season. Is that reputation proving to be true this year?
As we followed updates of the weather today, we noted the development of a tropical wave in the eastern Atlantic that may soon develop into Tropical Storm Gabrielle. Our early models show some concern for the Caribbean. In the Pacific, Hurricane Lorena caused flooding in western Mexico without even making landfall.
You’ll find the biggest developments of the day below.
(03:50 p.m. EDT) Analysis: Climate Change Made Spain and Portugal Wildfire Weather 40 Times More Likely
From senior writer Chris DeWeese:
Climate change made the extreme weather that fueled devastating wildfires across Spain and Portugal last month 40 times more likely to occur and 30% more intense, according to early analysis by the World Weather Attribution network. The deadly blazes burned 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres) of the Iberian peninsula within weeks, with researchers calling the sheer size “astonishing.” According to the report, while such fire conditions would have occurred only once every 500 years in the pre-industrial climate, they can now be expected every 15 years due to climate change.
(03:21 p.m. EDT) ‘June Cleaver’ Is Back Where She Belongs
From staff writer Renee Straker:
Protecting oceans and marine life is close to our hearts, so we’re happy to share that “June Cleaver,” a 230-plus loggerhead turtle, was returned to the ocean yesterday.
She was found in June, having difficulty laying her eggs on Florida’s Melbourne Beach, after being hit by a boat.
For the past two months she was rehabilitated at the Brevard Zoo’s Sea Turtle Healing Center.
And yesterday in front of a crowd of about 300, she was released back into the waters that are her home.
Sidenote: June laid about 113 eggs at the Healing Center, they were buried on a local beach and are incubating!
(02:55 p.m. EDT) How Do We Know Fall Has Officially Begun?
As cooler temps move in across the country, our meteorologists have looked into a question that many are asking, “Does the pumpkin spice latte mean fall has begun?” Take a look.
(02:25 p.m. EDT) Hurricane Kiko Strengthens In The Pacific
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) released this stunning satellite footage of Hurricane Kiko in the Pacific, which strengthened into a Category 4 storm, according to an announcement this morning from the National Hurricane Center. Kiko is roughly 1,600 miles east of Hawaii.
(01:59 p.m. EDT) Oh, Canada
From managing editor Sean Breslin:
Yep, that’s 105.4 degrees Fahrenheit. It happened yesterday in the Thompson Country region of British Columbia.
(01:33 p.m. EDT) Down To The Waterline
From lead editor Jenn Jordan:
A historic drought in Iraq has uncovered something incredible: a 2,000-year-old burial site that’s been hidden beneath the Mosul Dam.
As water levels dropped to record lows (owing to a combination of climate change and water mismanagement), 40 ancient tombs suddenly reappeared. Now, archaeologists are scrambling to preserve and record as much as they can before the waters rise again.
See our full story here.
(01:10 p.m. EDT) More Heavy Monsoon Rains Hit India And Pakistan
From senior writer Chris DeWeese:
Residents navigate through a road flooded by heavy rains, in Gujrat, Pakistan, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.
((AP Photo/A. Rizvi)
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Bad news from India and Pakistan, where a new round of heavy monsoon rainfall began today and is expected to last for another 24-48 hours. For areas already in the grip of record flooding, this rain will only make a dire situation even worse. The Associate Press reports that nearly 300,000 more people have been evacuated over the past 48 hours from Pakistan’s Punjab province, bringing the total number of people displaced in the region since last month to 1.3 million.
(12:50 p.m. EDT) Wildfires Grow In California After Lightning Strikes
More than a dozen wildfires erupted in California on Tuesday, including the 6-5 Fire that has devastated the town of Chinese Camp east of Stockton. The sudden outburst of blazes followed a major lightning storm early Tuesday morning.
Cal Fire has grouped many of those blazes as the TCU September Lightning Complex and more than 1,000 emergency personnel have been deployed to help contain them.
Meanwhile, the Salt 14-2 Fire in Fresno County has grown to be one of the largest in the state currently, with 13,500 burned and only 7% containment.
Layne Smith, left, clears vegetation to stop flames from spreading to his home as the 6-5 Fire burns through the Chinese Camp community of Tuolumne County, California.
(AP Photo/Noah Berger)
(12:21 p.m. EDT) Storms Rip Roof Off Wichita-Area School
From staff writer Renee Straker:
Classes are canceled today at Elyria Christian School after wind gusts up to 75 mph tore off part of the school’s roof Wednesday evening. This morning school officials told us teams were up to 2 a.m. trying to patch the roof after rain damaged two classrooms and a hallway.
The storms also pelted Central Kansas with baseball-sized hail that damaged cars and knocked out power to thousands. Check out this video of how bad it got.
(11:53 a.m. EDT) Hurricane Lorena Causes Flooding In Mexico
From staff writer Renee Straker:
Even without landfall Hurricane Lorena caused some serious flooding in western Mexico. Posts across social media should flash floods running rampant through streets in popular tourist areas like Cabo San Lucas.
Then Mexico’s National Guard shared video and photos of soldiers cleaning up flooded streets, and digging cars out of the mud and debris.
