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Climate

9 Dramatic Photos of Tropical Storm Hilary in California​

The storm left a record amount of summer rain and a host of images rarely seen in the region.

Tropical Storm Hilary has dumped a record amount of summer rain on Los Angeles and San Diego, but, as of mid-day on Monday, those Southern Californian cities seem have avoided the worst case scenarios of the storm. Still, in its wake, the deluge left roads flooded, drivers stranded, and a host of images rarely seen in that part of the country.

A woman looking at the sea.A person and dog stand near the Pacific Ocean as Tropical Storm Hilary approaches Imperial Beach, California.Mario Tama/Getty Images

People on the beach.People walk along Imperial Beach as Hilary approaches.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Cars on a flooded street.Vehicles drive along a flooded street as Hilary approaches Palm Springs, California.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Stranded motorists.Stranded motorists attempt to push their car out of floodwaters on the Golden State Freeway in Sun Valley, California.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A tow truck driver attempting to pull a stranded car out of floodwaters.A tow truck driver attempts to pull a stranded car out of floodwaters on the Golden State Freeway in Sun Valley.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Workers attempting to unclog a drain.Workers attempt to unclog a drain on a flooded street in Rancho Mirage, California.Mario Tama/Getty Images

A partially submerged car.A partially submerged car in Cathedral City, California.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Road damage.Road damage near In-Koh-Pah, California.Caltrans San Diego/X

Dodger Stadium.Flooding around Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.Los Angeles Dodgers Aerial Photography/X

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Energy

AM Briefing: Power Hungry

On the IEAs latest report, flooding in LA, and Bill Gates’ bad news

Global Electricity Use Is Expected to Soar
Heatmap Illustration/Getty Images

Current conditions: Severe thunderstorms tomorrow could spawn tornadoes in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama • A massive wildfire on a biodiverse island in the Indian Ocean has been burning for nearly a month, threatening wildlife • Tropical Cyclone Zelia has made landfall in Western Australia with winds up to 180mph.

THE TOP FIVE

1. Breakthrough Energy to slash climate grantmaking budget

Bill Gates’ climate tech advocacy organization has told its partners that it will slash its grantmaking budget this year, dealing a blow to climate-focused policy and advocacy groups that relied on the Microsoft founder, Heatmap’s Katie Brigham has learned. Breakthrough Energy, the umbrella organization for Gates’ various climate-focused programs, alerted many nonprofit grantees earlier this month that it would not be renewing its support for them. This pullback will not affect Breakthrough’s $3.5 billion climate-focused venture capital arm, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, which funds an extensive portfolio of climate tech companies. Breakthrough’s fellowship program, which provides early-stage climate tech leaders with funding and assistance, will also remain intact, a spokesperson confirmed. They would not comment on whether this change will lead to layoffs at Breakthrough Energy.

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Climate Tech

Breakthrough Energy Is Slashing Its Climate Grantmaking Budget

Grantees told Heatmap they were informed that Bill Gates’ climate funding organization would not renew its support.

Bill Gates.
Heatmap Illustration/Getty Images

Bill Gates’ climate tech advocacy organization has told its partners that it will slash its grantmaking budget this year, dealing a blow to climate-focused policy and advocacy groups that relied on the Microsoft founder, Heatmap has learned.

Breakthrough Energy, the umbrella organization for Gates’ various climate-focused programs, alerted many nonprofit grantees earlier this month that it would not be renewing its support for them. This pullback will not affect Breakthrough’s $3.5 billion climate-focused venture capital arm, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, which funds an extensive portfolio of climate tech companies. Breakthrough’s fellowship program, which provides early-stage climate tech leaders with funding and assistance, will also remain intact, a spokesperson confirmed. They would not comment on whether this change will lead to layoffs at Breakthrough Energy.

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Spotlight

Anti-Wind Activists Have a Big Ask for the Big Man

The Trump administration is now being lobbied to nix offshore wind projects already under construction.

Trump and offshore wind.
Getty Images / Heatmap Illustration

Anti-wind activists have joined with well-connected figures in conservative legal and energy circles to privately lobby the Trump administration to undo permitting decisions by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to documents obtained by Heatmap.

Representatives of conservative think tanks and legal nonprofits — including the Caesar Rodney Institute, the Heartland Institute and Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, or CFACT — sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum dated February 11 requesting that the Trump administration “immediately revoke” letters from NOAA to 11 offshore wind projects authorizing “incidental takes,” a term of regulatory art referencing accidental and permissible harassment, injury, or potential deaths under federal endangered species and mammal protection laws. The letter lays out a number of perceived issues with how those approvals have historically been issued for offshore wind companies and claims the government has improperly analyzed the cumulative effects of adding offshore wind to the ocean’s existing industrialization. NOAA oversees marine species protection.

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