Texas Could Face Historic Fire Conditions This Week

Current conditions: A large wildfire threatens the Japanese city of Ofunato, which was devastated in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami • Mardi Gras celebrations are in disarray as New Orleans braces for high winds • Statewide tornado drills scheduled for tomorrow in the Carolinas have been postponed due to the threat of actual tornadoes.

THE TOP FIVE

1. February was 3rd hottest on record

Last month was the third hottest February ever recorded, marking the first time since June 2023 that a single month has not been the first or second warmest in history, according to climate researcher Zeke Hausfather. But global temperatures were still worryingly high, averaging 1.59 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era. Hausfather noted that temperatures dropped sharply in February, which “may be a sign that the short-term cooling effect of La Niña is at long last kicking in, though it is too early to know for sure.”

X/hausfath

2. Winter storm raises threat of fires, tornadoes across U.S.

A powerful winter storm is moving across the country this week, bringing an array of threats including strong winds, blizzards, tornadoes, and hail to millions of Americans. Starting today, “more than half of the country will be at risk for winds that can toss around loose objects, including trash cans, and impact travel, especially at airports and via high-profile vehicles,” according to AccuWeather. The National Weather Service warned of “potentially historic” fire conditions in central Texas, with winds gusting at up to 50 mph.

Texas A&M Forest Service

Meanwhile, the Rockies and upper Midwest will be hit with heavy snow and high winds, while severe thunderstorms will rattle across the southern Plains, South, and Southeast. Some could spawn tornadoes, cause power outages, and drop large hail as well as huge amounts of rain.

3. Report: Trump administration plans to cancel leases for NOAA weather centers

Outrage and concern is growing over the Trump administration’s cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After having slashed more than 800 NOAA jobs (and with plans to slash up to half of the agency), the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, is reportedly canceling leases for NOAA centers that are essential to gathering national weather data and making accurate forecasts. “If this actually happens, it would spell the end of U.S. numerical weather prediction – the scientific models, run on supercomputers, used to create virtually all weather forecasts,” warned climate scientist Daniel Swain. More than 1,000 people rallied outside a NOAA building in Colorado yesterday to protest the cuts, and NOAA staffers marched outside the agency’s HQ in Maryland. “NOAA is critical to safe seafood that we eat, to weather forecasts involving dangerous hurricanes,” one demonstrator said. “A million different ways NOAA is a critical part of our lives and we need to keep this agency strong.”

4. EU extends emissions compliance deadline for automakers

The European Union is loosening the deadline on its new vehicle emissions rules, giving automakers a bit more time to comply. The EU wants to bring vehicle emissions to zero by 2035, starting with new caps this year that would have meant that about one-fifth of all cars sold would need to be electric in order for automakers to avoid fines. Many manufacturers have been pushing back, but were planning to “pool” their emissions and buy credits from Tesla and other EV makers to be in compliance. The change of plans means carmakers now have three years to meet the new emissions targets, which will perhaps “enable them to buy fewer emission credits from Tesla,” Electrek added. Environmentalists said the move will slow the EV transition, and Volvo CEO Jim Rowan said Volvo “has made the heavy investments needed to be ready for 2025.” “Companies like ours should not be disadvantaged by any last-minute changes to legislation,” Rowan said.

5. Former coal-fired power plant in Alabama to become battery energy storage system

A former coal-fired power plant in Alabama’s Walker County is set to be transformed into a large battery storage facility. Construction on Alabama Power’s Gorgas Battery Facility will start this year, with completion expected in 2027. It will house lithium ion phosphate batteries with a two-hour duration capable of storing 150 megawatts of electricity, which is equivalent to the capacity needed to power about 9,000 homes. It will connect directly to the grid. This will be the state’s first ever utility-scale battery energy storage system. “This facility will help Alabama Power understand how we can best use battery systems on our electric grid so that customers have power when they need it,” said Jeff Peoples, CEO of Alabama Power. The Gorgas coal-fired facility was retired in 2019.

THE KICKER

“This isn’t a good time to put a red flag in front of the bull.”

–Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech Global Inc., sums up why her firm, and many others, are starting to downplay their climate initiatives.