Weather & National Disasters  

 

 

NEWS

Sadness and Solidarity in Newtown


FOLLOW THE STORY
A sign in Newtown, CT, shows support for the victims of Friday's school shooting. (Phillip Martin/WGBH)

WGBH News tracks the unfolding story of a nation shocked by more gun violence and facing the President's call for change. 
Weather & National Disasters

The July Weather Outlook


By Bob Seay
Climate scientist Mike Rawlins says that most of the U.S. is projected to be hotter than average this summer — but not New England.
WGBH NEWS

As Water Supplies Wane, What's Next?


MORE INNOVATION HUB
By Kara Miller
Innovation Hub looks at the increasing scarcity of water as the world's population grows.
Weather & National Disasters

Spring 2012 the Warmest on Record


By Bob Seay
Don't let a few chilly days fool you: Boston and Worcester experienced the warmest spring since records started being kept over 100 years ago.
Local Politics

This Week in State Politics: Storms and the Senate


By Sarah Birnbaum
This week in Massachusetts state politics, the casino oversight board meets, officials commemorate the Western Massachusetts tornadoes and Springfield hosts the Democratic state convention.
Weather & National Disasters

Fires Flare in a Dry Forest


2011 STORM DAMAGE PERSISTS
By Toni Waterman
It has all the worst ingredients: toppled trees, dry gusts of wind, pine needles parched and brittle. Brimfield State Forest has become a forest-sized fireplace. After an early-April blaze, rangers talk about what they're doing to help.
Weather & National Disasters

After the Tornado, Recovery Is Slow


By Jared Bowen
It’s been over nine months since tornados ripped through the state. But for towns such as Monson, the passage of time has meant little. Homes still aren’t restored; debt is mounting, and so is the frustration. We interview two families.
Innovation Hub

Innovating in the Face of Climate Change


A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Taking a look at how industry has adapted to a new world of climate change concerns. 
Environment

A Local Perspective on Global Warming: Complete Series


By Heather Goldstone
Temperatures are increasing, weather is getting more erratic and sea levels are rising. What should we do?
Weather & National Disasters

Winter's for Building


By Jordan Weinstein
The balmy weather has been lethal for ski resorts, but it's boom times for the region's construction industry. A financial services reporter explains the situation and the link to commercial lending.
Weather & National Disasters

Where Did The Money Go In Haiti?


AN ORPHANAGE SHAPED LIKE A 'B'
By Phillip Martin
Two years after the quake, some local Haitians have become frustrated with what they see as the slow progress of recovery.
Weather & National Disasters

In Haiti, An Orphanage Shaped Like A 'B'


By Toni Waterman
It’s been two years since a devastating magnitude-7 earthquake leveled much of Haiti, leaving over 300,000 dead. One of them was 19-year-old Rutland native Britney Gengel. Her family is working through its loss by picking up where Britney left off. 
Weather & National Disasters

WGBH News 2012 Winter Weather Outlook


By WGBH News
Ready to swap your T-shirt for a parka? Hold off. A meteorologist says temperatures this winter will likely be at or above average.
Weather & National Disasters

Revisiting Weather Disasters In Western New England


WGBY: THE CONNECTING POINT
By WGBH News
The headlines have faded, but western New England continues to rebuild after this summer's devastating tornadoes and tropical storm. Our partners at WGBY went to cities and towns to hear stories of the devastation and its aftermath.
Boston

National Grid Under Fire For Irene, Snowstorm Outages


EXEC. DEFENDS RESPONSE TO STORM
By Cristina Quinn
While the state Department of Public Utilities opens an investigation into National Grid's response to the late-October snowstorm that left hundreds of thousands without power, residents and area officials are still expressing their frustation at the utility's response to Hurricane Irene.
Energy

Electric Exec. Defends Response To Storm


AFTER STORM, ACCUSATIONS AND AN INVESTIGATION
GREATER BOSTON
By WGBH News
After finally restoring power to all its Mass. customers, National Grid defended its response to the snowstorm that hammered the state in late October.
LOCAL NEWS

In Wake Of Storm, Accusations And An Investigation


WGBH NEWS: FOUR DAYS LATER, STILL NO HEAT
By WGBH News
As Mass. Attorney General Martha Coakley says she will request a formal investigation of the utility companies' response to the historic nor'easter, people debate the best way to prevent future problems.
LOCAL NEWS

Police Say Conditions Were Icy At Lt. Gov. Car Crash Site


By Sarah Birnbaum
The preliminary Mass. State Police report on Lt. Gov. Tim Murray's Wednesday-morning crash backed up Murray's claim that ice caused him to lose control of the car.
LOCAL NEWS

Four Days Later, He's Living In The Dark


WGBH NEWS: POWER OUTAGES CONTINUE
By Phillip Martin
Nelson Butten of Lawrence talked about how he was dealing with lengthy power outages. As late as the morning of November 2, his apartment still had no heat.
LOCAL NEWS

Many Mass. Residents Still In The Dark


NPR: FRUSTRATION MOUNTS
By WGBH News & Wires
Power will be restored “house by house, block by block,” said Governor Deval Patrick — and some people might be in the dark until Friday.
Hurricane Irene

Over 200 K Remain Without Power After Irene


IRENE LEAVES HISTORIC FLOODS IN VERMONT
By Sarah Birnbaum
Massachusetts officials and residents are still working to confront and assess the damage left behind by this weekend's Tropical Storm Irene. Over 250,000 remained without power on Tuesday morning.
Hurricane Irene

After Irene, 'Historic' Flooding In Vermont


By The Associated Press
In Vermont and upstate New York, normally placid streams turned into raging torrents tumbling with tree limbs, cars and parts of bridges. Hundreds of Vermonters were told to leave their homes after Irene dumped several inches of rain on the landlocked state. Gov. Peter Shumlin called it the worst flooding in a century, and the state was declared a federal disaster area.
Boston

After Irene, One Dead, 400K Without Power


IRENE: DEADLY, EXPENSIVE, BUT NO MONSTER
By The Associated Press
More than 400,000 Massachusetts households were without power Monday morning as 15 state-dispatched teams around the state worked to assess the damage of Tropical Storm Irene's hit on Massachusetts on Sunday.
WEATHER

Now A Tropical Storm, Irene Bears Down On Mass.


By WGBH Staff & Wires
Rain and winds bore down on Massachusetts on Sunday morning as Irene, now downgraded to a tropical storm, barreled its way up the East Coast. 
Boston

Boston Temperature Tops 100 F


By Phillip Martin
An "excessive heat warning" is in effect for Central and Eastern Massachusetts until Friday evening, with the temperature in Boston hitting 102 degrees F by midday.
WHERE WE LIVE: SPRINGFIELD

One Month Later, Tornado Victims Rebuild


TORNADO RECOVERY: HOW YOU CAN HELP
By Adam Reilly
Just over a month after tornadoes ravaged Springfield, Monson and other nearby communitites in Western Massachusetts, the story here isn’t ruin. It's recovery.
The World

Mass. Refugees Reckon With Tornado Damage


HEAR THE STORY
MORE FROM THE WORLD
By Jill Kaufman
In West Springfield, many of the people displaced by this month's tornadoes have been displaced before. They’re refugees from places like Somalia, Iraq and Nepal.
89.7 WGBH

In Monson, 'Trying To Save Whatever We Can'


IN SPRINGFIELD, TORNADO CLEANUP BEGINS
By Sarah Birnbaum
Three tornadoes swept Massachusetts on Wednesday. Some of the gravest destruction was in Monson, Mass., where on Thursday residents were still trying just to process the damage.
Weather & National Disasters

In Springfield, Tornado Cleanup Begins


TORNADO RECOVERY: HOW YOU CAN HELP
By Jess Bidgood
By Thursday afternoon, shock and fear from a tornado that struck Springfield on Wednesday had given way to a city-wide effort of soldiers, safety officials and residents beginning to put their city back together.
WHERE WE LIVE: SPRINGFIELD

Soldiers, Onlookers And Safety Officials Process Damage In Springfield


'JAW-DROPPING' DESTRUCTION AFTER MASS. TORNADO
By Phillip Martin
Massachusetts officials are still assessing the damage from multiple tornadoes that swept through Springfield and a number of other communities Wednesday. At least 200 buildings were destroyed and four people died during the storms.
MASS. TORNADOES

Deadly Tornadoes Leave Hundreds Of Injuries, Wrecked Buildings


DEADLY TORNADOES SWEEP PARTS OF MASSACHUSETTS
By WGBH News
Communities in Central and Western Massachusetts are digging themselves out of the immense damage left behind by a Wednesday storm system that spawned at least three tornadoes.
WEATHER

After Deadly Mass. Tornado, 'Jaw-Dropping' Destruction


By Jess Bidgood
At least four people are dead after violent storms swept through Massachusetts on Wednesday, spawning at least two tornados. A photographer who walked through Springfield just after a tornado touched down in the city described collapsed buildings, uprooted trees, damaged cars and widespread shock.
U.S.

Tornado Kills At Least 89 As It Slams Missouri Town


By The Associated Press
A massive tornado that tore a 6-mile path across southwestern Missouri killed at least 89 people as it slammed into the city of Joplin, ripping into a hospital, crushing cars like soda cans and leaving a forest of splintered tree trunks behind where entire neighborhoods once stood.
U.S.

Tornado Kills At Least 89 As It Slams Missouri Town

By The Associated Press
A massive tornado that tore a 6-mile path across southwestern Missouri killed at least 89 people as it slammed into the city of Joplin, ripping into a hospital, crushing cars like soda cans and leaving a forest of splintered tree trunks behind where entire neighborhoods once stood.
Nova

Mt. St. Helens: Back From the Dead


WATCH
30 years after the massive eruption...could it happen again?
WEATHER

Weekend Snow Could Bring More Roof Collapses


MEMA: TIPS FOR SAFE ROOFS
By Jess Bidgood
By Friday afternoon, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Emergency Association (MEMA) reported almost 100 collapses of roofs and other structures resulting from snow and moisture piled on by this week's two-day storm. 
WEATHER

Latest Storm Further Buries State Snow Removal Budget


STORM LEAVES FROZEN FOOTPRINT ACROSS U.S.
By Sarah Birnbaum
With more than two months of winter left to go, Massachusetts has already blown through its $58 billion snow removal budget for the entire season. The latest bout of winter weather has the commonwealth scrambling to come up with new cleanup funds. 
Boston

Temperature Drop Makes Roads Icy


IN DAVIS SQURE, BUSINESSES WEATHER SNOW
By Sarah Birnbaum
A sudden drop in temperature is making for a messy afternoon commute. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is urging drivers to take extreme caution. 
LOCAL BUSINESS

In Davis Square, Businesses Weather Snow-Related Downturn


STORM COULD BRING 'FLASH-FREEZING'
WHAT TO DO WITH THE SNOW?
By Jared Bowen
On the heels of the holidays, the winter months tend to be slow for restaurants. But season that with a batch of snowstorms and, in the words of one restaurateur, it’s a killer. But some restaurants are trying to take advantage of the snow -- and succeeding.
Boston

What To Do With The Snow?

By Sarah Birnbaum
Parts of New England will have gotten almost 20 inches of new snow by the end of this week -- and that's on top of about 60 inches that had already fallen. What to do with all the white stuff? State Sen. Jack Hart says it's time to dump it into the harbor. STORM COULD BRING 'FLASH-FREEZING'
UPDATED

Storm Could Bring 'Flash-Freezing'


LINKS: TRAVEL DELAYS, SCHOOL CLOSINGS
MONSTER SNOW AND MEGASTORMS, OH MY!
By Jess Bidgood
The second part of a two-day winter storm is bringing sleet and freezing rain to New England, prompting officials to warn of icy roads and roof collapses.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

The Greely Expedition: Epic Story Of Adventure, Abandonment


American Experience's The Greely Expedition tells of an 1881 scientific mission to the Arctic that ended with death and rumors of cannibalism.

Weather & National Disasters

Towns In The Red After Too Much White


AFTER STORM, SNOWPLOWS VS. SHOVELS
By Sarah Birnbaum
It’s not even midway into the winter season, but communities around the region are already maxing out their snow budgets.
WEATHER

After Another Storm, It's Shovel Vs. Snowplow


By Jess Bidgood
Although snow from Thursday morning’s storm has long stopped falling, the foot of white stuff that dropped from the sky overnight is still clogging up roads and sidewalks – and leading to a bit of a contest between shovelers and snowplows.
WEATHER

Snow Leaves Transit Delays, Closings


By WGBH News
A winter storm that dumped heavy snow across the East Coast overnight left travel delays, scattered power outages and school closings and delays Thursday morning.
WEATHER

Snow Expected To Snarl PM Commute

By Jess Bidgood and Andrea Smardon
Yes, again. A snow storm is expected to sweep through the area beginning late Wednesday afternoon, dumping heavy snow on the roads just in time for the evening commute.
WEATHER

Record Cold Freezes Northeast

By WGBH News
Most of Massachusetts is under wind-chill warnings or advisories Monday, as an Arctic high-pressure system brings temperatures well below zero across the Northeast.
WEATHER

Snow, Sleet Make For Slippery Mass. Roads


By Jess Bidgood
A winter storm -- the second in a week -- is blanketing Massachusetts with snow, sleet and freezing rain, creating dangerous road conditions around the state as Tuesday evening's commute looms.
POSTCARD FROM JAMAICA PLAIN

In JP, Social Networking Helps Neighbors Dig Out


By Jess Bidgood
An experiment in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood this week brought Web 2.0 together with the age-old task of shoveling, using Google Maps, text messaging and a tailor-made social network to dispatch shoveling volunteers around the neighborhood.
WEATHER

Outages, Cancelations Linger In Wake Of Snowstorm


By Sarah Birnbaum
Emergency crews and homeowners around Massachusetts are working to shake-off the aftereffects of a snowstorm that knocked out power to 100,000 residents, kept all flights from going in and out of Logan Airport, pushed down branches and trees and caused thousands of school and workplaces to be closed.
WEATHER

Nor'easter Will Bring Heavy Snowfall, High Winds To Mass.


By Jess Bidgood
A blizzard expected to blow through Massachusetts Wednesday could dump up to 18 inches of snow on some parts of the state, snarling both morning and evening commutes.  Dozens of schools are already closed because of the storm.
Weather & National Disasters

Blizzard Piles Snow, Delays On New England


AFTER STORM, TRAVEL SLOWLY REBOUNDS
By Phillip Martin
This week's blizzard may be over, but the storm's impact is lingering as people throughout New England deal with snowdrifts, flight delays and power outages left by the blizzard that dumped almost 20 inches of snowfall in some areas of the state.
Weather & National Disasters

Old Ship Logs Help Predict Weather Patterns


DOWNLOAD THIS STORY
Climate scientists have enlisted online volunteers to transcribe weather reports made by British sailors in World War I. The World’s Clark Boyd has more.

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