Wild weather spreads across the U.S.

Summary

Consider This from NPR: Wild Weather Spreads Across the U.S.
Episode Release Date: January 7, 2025

---

Introduction

In the January 7, 2025 episode of NPR's Consider This, host Ari Shapiro delves into the widespread and intense weather events currently impacting various regions of the United States. From snowball fights in Washington, D.C., to destructive winds in Southern California and severe winter storms in Texas, the episode explores the immediate effects of these storms, the preparations being undertaken, and the broader implications related to climate change.

---

Washington, D.C.: Snowball Fights and Winter Disruptions

The episode opens in Washington, D.C., where a significant snowstorm has led to an unexpected public snowball fight. Ari Shapiro describes how hundreds of snowballs were hurled through the air on Monday, leading to the cancellation of work and school across most of the city. This unusual communal activity was partly organized by Michael Lippin, who aimed to recreate the magic of a similar event from a decade prior.

However, the storm's impact extends beyond playful activities. By late Monday morning, over 300,000 residents experienced power outages, with more than a third of these in Virginia. Transportation was heavily disrupted, with thousands of flight cancellations and over 300 vehicle crashes reported in Missouri alone. The storm set a Cincinnati, Ohio, record with more than 4 inches of snow, prompting residents like Ms. Starr to adapt by grilling dinner on her back porch amidst the snowfall.

Notable Quotes:

• Ari Shapiro [00:02]: "People who love snow have been waiting years for this moment."
• Rachel Ozier Lindley [01:07]: "I like the grill in the snow because then I'm not sweating and all irritated."

---

Southern California: Destructive Winds and Wildfire Risks

Transitioning to the West, Southern California is grappling with one of the most potent wind events in recent years. Jacob Margolis, a Los Angeles-based reporter, explains that the National Weather Service has classified the situation as a "particularly dangerous situation" due to wind gusts reaching up to 100 miles per hour across coastal regions from Santa Barbara to San Diego. These Santa Ana winds, while typical for the season, are exacerbated by extreme dryness, elevating the risk of wildfires.

Jacob emphasizes the severity of the fire situation: "We have not had rain for 260 plus days here. So everything's very dry. The winds also dry everything out. And when a fire does start up and you have winds this strong, they can actually throw embers a mile plus ahead of the fire front itself," making containment efforts exceedingly difficult, especially in the mountainous terrains of Southern California ([05:09] Jacob Margolis).

Notable Quotes:

• Jacob Margolis [04:33]: "Experiencing right now is one of the strongest wind events that we've seen in years."
• Jacob Margolis [05:09]: "We have not had rain for 260 plus days here. So everything's very dry."

---

Texas: Preparing for Severe Winter Storms

Moving to the South, Dallas-based reporter Rachel Ozier Lindley discusses the impending winter storm warning affecting north Texas, Arkansas, and northern Louisiana. Forecasts predict 3 to 6 inches of snow and sleet, a rare and disruptive event for Texas infrastructure. The psychological impact is significant, especially recalling the devastating 2021 winter freeze that led to massive power outages and over 240 fatalities.

Rachel highlights the state's improved preparedness since 2021, noting enhancements to the electric grid, including new weatherization requirements for power plants. ERCOT, which manages Texas's electric grid, is urging residents to conserve power in anticipation of increased demand. Additionally, many Texans have invested in personal generators to mitigate potential outages.

Notable Quotes:

• Rachel Ozier Lindley [05:50]: "3 to 6 inches may not seem like a big deal if you're listening from someplace like Michigan, but winter weather like this only happens a few times a year in Texas."
• Rachel Ozier Lindley [07:37]: "Texans are not leaving things to chance with these sorts of situations anymore."

---

Climate Change: Connections and Considerations

A critical component of the episode addresses the relationship between these extreme weather events and climate change. Rachel indicates that the current winter storm in Texas does not have a direct link to climate change, as such cold snaps are typical for the region. However, Jacob points out that while the winds themselves are normal, the increasing temperatures associated with climate change have led to drier landscapes, thereby intensifying wildfire risks during wind events.

Notable Quotes:

• Rachel Ozier Lindley [08:22]: "There's not a connection to this that I'm aware of."
• Jacob Margolis [08:40]: "The place we see climate impacts are hotter temperatures which dry out our landscapes, which of course, set the stage for really gnarly fires."

---

Conclusion

As Washington, D.C., grapples with snow-induced disruptions and Southern California faces potentially destructive winds, Texas braces for an uncommon winter storm, the episode underscores the diverse and widespread nature of extreme weather in the United States. While not all events are directly attributable to climate change, the interplay between normal weather patterns and shifting climate conditions highlights the complexity of preparing for and mitigating the impacts of such storms. NPR's Consider This provides listeners with a comprehensive overview of these events, their immediate effects, and the ongoing challenges they present to various communities across the nation.

---

Production Credits

This episode was produced by Briana Scott and Katherine Fink, edited by Rachel Waldholtz and Courtney Dorning, with additional reporting by Liz Baker and Nick Swartzel of WVXU. The executive producer was Sammy Yenigun.

Transcript

[Ari Shapiro]

People who love snow have been waiting years for this moment. By this I pronounce the beginning of the meridian.

[Ron Rutson]

Chill, chill.

[Ari Shapiro]

In Washington, D.C. hundreds of snowballs flew through the air Monday in a snowball fight that was open to all. And since work and school were canceled across most of the city, lots of people showed up. Michael Lippin was one of the organizers.

[Jacob Margolis]

It's been a decade. So we're here to recreate some of the magic from 10 years ago.

[Ari Shapiro]

Maybe not exactly a decade, but it has been a long time since a storm as big as this one swept from the Midwest through to the East Coast. The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings in at least half a dozen states, covering more than 34 million Americans. In Kansas City, Missouri, Steven Koranda taught his first grader Eldon, how to use a snowblower. All right, he's off. He's snow blowing. That's too fast. And in Cincinnati, Ohio, the city set a record of more than 4 inches of snow. Ms. Starr thought it was perfect weather to grill dinner on her back porch.

[Rachel Ozier Lindley]

I like the grill in the snow because then I'm not sweating and all irritated.

[Ari Shapiro]

Of course, winter storms aren't all snowball fights and barbecues. There were also major disruptions and even fatalities. By late Monday morning, more than 300,000 people had lost power, more than a third of those in Virginia. Thousands of flights were canceled. In Missouri alone, the state Highway Patrol reported more than 300 vehicle crashes. So that's what some parts of the country have been dealing with. And now other parts of the US Are looking ahead to their own extreme weather forecasts. Parts of Texas are under a winter storm watch. Governor Greg Abbott issued a state of emergency there. And out west, Southern California is bracing for hurricane strength winds, creating dangerous conditions for fire. Forecasters say it could be one of the most destructive wind storms to hit Southern California. Consider this, as some parts of the country are digging out from extreme weather, others are about to face major storms. What do these events have to do with climate change and how are they affecting people around the country? From npr, I'm Ari Shapiro.

[Ron Rutson]

This message comes from NPR sponsor SATVA founder and CEO Ron Rutson shares the story of how he got started creating Saatva.

[NPR Sponsor]

In 2007, 2008, I went out and I bought the most popular luxury mattresses. I tore them apart and I realized that based on the raw materials cost and the analysis that I had done that I was able to sell that level mattress, but with a very affordable price.

[Ron Rutson]

To learn more, go to saatva.com NPR support for NPR.

[Bolan Branch]

And the following message come from Bolan Branch. Change your sleep with the softness of Bole Branch's 100% organic cotton sheets. Feel the difference with 15% off your first set of [e-mail] with code NPR. It's exclusions apply. See site for details. Support for NPR. And the following message come from Boll and Branch. Change your sleep with Bolen Branch's airy blankets, cloud like duvets and breathable sheets. Feel the difference with 15% off your first [e-mail] with code NPR Exclusions apply. See site for details.

[Ari Shapiro]

It's consider this from NPR. Here in Washington, the federal government is closed, as are most of the schools in the area. That's because the first major snowstorm in about three years barreled in Sunday night. Meanwhile, the southern US Is preparing for another storm that could paralyze parts of Texas, Arkansas and northern Louisiana. And Southern California is preparing for life threatening destructive gusts that could last for days. That's a lot of wild weather. So what's going on? Well, let's bring in laist reporter Jacob Margolis and Rachel Ozier Lindley of the Texas Newsroom in Dallas. Good to have you both here.

[Jacob Margolis]

Thanks so much.

[Rachel Ozier Lindley]

Yeah, good to be here.

[Ari Shapiro]

Let's start in California. Jacob with you. Southern California is seeing these very strong winds. As I just said, those are driving wildfires. What's happening where you are, what we're.

[Jacob Margolis]

Experiencing right now is one of the strongest wind events that we've seen in years. It's so strong that the National Weather Service actually called it a particularly dangerous situation. And that's because we're seeing strong wind gusts potentially in some spots up to 100 miles per hour from Santa Barbara all the way down to San Diego, essentially all of coastal Southern California, where tens of millions of people live. Now, strong winds during this time of year are normal. We call them the Santa Ana winds. It's Santa Ana wind season, essentially winds that blow towards the coast. But the big problem is that it is also very, very dry and the fire risk is very high.

[Ari Shapiro]

So what is the fire situation right now?

[Jacob Margolis]

An absolute nightmare. We have not had rain for 260 plus days here. So everything's very dry. The winds also dry everything out. And when a fire does start up and you have winds this strong, they can actually throw embers a mile plus ahead of the fire front itself, starting spot fires up all over the place, making it all but impossible for firefighters to contain, especially in Mountainous terrain like we have here in Southern California.

[Ari Shapiro]

Well, to turn to Texas, Rachel, the forecast in your part of the country is very different. You're in Dallas, where there's a winter storm warning heading toward north Texas and neighboring states. What's the expectation?

[Rachel Ozier Lindley]

Well, it has been pretty cold here since Sunday, around freezing in many parts of the state. And now we're expecting possibly 3 to 6 inches of snow and sleet across the northern parts of the state, including Dallas. And that's expected to start late Wednesday, peak on Thursday and continue into Friday. Now, 3 to 6 inches may not seem like a big deal if you're listening from someplace like Michigan, but winter weather like this only happens a few times a year in Texas, so it can be pretty disruptive to the state's infrastructure. And while these cold snaps aren't unusual for this time of year, psychologically when we get these storms now, it is far more stressful for Texans than before. And that's because you may Remember back in 2021, we had a winter freeze that overwhelmed the state's power grid and it left millions of people across Texas without power. For so many still have vivid memories from that storm, which was ultimately blamed for more than 240 deaths.

[Ari Shapiro]

Yeah. So is Texas more prepared this time?

[Rachel Ozier Lindley]

Yes. Well, you know, Texas has made several electric grid changes since 2021. For instance, there are new weatherization requirements for power plants and things like that. But right now, ercot, which manages the state's electric grid, is asking Texans to conserve power, and that's because they're predicting an increased demand for electricity amid the cold. Still, though, ERCOT is saying that the electrical grid conditions should be normal through this cold snap. And local municipalities, they've also beefed up their own infrastructure since 2021. But of course, there's still a chance of local outages with this weather. But one thing that I've really noticed is that Texans are not leaving things to chance with these sorts of situations anymore. Since 2021, a lot of people in the state have bought generators, including myself and many of my neighbors.

[Ari Shapiro]

And California's grid has also struggled to keep up during bad storms in the past. Jacob, are people concerned about how the state's prepared to handle that?

[Jacob Margolis]

Well, you know, we've really responded in a pretty big way to wildfires in regards to the grid. And one of the big things that we have done, an important tool, is that utilities are essentially de energizing lines throughout the state when you do get these really big wind events. Because one of the big concerns is these lines, power lines throughout the state can spark and start wildfires. And we've seen that in a number of times. So, you know, that is a major kind of tool in the toolbox that we've been using lately.

[Ari Shapiro]

Anytime there are severe weather events, people wonder whether and how it's linked to climate change. What can you tell us about the connection here?

[Rachel Ozier Lindley]

Well, there's not a connection to this that I'm aware of. A meteorologist I talked with earlier today at the National Weather Service said these cold snaps aren't unusual for Texas this time of year, but did point out that the sheer volume of snow or sleet that we could see this week is abnormally high and Santa Ana winds.

[Jacob Margolis]

Completely normal for this time of year. But the place we see climate impacts are hotter temperatures which dry out our landscapes, which of course, set the stage for really gnarly fires.

[Ari Shapiro]

Well, as we are digging out here in Washington, D.C. we are wishing you the best in Southern California and in Texas. Jacob Margolis in Los Angeles and Rachel Ozier Lindley in Dallas, thank you both so much for your reporting.

[Rachel Ozier Lindley]

Thank you.

[Ari Shapiro]

This episode was produced by Briana Scott and Katherine Fink. It was edited by Rachel Waldholtz and Courtney Dorning. NPR's Liz Baker and Nick Swartzel of member station WVXU contributed additional reporting. Our executive producer is Sammy Yenigun. It's consider this from npr. Hi, I'm Ari Shapiro.

[Bolan Branch]

This message comes from Spectrum Business, who provides fast, reliable Internet, phone, TV and mobile services to help unlock the unlimited potential of your small business. Learn [e-mail] business support for NPR and.

[Ron Rutson]

The following message come from Washington Wise. Decisions made in Washington can affect your portfolio every day. But what policy changes should investors be watching? Washington Wise is an original podcast for investors from Charles Schwab that unpacks the stories making news in Washington and how it may affect your finances and portfolio. [e-mail] WashingtonWise this message comes from Viking, committed to exploring the world in comfort. Journey through the heart of Europe on an elegant Viking longship with thoughtful service, destination focused dining and cultural enrichment on board and on shore. And every Viking voyage is all inclusive with no children and no casinos. Discover more at viking.

[NPR Sponsor]

Com.