A flood watch in three states, particularly along the Gulf, while severe weather looms over the upper Midwest. Supreme Court strips EPA authority on CO2 emissions, plus more top stories in today’s weather.
Flood watch in 3 states, storm churning in the Gulf, tropical storm Bonnie likely to form in Caribbean
A disturbance in the Gulf is expected to bring heavy rain to parts of Texas and Louisiana on Thursday, with the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing a flood watch in the Houston area and around eastern Texas. The heavy rain is expected to intensify on Friday, bringing a greater risk of flash flooding along the coast and inland for southeastern Texas and Southwestern Louisiana, according to the NWS.
In the West for Thursday, the NWS also issued a flood watch for central southern, southeastern, and eastern Utah, as well as western Colorado.
Tropical storm Bonnie could form any time
Potential tropical cyclone two was expected to develop into tropical storm Bonnie as it enters the warm waters of the Caribbean, with a 90% chance over the next 48 hours, according to the NHC. But now experts say its chance of becoming the first hurricane in the Atlantic of the season are dwindling, AccuWeather reports. The storm is expected to cross over into the Pacific on late Saturday or Sunday.
Scattered thunderstorms across the US, severe weather in upper Midwest
Scattered thunderstorms over parts of the Pacific Northwest, West, Southwest, Midwest, South, and Southeast on Thursday. Stronger weather over the Midwest, where a Level 2 severe weather risk has been issued by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) for northern and northeastern Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, West-central, central and northeastern Wisconsin into northern Michigan. Strong winds are the largest risk, with the risk of large hail or tornadoes low.
Friday outlook: Thunderstorms for most of US
The start of the July 4 weekend will bring thunderstorms over most of the US on Friday, making it easier to specify where storms are not expected: the West east of Utah, a small patch of Texas and Oklahoma, and a northeastern swath of the upper Midwest over Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Potential rain everywhere else, according to the latest 3-day forecast by the National Weather Service (NWS).
The Supreme Court strips EPA of authority over power plant emissions
The Supreme Court struck down a lower court ruling giving the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) virtually unlimited regulatory powers through the Clean Air Act, giving the power back to Congress, the New York Post reported.
“It is not plausible that Congress gave EPA the authority to adopt on its own such a regulatory scheme,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote. “A decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself, or an agency acting pursuant to a clear delegation from that representative body.”
The Supreme Court wrote on Twitter: “The Supreme Court sharply curtails the authority of the EPA to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions that cause climate change. In a 6-3 ruling, the court sides with conservative states and fossil-fuel companies in adopting a narrow reading of the Clean Air Act.”
