Tornadoes in the Midwest

Kirra Kirby

Over the past several weeks, the midwest has been hit with more than 200 tornadoes, and they are still going on. Twenty-seven tornadoes were reported on a single day and at least 8 of them broke the record that had been set in 1980. The Washington post says 225 tornadoes have been reported and confirmed since May 17th. Idaho, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania all experienced massive twisters touch the earth over the past several days.

Many people have been killed, dozens injured, and a lot of homes destroyed by these storms. One of the most serious reported damage was in Dayton, Ohio on Monday where crews had to use snow plows to clear the debris. Near Lawrence, Kansas there was also a mile-wide tornado but only damaged 30 houses. Even though storm damages are getting progressively worse, climate change may be a factor towards these much stronger tornadoes.

Although it is not unusual for tornadoes to occur during this time of year, the concerning part is the sheer fact of how many tornadoes have occurred. Researchers are saying that jet streams are fueling strong thunderstorms, which then spawn and form strong tornadoes. They say that over the central United States and energy forms in the spring month in March and April. When these energies weaken and move along, they create a jet stream.

Global Warming Is NOT A Fraud!

Gavin Mercado

There is something that the world has been steaming about in controversy recently. That’s right, I´m talking about global warming.

Now, President Trump has been quoted multiple times on saying ¨global warming is a fraud.¨ I would like to ask, well, how? Trump claims that scientists are lying about this to gain political interest. However, I would like to ask, how is this fake?:

This is a prime example of indirect animal cruelty. The people who have sponsored Trump’s for presidency support this. They support deaths of countless numbers of animals living at the poles.

The Aftermath of the Winds

Gwyndalynn Kent

When the time comes, the same every year, the Santa Ana winds blow in and bust up a firestorm. This year that has been exactly what they did with what is known as the Woolsey fire in LA county.

The Woolsey fire was quoted as “the worst wildfire in its modern history” by lacounty.gov mainly due to the fact that it killed three people and has burned over 96,949 acres. The dense smoke it produced is known to be the dirtiest air in the world. The fire destroyed many homes and building its path.

Luckily, for all of the people that were evacuated, the Woolsey fire was, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 100 percent contained on Wednesday, Nov. 15, and since then, loads of families have been able to go back to their homes.

It’s hard to imagine that some silly little winds could cause so much damage, but after this fire, and several more that happened this year, people will be taking the Santa Ana winds a little more seriously next year after seeing all of this horrible damage.

Indonesia is Quaking

Kirra Kirby and Ashley Wolf

Less than two months after a deadly earthquake struck Lombok island in Indonesia, another one hit the island nation’s Central Sulawesi, killing over 2,000 people and causing others to go missing.

There were so many lives lost in this event that cemeteries ran out of space, and mass graves had to be dug. One survivor said, “ I was hugging my wife when the wave came, I immediately lost her.”

On Friday, September 21, at 5:02 am, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit. Over 600 people were hospitalized and 48,000 displaced, and as rescue crews are searching for survivors, the numbers continue to rise daily.

Thomas Fire Burns Life

Kevin Luu

From a brush fire to a raging inferno, the Thomas fire, the state’s third-largest fire, erupted into flames two weeks ago and has spread faster and faster burning over 269,000 acres so far in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. It is currently only 45 percent contained and has destroyed over 1000 structures including 750 homes with the help of Santa Ana winds.

One of the factors causing this tragedy is the wind. Wind speeds can determine the fire spread. The more oxygen there is from the wind, the faster the blaze spreads. An example of a dangerous fire hazard could occur is in a situation where there is a low concentration of oxygen, referred to as a backdraught.

Also, the terrain is very dry and there is a thick brush that has not been burned for decades that is providing the fuel.

What is an Indian Summer?

Mia Grasse

It´s so Hot! We can all say that the week of October 23-27 was a very hot week, but, we may have some good news.

According to dictionary.com, an Indian summer is ¨a period of mild, dry weather, usually accompanied by a hazy atmosphere, occurring usually in late October or early November and following a period of colder weather.¨  

I think our current weather situations fits that description perfectly. Our hot weather has started in late October,  the weather was hot and dry, and we have had a hazy atmosphere.

Why is it SO HOT?

Alyssa Manson

It’s getting closer and closer to Halloween, and wait- isn’t it fall? When everyone brings out their boots and cozy jackets while curling up by the fire sipping a nice hot cup of Starbucks hot chocolate or hot apple cider? Well, you may want to reconsider.  Keep those sweaters tucked away because you probably won’t need them

Now, nothing says “fall” better than the sweet scent of fresh apples, cinnamon, and pumpkins. Though it’s fall, the temps missed the memo, and in some ways, that’s causing some problems for our apples.

The owner of Drazen Orchards in Cheshire states, “Things are ripening faster than you’d like them to. We’re not getting cold nights. It has slowed down business a bit, we weren’t as busy yesterday when it was almost 90.”

Doomsday for Puerto Rico in 2017

Kevin Luu

Hurricane Irma and Harvey were bad enough, right? Well, Hurricane Maria was a Category 5 hurricane that destroyed the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Montserrat. Who is going to help? 

There was lots of flooding causing incredible damage. According to CNN “Puerto Rico suffering a humanitarian crisis.” The hurricane even destroyed Puerto Rico’s buildings such as their radio tower. The Washington Post states, “Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico’s radar, a critical tool for forecasting.” In CNNMoney, it states, “Hurricane Maria is a nightmare for Puerto Rico’s economy.”

Irma Strikes

Madelyn Fracassa and Avalyn Walton

From August 30th until September 16th Irma killed over 120 innocent people with its fatal winds and deadly waves. With winds reaching 185 mph, Irma was no laughing matter. A countless amount of lives were ruined, and many homes were completely obliterated.  

Irma devastated many lives, including Robin Charrasse, who lives on St. Martin, an island in the Carribean. Robin Charrasse was in Irma’s direct path of destruction.

Most people would think that with Irma’s strong forces his house would be ruined. Fortunately, though, it was not. “Our roof was one of two roofs to stay on in the neighborhood. We are so lucky,” stated Robin Charrasse.  All other roofs were damaged heavily, leaving many houses uninhabitable.

What in Tarnation is this Thing?!

Brian Lam

The devastating 2017, category-3 Atlantic hurricane, notoriously known as Hurricane Harvey, brought many sorrows to the Southern and Eastern parts of the United States. Although destructive and costly requiring tens of billions of dollars for the area to recover, the hurricane also brought many mysteries. 

One of these involves a dead aquatic creature that washed up on the shores of Texas. Social media blew up with pictures of this sharp-fanged creature lying dead on the shores of Texas City, Texas.

While walking along the deserted beaches of Texas City, Preeti Desai encountered what to her looked like a large, dead rat. Curiously, she walked up to the mysterious creature only to figure out it was the carcass of a dead animal she was unfamiliar with.