# Tavily Search Results: Dusty

**Query:** Latest US extreme weather   
**Topic:** news  
**Results:** 5  
**Date:** 2025-12-18 21:49:41

---

## 1. Map Shows Where Major Winter Storm Impacts Expected - Newsweek

**URL:** [https://www.newsweek.com/map-major-winter-storm-impacts-expected-11230173](https://www.newsweek.com/map-major-winter-storm-impacts-expected-11230173)  
**Score:** 0.9053

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# Map Shows Where Major Winter Storm Impacts Expected

Published

Dec 17, 2025 at 05:21 PM EST

By Anna Skinner

Senior Reporter

Newsweek is a Trust Project member [...] "Wind gusts of 80+ mph, several feet of mountain snow, and blizzard conditions are in the forecast for the northern and western U.S. today and tomorrow," the forecast said.

A map included with the post on X showed that while the entirety of the Northern Plains was expected to see some impacts from the storm, some states will likely be hit by widespread major impacts. These include Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado and Idaho.

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News Article

# Map Shows Where Major Winter Storm Impacts Expected

---

Published

Dec 17, 2025 at 05:21 PM EST

By Anna Skinner

Senior Reporter

[Newsweek is a Trust Project member](https://www.newsweek.com/editorial-guidelines)

A [winter storm](https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-states-where-significant-winter-storm-will-strike-this-week-11174066) is expected to unleash "major" impacts across the Northern Plains through Thursday, according to a forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS).

The winter storm comes as an atmospheric river pummeled the Pacific Northwest earlier this week. The storm is now bringing [dangerously strong wind gusts](https://www.newsweek.com/rare-warning-issued-as-extreme-weather-hits-11230285) across the Northern Plains, and heavy snow will contribute to the weather threats beginning on Wednesday night. Coupled with the unusually strong winds, with gusts surging past 100 mph in some cases, [falling snow will create blizzard conditions](https://www.newsweek.com/list-schools-closed-monday-winter-weather-11212350), the NWS warned.

"Wind gusts of 80+ mph, several feet of mountain snow, and blizzard conditions are in the forecast for the northern and western U.S. today and tomorrow," the forecast said.

A map included with the post on X showed that while the entirety of the Northern Plains was expected to see some impacts from the storm, some states will likely be hit by widespread major impacts. These include Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado and Idaho.

...

Winter storm warnings, blizzard warnings, and even a civil emergency message are already in place across the impacted region. In some areas, snow has begun to fall.

In North Dakota, a blizzard warning stretches across the entire northern half of the state. NWS lead meteorologist Nathan Heinert said near-zero visibility will make travel dangerous, and the most widespread blizzard conditions will occur after midnight through Thursday morning.

Following the blizzard, Thursday's temperatures will plunge 30 to 40 degrees below Wednesday's highs.

Blizzard warnings were in place for northeastern Montana, North Dakota, and northwestern Minnesota.

"Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning commute. Very strong winds could cause damage to trees and power lines," the NWS office in Bismarck said. "Travel should be restricted to emergencies only."

Snow is also expected in areas not under blizzard warnings, which could also contribute to poor travel conditions.

"Travel could be very difficult to dangerous and tire chains may be required for some vehicles," NWS Great Falls said in a winter storm warning. "Visibility may drop below 1/4 mile at times due to falling and blowing snow. Those in the backcountry should ensure they are prepared for dangerous conditions."

In some high-elevation areas, such as the Absaroka/Beartooth

*[Content truncated...]*

---

## 2. Trump administration moves to dismantle prominent US weather and climate research center - ABC News

**URL:** [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-moves-dismantle-prominent-us-weather-climate/story?id=128498427](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-moves-dismantle-prominent-us-weather-climate/story?id=128498427)  
**Score:** 0.1571

### Summary

For more than six decades, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, has been a cornerstone of United States weather and climate research, producing science that is fundamental in advancing our understanding of Earth’s climate, weather and atmosphere and how those systems contribute to severe weather events, climate change and disasters. [...] Since 1960, NCAR has studied weather, climate and other Earth system processes to improve forecasting, provide long-term climate predictions, and support planning for environmental challenges such as extreme weather, drought and air quality management. [...] # Trump administration moves to dismantle prominent US weather and climate research center

Meteorologists, climate scientists and lawmakers have criticized the action.

ByDaniel Peck, Matthew Glasser, and Briana Alvarado

December 17, 2025, 5:15 PM

### Full Content

# Trump administration moves to dismantle prominent US weather and climate research center

Meteorologists, climate scientists and lawmakers have criticized the action.

By[Daniel Peck](https://abcnews.go.com/author/Daniel_Peck), [Matthew Glasser](https://abcnews.go.com/author/matthew_glasser), and [Briana Alvarado](https://abcnews.go.com/author/briana_alvarado)

December 17, 2025, 5:15 PM

For more than six decades, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, has been a cornerstone of United States weather and climate research, producing science that is fundamental in advancing our understanding of Earth’s climate, weather and atmosphere and how those systems contribute to severe weather events, climate change and disasters.

In a post on X, the Trump administration announced plans to dismantle the center, saying “a comprehensive review is underway,” and adding that “any vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location.”

The move has drawn swift condemnation from meteorologists, climate scientists and lawmakers, who warn that breaking up NCAR could undermine essential research used to forecast severe weather, study climate change and protect public safety.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought [announced](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Frussvought%2Fstatus%2F2001099488774033692&data=05%7C02%7CLeah.Sarnoff%40abc.com%7C62aad81a501049831c1a08de3daf2055%7C56b731a8a2ac4c32bf6b616810e913c6%7C1%7C0%7C639016019522381594%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=2D91GGkdHjGmm1qWxijPKe2fGpBlgNd7H%2FyRSJpx14Q%3D&reserved=0) Tuesday that “The National Science Foundation will be breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado.” He called the facility “one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country."

In a statement to ABC News on Wednesday, a senior White House official appeared to place the blame on Colorado's Gov. Jared Polis.

"Maybe if Colorado had a governor who actually wanted to work with President Trump, his constituents would be better served," the official said.

[### Trump's Environmental Protection Agency plans to kill landmark 'endangerment' climate rule](https://abcnews.go.com/US/trumps-environmental-protection-agency-plans-kill-landmark-endangerment/story?id=124187555)

The White House official also said that, "Following a comprehensive review, the National Science Foundation will be breaking up NCAR to eliminate Green New Scam research activities. Any vital functions, such as weather modeling and supercomputing, will be moved under the purview of another entity or location. Parts of the lab may be moved to another entity."

The U.S. National Science Foundation [issued a statement](https://www.nsf.gov/news/intent-restructure-critical-weather-science-infrastructure) on Wednesday saying it is reviewing the structure of the research and observational capabilities operated by the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research.

“NSF remains committed to providing world-class infrastructure for weather modeling, space weather research and forecasting, and other critical functions,” the agency said. NSF said it will “engage with partner agencies, the research community, and other interested parties to solicit feedback for rescoping the functions of the work currently performed by NCAR.”

Since 1960, NCAR has studied weather, climate and other Earth system processes to improve forecasting, provide long-term climate predictions, and support planning for environmental challenges such as extreme weather, drought and air quality management.

Antonio Busalacchi, president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), which manages NCAR, released a [statement](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.ucar.edu%2F133054%2Fucar-statement-reports-nsf-ncar-could-be-dismantled&data=05%7C02%7CLeah.Sarnoff%40abc.com%7C62aad81a501049831c1a08de3daf2055%7C56b731a8a2ac4c32bf6b616810e913c6%7C1%7C0%7C639016019522411078%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3ZW1lnRPXA5S1yKkyyZiTSQ30U3EHlvITp3dqpMTpGE%3D&reserved=0) saying he was aware of reports that the White House is proposing to break up the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research, but had no further information.

Busalacchi said NCAR’s research “is crucial for building American prosperity by protecting lives and property, supporting the economy, and strengthening national security.” He added that its closure “would set back our nation's ability to predict, prepare for, and respond to severe weather and other natural disasters.”

NCAR is a federally funded research and development center managed by the nonprofit University Corporation for Atm

*[Content truncated...]*

---

## 3. Trump administration moves to dismantle leading climate and weather research center - Los Angeles Times

**URL:** [https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-12-17/trump-administration-moves-to-dismantle-leading-climate-weather-research-center](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-12-17/trump-administration-moves-to-dismantle-leading-climate-weather-research-center)  
**Score:** 0.0869

### Summary

“The Trump administration has put a bull’s-eye on one of the United States’ premier weather and climate research and modeling centers, threatening to destroy decades of public investment,” said Carlos Martinez, a former researcher at the center, now a senior climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “Deliberately dismantling an institution so central to weather forecasting and climate change prediction would not only undermine scientific research, it would leave people across the [...] The Trump administration is moving to dismantle one of the world’s leading climate and weather research institutions, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., in a decision experts say will undermine U.S. scientific competitiveness and leave millions vulnerable to worsening climate hazards.

Russell Vought, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, made the surprise announcement in a Tuesday evening post on X. [...] Copyright © 2025, Los Angeles Times | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | CA Notice of Collection | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

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* The Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a leading climate and weather research institution in Boulder, Colo.
* NCAR’s weather forecasts, climate models and atmospheric data are vital to research, emergency planning and industries from aviation to insurance.
* Scientists warn that its closure would leave millions vulnerable to worsening wildfires and hurricanes and undermine U.S. scientific competitiveness.

The Trump administration is moving to dismantle one of the world’s leading climate and weather research institutions, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., in a decision experts say will undermine U.S. scientific competitiveness and leave millions vulnerable to worsening climate hazards.

Russell Vought, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, made the surprise announcement in a Tuesday evening [post on X](https://x.com/russvought/status/2001099488774033692).

“This facility is one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country,” Vought wrote. “A comprehensive review is underway & any vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location.”

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The news sent shock waves through the scientific community. The center’s work is used by governments, universities, emergency planners and the private sector for forecasts and disaster response planning. Its sophisticated [Community Earth System Model](https://www.cesm.ucar.edu/) underpins international climate assessments and much of U.S. policy. The federally funded research center employs about 830 staff, making i

*[Content truncated...]*

---

## 4. The western U.S. Tried to stop wildfires and it backfired - ScienceDaily

**URL:** [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251218060550.htm](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251218060550.htm)  
**Score:** 0.0798

### Summary

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# The western U.S. Tried to stop wildfires and it backfired

## After a century of stopping fires, much of the West is now dangerously overdue for them.

Date:
:   December 18, 2025

Source:
:   American Geophysical Union [...] Feb. 26, 2025 — A century of fire suppression, climate change, and drought has worsened wildfires in the Western U.S. While prescribed burns help reduce fuel, a 'fire deficit' increases wildfire risks, ...

New Research Highlights Opportunities to Protect Carbon and Communities from Forest Fires [...] New research to be presented at AGU's 2025 Annual Meeting in New Orleans reports that nearly 38 million hectares of land in the western United States are historically behind on burning. The researchers describe these areas as being in a "fire deficit." This estimate was revised from 59 million hectares in the abstract to a final total of 38 million hectares.

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---

# The western U.S. Tried to stop wildfires and it backfired

## After a century of stopping fires, much of the West is now dangerously overdue for them.

Date:
:   December 18, 2025

Source:
:   American Geophysical Union

Summary:
:   Much of the western U.S. is overdue for wildfire, with decades of suppression allowing fuel to build up across millions of hectares. Researchers estimate that 74% of the region is in a fire deficit, meaning far more land needs to burn to restore healthy forest conditions. Catching up would require an unprecedented amount of controlled and managed fire.

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---

Wildfires are not always purely destructive. In many forests, fire can clear out built up dead material, return nutrients to the soil, and help ecosystems reset. For more than 100 years, the United States has spent billions of dollars on fire suppression to protect people, homes, and sensitive environments. But putting out too many fires can also prevent landscapes from getting the burns they need, allowing extra fuel to accumulate and raising the risk of larger fires later.

New research to be presented at AGU's 2025 Annual Meeting in New Orleans reports that nearly 38 million hectares of land in the western United States are historically behind on burning. The researchers describe these areas as being in a "fire deficit." This estimate was revised from 59 million hectares in the abstract to a final total of 38 million hectares.

"Conditions are getting so warm and dry that it's causing huge amounts of fire compared to the historical record," said Winslow Hansen, director of the Western Fire and Forest Resilience Collaborative and scientist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. "However, we still are dealing with the legacy of 150 years of fire suppression. Together, drying conditions and overly dense fuels portend a challenging and more fiery future."

Hansen will present the findings on December 18 at AGU25, joining more than 20,000 scientists discussing the latest Earth and space science research.

**How scientists mapped fire deficit and fire surplus**

To determine where fire is missing and where it is happening too often, the team used geospatial evidence such as pollen records and dirt samples. From that information, they estimated historical fire return intervals, which were then reconstructed through the Landfire program.

When the team compared modern annual burn patterns with the historical record revealed by the data, they found that 74% of the western U.S. is currently in a fire deficit. To close that gap, forests would need about 3.8 million hectares to burn each year for a decade. That annual amount is three times the forest area that burned in 2020, which remains the record year for wildfire burn area in the U.S.

**Strategies to reduce wildfire risk and restore healthier fire cycles**

The scale of that burning is intimidating, but Hansen and his colleagues say there are several ways to make progress. They point to a mix of prescribed burns, mechanical thinning, and the use of managed wildfire to reduce the deficit.

"There are still lots of wildfires that burn today… that are reducing our fuel loads and revitalizing ecosystems," said Hansen. "Instead of suppressing those fires and putting them out, we've got to let them do good ecological work to help us tackle this challenge when risk is low."

**Some regions have the opposite problem too much fire**

Even as much of the West is overdue for fire, the southwest is dealing with the reverse situation. Human started wildfires have pushed shrublands and chapparal ecosystems into a fire surplus, especially in Southern California.

"You're getting more fire than you would have historically, which can even threaten resilience," Hansen said. "These shrubland ecosystems might not be able to regenerate if the fire is too frequent."

Parts of Cascadia are also showing a fire surplus, which the researchers link to climate change driving higher temperatures and more drought, conditions that can set the stage for blazes.

"I was a little bit surprised to see these signals of climate change-driven surplus already," said Hansen. "I'd expected that would be something we would see in the next decade or two instead."

**Abstract information**

B42C-08 Erasing the western US forest-fire deficit will require approximately 60 million hectares of ecologically beneficial burning over the next decade.

Thursday, December 18, 11:45 -- 11:55 Central Ti

*[Content truncated...]*

---

## 5. Closure of US institute will do immense harm to climate research - New Scientist

**URL:** [https://www.newscientist.com/article/2509220-closure-of-us-institute-will-do-immense-harm-to-climate-research/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2509220-closure-of-us-institute-will-do-immense-harm-to-climate-research/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news)  
**Score:** 0.0579

### Summary

If this work is disrupted, it could halt improvements to forecasts on weather apps and television news, at a time when extreme weather is getting more frequent. Shutting down NCAR is like if, “on the eve of world war two, we decided to stop funding R&D into weapons”, says Masters.

“If we don’t know what’s coming at us, it’s going to be more expensive and it’s going to kill more people,” he says.

One of Earth’s most vital carbon sinks is faltering. Can we save it? [...] In a statement to USA Today, White House official Russ Vought said the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is a source of “climate alarmism” and will be broken up. “Green new scam research” will be eliminated, while “vital functions” like weather modelling and supercomputing will be moved elsewhere, the White House said.

Read more

NOAA scientists refuse to link warming weather to climate change [...] NCAR’s models underpin the reports of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which countries rely on for decisions about how to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to extreme weather.

“Shutting it down would lead to greater uncertainty about what our climate future might be and leave us less able to prepare effectively,” says Michael Meredith at the British Antarctic Survey. “It’s hard to see this as anything other than shooting the messenger.”

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# Closure of US institute will do immense harm to climate research

The National Center for Atmospheric Research has played a leading role in providing data, modelling and supercomputing to researchers around the world – but the Trump administration is set to shut it down

By [Alec Luhn](/author/alec-luhn/)

18 December 2025

The Trump administration’s decision to close a world-leading research centre for atmospheric science is a blow to weather forecasting and climate modelling that could leave humanity more exposed to the impacts of global warming.

[In a statement to *USA Today*](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/12/16/trump-dismantle-national-center-atmospheric-research-climate/87798771007/), White House official Russ Vought said the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is a source of “climate alarmism” and will be broken up. “Green new scam research” will be eliminated, while “vital functions” like weather modelling and supercomputing will be moved elsewhere, the White House said.

[Read more

NOAA scientists refuse to link warming weather to climate change](/article/2469442-noaa-scientists-refuse-to-link-warming-weather-to-climate-change/)

NCAR’s models underpin the reports of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which countries rely on for decisions about how to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to extreme weather.

“Shutting it down would lead to greater uncertainty about what our climate future might be and leave us less able to prepare effectively,” says [Michael Meredith](https://www.bas.ac.uk/profile/mmm/) at the British Antarctic Survey. “It’s hard to see this as anything other than shooting the messenger.”

NCAR was started in 1960 to facilitate atmospheric science too large-scale for individual universities. Its 830 employees are involved in research “from the ocean floor to the Sun’s core”, [according](https://news.ucar.edu/2135/public-get-behind-scenes-view-ncars-high-tech-facilities-june-5) to its unofficial motto, with programmes to monitor everything from flooding and wildfires to space weather.

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At its hilltop laboratory in the Colorado Rockies, NCAR invented the GPS dropsonde, a sensor-laden device that is dropped into hurricanes, [revolutionising](https://bsky.app/profile/franklinjamesl.bsky.social/post/3ma5les4atc2j) our understanding of tropical storms. Its researchers developed wind-shear warning systems for airports that have prevented countless crashes.

But perhaps its greatest contribution has been providing data, modelling and supercomputing to other researchers. Weather Underground, which in the 1990s was one of the first to offer local forecasts online, wouldn’t have existed without software and weather data from NCAR, according to its founder, meteorologist Jeff Masters.

NCAR develops and administers the Weather Research and Forecasting Model, which is widely used for both day-to-day forecasting and the study of regional climates. It also [collaborates](https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-ucar-renew-expand-partnership-to-advance-extreme-weather-research) with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to advance weather modelling, especially for predicting severe storms.

If this work is disrupted, it could halt improvements to forecasts on weather apps and television news, at a time when extreme weather is getting more frequent. Shutting down NCAR is like if, “on the eve of world war two, we decided to stop funding R&D into weapons”, says Masters.

“If we don’t know what’s coming at us, it’s going to be more expensive and it’s going to kill more people,” he says.

[One of Earth’s most vital carbon sinks is faltering. Can we save it?

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NCAR administers the Community Earth System Model (CESM), the first global climate model designed for universities. CESM has supported a huge variety of research, from estimates of current global carbon emissions to future changes to ocean currents, heatwave frequency and glacier and sea ice melt.

“It’s probably the most-used model in the world,” says [Richard Rood](https://clasp.engin.umich.edu/people/rood-richard-b/) at the Univer

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