The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Rain came down at a blinding pace as the storm headed from west to east Wednesday afternoon. Before noon, rainfall rates were 1 to 3 inches an hour in some areas west of D.C., including Front Royal, Virginia.

Wind advisories were rolled back for the D.C. area, and a severe thunderstorm watch for St. Mary’s and Calvert counties in Maryland expired at 6 p.m. Here’s a full list of weather alerts.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia are at a “slight risk” for severe storms on Wednesday.

Strong wind gusts threatened damage, especially to small tree limbs. Although we’re not expecting a tornado, these storms will be capable of producing a twister. Stay aware. We’ll deliver any severe weather alerts in the NBC Washington apps for iOS and Android.

There was some thunder and lightning with the first line of storms, but there’s been even more with the second wave out to the west and moving toward the D.C. area. Expect those storms about 9-11 p.m.

In addition to heavy downpours and thunder and lightning, hail is possible with these storms.

Weather radar

How to prepare for strong storms

Secure loose items like patio furniture and trash cans before winds pick up.

If you must drive during rain, go slowly. Remember to never drive into standing water: Turn around, don’t drown.

Strong winds to blow Thursday

Thursday will be much cooler and very gusty. Winds of 40 mph will have the wind chill dropping into the 30s Thursday afternoon.

Winds could knock down branches or trees and potentially lead to power outages. Keep your devices charged just in case.

Here’s a look ahead to the weekend and next week.

They were among the more than 600 workers the Trump administration cut last week when it eliminated about 5% of the workforce at the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

“I was considered an essential employee, part of a 24/7 safety watch,” said Kayla Besong, a physical scientist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, which sends tsunami alerts. Until Thursday, she was part of a team of 12 that programmed the systems that determine whether parts of the U.S. coastline are at risk and issued alerts accordingly. Two people were required to be working at all times, Besong said. 

The mass firing — of educated, specialized workers who viewed themselves as the next generation of scientists protecting life and property — could stretch NOAA’s workforce thin and hinder work on programs designed for public safety, former agency employees and leaders said. 

Climate change is making weather disasters more common. Last year, NOAA counted 27 billion-dollar disasters, which resulted in the deaths of 568 people in the United States. It was the second-highest number since 1980, when NOAA began keeping such records, even accounting for inflation. 

At the same time, meteorologists and forecasters say they’ve faced public vitriol and harassment despite increasingly accurate predictions. Some blame the politicization of climate change and the proliferation of conspiracy theories.  

A White House official said “an extensive process” was conducted before the NOAA layoffs to ensure “mission critical functions” weren’t compromised. The cuts were part of the Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers, which have spurred protests and legal challenges. Some researchers have warned that cuts to health and science agencies, in particular, could walk back or stall years of progress. 

A NOAA spokesperson said the agency wouldn’t comment on the layoffs. 

“We are not discussing internal personnel and management matters. NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public,” Susan Buchanan, a National Weather Service public affairs officer, said in a statement Thursday.

Former agency officials railed against the cuts, saying they threaten public safety during weather crises. 

“Every office in NOAA was hit by these indiscriminate, misguided, ill-informed terminations,” said Rick Spinrad, the administrator of NOAA under President Joe Biden. “We’re coming into tornado season; hurricane season isn’t too far behind. We’re going to have, still, some winter storms. We’re going to have floods, droughts.” 

Democrats in Congress, too, spoke out against the moves at a news conference Friday and at a rally Monday at NOAA headquarters. 

“Without the warnings of extreme weather events, hurricanes, tsunamis, other things, people will die and others will suffer greatly, including huge property loss. And that’s why this is such an assault on our public safety,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said at the news conference.

Besong, 30, began her job as a physical scientist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii in September. The center provides alerts to the military and U.S. embassies and issues them for vulnerable coastlines in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean. During tsunami events, Besong said, she would call military installations with information about risk and contact local emergency managers. 

“I was using my skills to actively help people,” said Besong, who has a doctorate in atmospheric science. “You’re directly using your skills to improve systems that protect and warn against hazards.” 

She added that tsunami alerts rely on complicated, bespoke computer programs that analyze seismic and tidal data. 

“When there’s any large displacement in the Earth’s crust or water, we get notified and have to determine if there’s an earthquake large enough to create a tsunami or if a tsunami has been generated by other means,” Besong said. “I’ve been developing these skills for over 10 years. I’m an excellent programmer. Their systems are very niche, and they require people who know how to program.”

Even before the latest cuts, she said, the office was strapped for resources and needed to develop a new generation of workers. 

“You do need a high level of expertise to understand and jump in on these systems,” Besong said, saying the job required a doctorate or a master’s degree and additional experience.

Like Besong, Andy Hazelton, a hurricane modeling specialist, also has a Ph.D. and spent years developing specialized computing skills. Hazelton helped develop NOAA’s next-generation hurricane modeling program, called HAFS, as an academic at the University of Miami.   

He joined NOAA’s Environmental Modeling Center on the October day when Hurricane Milton hit the Florida coastline, then was fired on Thursday. His work involved using supercomputers to advance hurricane forecasting. 

“We’re working on the physical approximations, trying to make it more accurate, so the forecast error continues to shrink, the cone continues to get smaller and so the people who are going to get hit get more lead time,” Hazelton said, referring to the graphic that shows the probability of a hurricane’s path. “There’s a lot of expertise that got lost on this.” 

The HAFS model indicated that both hurricanes Helene and Milton would intensify rapidly, which helped forecasters predict more powerful storms and get more strident warnings out, Hazelton said. 

“We do work people use to keep themselves safe,” he said. 

Some data that Hazelton’s models rely on is at risk, as well. Kerri Englert, a NOAA flight director and meteorologist, was also fired Thursday. During “hurricane hunter” missions, flight directors advise pilots about the safest routes and how to get the best data for modeling. Englert was onboard a “hurricane hunter” aircraft during hurricanes Beryl, Helene and Milton last year. 

“We do put our lives on the line to go do these missions,” said Englert, a Navy veteran. “It is a passion. I have spent 10 years chasing after this job.”  

Before the cuts, Englert said, NOAA had aimed to have 10 flight director positions filled. But after she and another were terminated, that left just six. Now, she said, if one flight director is sick, there will be fewer “hurricane hunter” flights. 

During hurricane season, meteorologists rely on the one-of-a-kind data the flights gather, which feeds into hurricane models. 

“It’s going to increase the uncertainty,” Englert said. “You’re looking at additional evacuations.” 

Other fired workers were helping develop modeling tools that haven’t yet been rolled out at scale. The cuts may affect the tools’ quality and implementation timelines, they said. 

Evan Belkin, a doctoral student at the University of Albany, was hired at the National Weather Service in 2023 as part of a program that allows people still finishing degrees to work at the agency. 

He worked at the service’s Northeast River Forecast Center and in its weather forecast office in Albany, New York, until last week. He helped launch weather balloons and was part of a team building a flood inundation mapping tool. 

The tool, still under development, is designed to model which areas in a community will flood in heavy rain, including the extreme events that climate change is making more likely. Early versions of the maps were distributed to some local emergency managers, Belkin said, and the goal was to expand the services nationwide by 2026. 

The model accurately predicted that flooding in Montpelier, Vermont, in July 2023 would reach the state capitol building — Belkin visited to confirm the model got it right. 

He was among several students and employees working on the tool who were let go, he said.

“When you don’t have people and bodies to verify how accurate the model depictions are, you’re not going to be successful,” Belkin said. “Without people and bodies, this flood inundation mapping project is going to go down the s—-er.” 

The cuts also reduced the number of meteorologists taking public calls and putting out forecasts. 

On the morning he was fired, he said, Francis Tarasiewicz, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Rhode Island, started work at about 5:30 a.m., putting together four- to seven-day forecasts, as well as forecasts specifically for airports.

“We’re not the waste,” Tarasiewicz said. 

Spinrad said at the news conference that every NOAA office had had reductions, including about 30% of the staff with the Office of Space Commerce. 

“One of the functions of that office is to keep the roughly 30,000 objects in space from colliding with each other,” he said.

Spinrad also warned that the loss of workers would be likely to push back seasonal outlooks and hurricane forecasts. 

“Some of those products may end up being delayed in delivery just because they don’t have the staffing power,” he said.

Some typical NOAA and NWS services went dark almost immediately. 

Shortly after the firings, the National Weather Service office in Kotzebue, Alaska, said it would suspend releasing weather balloons.

NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory also said it would stop posting to social media. 

“Due to a reduction in staff, NOAA GLERL’s communications services will be taking an indefinite hiatus,” it wrote on X.

NOAA’s external affairs team said on its website that the entire office had been eliminated.

“People’s lives are in danger. It’s not an exaggeration to say that. I’m worried. We’re coming up on tornado season, hurricane season, and that is just scratching the surface,” said Rachel Brittin, who until Thursday was the deputy director of the office. “These huge cuts to NOAA’s staff are going to affect the ability for NOAA to be effective.”

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Firefighters are gaining ground on three major fires in Los Angeles County, where a red flag warning that went into effect earlier this week for parts of the region was extended into Friday.

So far in January, the high fire danger forecast is a recurring theme. There have been 15 days of red flag warnings in Los Angeles County through 23 days this month.

That includes consecutives days of red flag warnings from Jan. 6 to Jan. 16 that offered little relief for firefighters who have battled the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires, the fast-moving Hughes Fire in Castaic and many other smaller fires that crews prevented from reaching structures and neighborhoods. The Palisades Fire started on the morning of Jan. 7 in Pacific Palisades followed hours later by the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area in a Santa Ana windstorm that firefighters described as among the worst they’ve seen.

“Today is another one,” said NBC4 meteorologist Belen De Leon. “We have fire danger very present with the winds increasing as we go through the middle of the day.”

Included in several red flag warning days was a Particularly Dangerous Situation alert, a National Weather Service alert that indicates elevated red flag conditions. The area was under a PDS alert Jan. 7 when winds around 80 mph whipped flames and threw embers from the Palisades and Eaton fires, which are among the deadliest and most destructive fires on record in California.

Twenty-eight deaths have been reported in the two fires with thousands of structures, including homes and businesses, destroyed.

This week's red flag warning, which went into effect Monday, is expected to expire at 10 a.m. Friday. Significantly cooler temperatures and a slight chance of rain are in the weekend forecast.

In addition to the powerful Santa Ana winds, another reason for the warnings is a lack of rainfall during what is usually the wettest time of year in Southern California.

The region is under severe drought conditions after a dry start to the wet season in Southern California. After two seasons of above-average rainfall, a months-long dry spell left hillsides covered in dry brush, providing fuel for wildfires.

Under a red flag warning, any fires that do start are more likely to spread at a rapid rate behind strong winds. Flying embers also speed a brush fire's spread. Powerful gusts can cast hot embers for miles, starting spot fires ahead of the main fire line in a nightmare scenario for firefighters.

California Wildfires Jan 22

Map: Where the Hughes Fire and other wildfires are burning in LA County

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Exactly how much snow fell?

Reagan National recorded 7.2 inches of snow while Dulles had 5.1 inches and BWI-Marshall had 6.6 inches. The big winners were Prince Frederick, Maryland, with 11.6 inches and Independent Hill, Virginia, which reported 11 inches. Frederick and Washington counties in northern Maryland were on the low end with 4 to 5 inches.

With the snowstorm gone, concern turns to icy or slick conditions on roads. Metrobus will run on a limited schedule on Tuesday because of the snow.

Roads could remain dangerous when it’s cold enough for slush to freeze. While most major roads have been cleared, some side roads were still covered in snow on Tuesday morning.

“The best thing to do if you can and don’t have to go anywhere, just stay home, and give us the room to work,” said Danny King with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation.

Maryland State Police responded to more than 200 crashes and 300 vehicles left unattended as the snow came down on Monday.

DC prepares for freeze

The rest of the week is expected to be frigid, Storm Team4 says, with 30 to 40 miles per hour winds on Tuesday and below-freezing windchill.

Storm Team4 is also tracking another potential storm on Saturday.

Which school districts will be closed?

Many school districts will be closed on Tuesday, including D.C. Public Schools.

In Virginia, Alexandria City, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Falls Church, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, Prince William County and Stafford County Public Schools will all be closed.

In Maryland, Calvert County, Charles County, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and St. Mary’s County Public Schools will also all be closed. Frederick County Public Schools still has a two hour delay listed on their website.

You can find a full list of school closures here.

Other closures

The National Zoo and Smithsonian museums will be closed on Tuesday.

Navigating the roads

Those who do not have to drive are still being encouraged to stay off the roads, which will also allow local departments of transportation to work on the roads.

“Don’t overdrive the conditions, slow down, take your time and make sure you give the plow truck drivers and everything plenty of space to operate,” King said.

If you’re walking, it is still safest to use the sidewalk, even if it is covered in snow.

Making travel plans

While Metro trains will be running as normal, WMATA says Metro buses will operate under severe snow service plan Tuesday, which means it will reduce the number of bus routes from 193 to 42.

Hundreds of flights were canceled Monday to and from Reagan National Airport, Dulles and BWI.

Reagan National Airport had closed the runways Monday night to prevent refreezing but are expected to reopen Tuesday morning.

Freezing temperatures

As temperatures dip, the risk increases for water main breaks.

There are some things you can do to prevent the pipes in your home from freezing:

• Shut off valves to outdoor faucets
• Drain and disconnect outdoor hoses
• If pipes burst, call a plumber

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

For those who look forward to the D.C. Snowball Fight Association (DCSFA)’s eponymous event, the first heavy snowstorm is a sign to check social media for a time and place — and start prepping coats and gloves for the big battle.

The first weekend of 2025 will create the perfect conditions, when snowflakes begin to fall late Sunday night and continue into Monday morning.

And then the battle commences.

“This is our season kickoff call to battle for Meridian Hill / Malcolm X Park this Monday at 11am!” the group announced on social media.

The association began in February 2010, when more than 2,000 people showed up to Dupont Circle for a fight. (Last year, DCSFA co-founder Michael Lipin was in the midst of relaying the origin story to News4 when a stranger hit him squarely above the left eye with a snowball.)

For the last 15 years, residents of the District have returned to keep up the tradition — not just in spite of, but because of — the less than ideal weather conditions.

“We live in a very divided city, sometimes polarized,” said Max Bluestein, another member of the group. “What I love about this is, once in a blue moon, when it snows, we can all act like absolute children for hours and just chuck snowballs.”

It’s mostly a free-for-all, and the fight is open to anyone who wants to participate. However, there are a few guidelines, which the Association shared in 2024 “for everyone’s safety and fun:”

• Anyone who participates in this event does so at his/her own risk
• Please follow any instructions given by the National Park Police or Metropolitan Police Department. DCSFA will do so
• Anyone who behaves recklessly is individually responsible for the consequences
• DO NOT THROW ICE OR PELT VEHICLES! The nearby streets are very busy
• Play safe, and by all means, HAVE FUN!
• Don’t bring guns or other non-snow weapons to a snowball fight
• Don’t attack small children/animals/reporters/police
• Do protect your eyes
• Do bring friends and good vibes
• Do stay at home if you’re afraid, injured, or are recovering from a medical condition
• Do dress appropriately for the weather and the activity

You can find updates from the D.C. Snowball Association on Facebook, X and Instagram.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Natural gas February futures rose nearly 19% during the session after an updated outlook by The Weather Co. and Atmospheric G2 released Sunday showed that the temperature forecast for next month is expected to be colder than average in the East, specifically from Florida to Maine as well as certain parts of the Great Lakes.

The West, however, is expected to see temperatures come in milder than average, according to the report. Notably, the “Four Corners” region – the area of the United States that consists of the southwestern corner of Colorado, southeastern corner of Utah, northeastern corner of Arizona and northwestern corner of New Mexico – is expected to be the most above average.

The report also said that colder temperatures in the East could hit a peak by mid-month, likely being “much farther below average” when compared with the entire month’s forecast for the eastern U.S. That said, it’s still unclear how temperatures will take hold in January’s second half.

In a separate report, AccuWeather meteorologists said that the colder air could set up a “stormy pattern,” with areas seeing “substantial snow and ice” for a significant portion of the month’s first half. They added that the drop will begin in the middle and latter part of next week.

John Kilduff of Again Capital said Monday on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” that natural gas “freeze offs” could take place, meaning disruptions in natural gas production flows.

“We are talking [about] bone-chilling polar vortex weather, which has caused this spike in natural gas this morning,” the firm’s founding partner said.

Earlier in the session, February futures prices advanced as much as 20% and hit a high of $4.201 per thousand cubic feet. That marks its highest level since Jan. 4, 2023, when prices traded as high as $4.219 per thousand cubic feet.

The February futures move comes as natural gas – which is used for home heating – has seen major gains as of late. Prices of the commodity have jumped nearly 9% in the past week and about 58% this year.

Meanwhile, Brent crude futures rose 33 cents to $74.50 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 92 cents to $71.52 a barrel.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Storm Team4 declared a weather alert for the rain and plummeting temperatures.

Grab an umbrella and bring extra layers because the cold may return before you get home. Rain, heavy at times, will likely add up to over an inch. Temps for most of the D.C. area will fall to about 40° by 5 or 6 p.m. Here’s the hour-by-hour and day-by-day forecast for your zip code.  

The next three days will all be cold and dry, with frigid mornings and highs in the low 40s.

Storm Team4 is also keeping an eye on our next storm system, which is set to bring rain on Sunday.

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

On-and-off rain showers were expected to drop about a half-inch of rain, creating soggy conditions for turkey trot or last-minute shopping. Showers wrapped up by about midday Thursday.

Expect breezy conditions for the rest of Thanksgiving. Some sunshine could peek out, and high temperatures will be in the mid- to upper-50s.

The storm affecting D.C., Maryland and Virginia is dumping rain throughout the Northeast – there’s even snow in the forecast for upstate New York and parts of New England, NBC News reports. But the capital region will avoid the most disruptive weather.

Weather radar

Wintry temps coming soon

Breezy winds will close out the holiday before cold air spills in overnight.

Black Friday shoppers should bundle up. Temps are set to max out close to 50°.

It will be really cold Saturday and into the first week of December with highs in the 30s and 40s wind chills in the 20s and 30s.

Things to Do DC Nov 27, 2024

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Which stores will be open and which will be closed on Thanksgiving this year?

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

We redesigned the app to allow you to modify the weather experience based on your local weather needs, preferences and location. You can now rearrange weather modules in the app to prioritize the information that’s most important to you. 

The radar settings in the app also got an upgrade, giving you more control over the radar’s layers and overlays. We also added descriptions to each feature so you can easily tailor the radar experience to your needs.  

The feedback from our app users and from our meteorologists was a central part of this redesign, resulting in a more intuitive and modern weather platform.  

Here’s a full list of all the weather upgrades in the NBC4 Washington app:  

• Dynamic Layout: It lets you customize your weather home screen by rearranging weather modules based on your preferences, ensuring a personalized experience that caters to your individual needs and interests. 
• Improved Location Experience: Our upgraded location hub makes it easy to add new locations and to set up weather alerts. It also highlights recent locations for effortless navigation. 
• Revised Radar Settings: We streamlined and reorganized radar layers and overlays, giving you more control over your radar experience. Plus, we added descriptions of each, making it easier to understand and customize your radar view to suit your needs. 
• Clear Information: We restructured the layout to prioritize essential weather data, making it easier than ever to access crucial information. 
• Improved Legibility: You will find clear, larger fonts and easy-to-understand icons, making it a breeze to read and navigate. 
• Simplified Navigation: It puts a spotlight on the information that matters most to you, such as current conditions, while also making it easier to access hourly and 10-day forecasts. 
• Streamlined Display: The new design makes it simple to find the information you need.  
• Upgraded Weather Alerts Settings: We moved the weather alerts settings to the weather section of the app. Now, you can manage your notification preferences for weather separately from news notifications. 

We’re excited to share it with you, and we can’t wait to hear what you think of it. Download it from the App Store or Google Play

Please share your feedback via digital@nbcwashington.com and review the app in the App Store or Google Play. If you want to share the app with your friends and family, just copy this link: https://nbcwashington.app.link/Y2ew5hbgHKb. 

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The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Regardless, you know there will certainly be some pretty trees to enjoy when peak fall foliage time comes around.

The D.C. area typically sees peak fall foliage around the end of October, so look for that picture-perfect tree by the time kids go trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Explore Fall predicts D.C.’s peak timing could go into early November.

As of Friday, Oct. 4, the D.C. area has low color. You’d have to go into the mountains of West Virginia or as far as upstate New York, Vermont and Maine to find peak color.

Why isn’t 2024 a great year for fall foliage?

Lou Meyer, the regional business developer for Davey Trees, said between the extremely dry summer and recent cloudy days, the news isn’t good for bright fall foliage.

Temperatures, sun exposure and rainfall all impact the length and brilliance of the fall colors on leaves.

The ideal weather for the most vibrant red, yellow, orange and purple colors is bright sunny days and cool nights. However, drought and extreme heat can often lead to dull or dead leaves and early leaf drop.

The D.C. area had a very dry summer, followed by a lot of rain in early fall.

Where to see fall leaves in D.C., Maryland and Virginia

If you’re planning a leaf-peeping trip, Maryland and Virginia each have their own fall foliage maps.

Parts of Shenandoah National Park are expected to have peak color near the weekend of Oct. 18-20. Shenandoah’s park rangers give frequent updates about fall colors on the park’s website. You can also leaf peep from your home or office with the View from the Valley Live Webcam and Big Meadows Live Webcam.

About 25 minutes from Frederick, Maryland, Catoctin Mountain offers hiking, camping and picnicking opportunities. The hike to Chimney Rock is approachable and offers spectacular sweeping views of fall foliage. Moderate color is expected to arrive by the weekend of Oct. 18.

Using a stroller or wheelchair, or just want to avoid mud? Head to the Great Falls Park Visitor Center on the Virginia side to access Overlook Two and Overlook Three via accessible trails. Look for peak color at Great Falls starting about Halloween.

Greenbelt Park in Maryland has picnic tables near brilliant trees, several miles of trails to hike and camping just 12 miles from downtown D.C. The trees there are expected to reach high color in the last few days of October, and peak color could last into early November.

But there’s no need to leave D.C. to see beautiful fall leaves. Rock Creek Park has more than 32 miles of trails, and the United States National Arboretum showcases 446 acres of trees, shrubs and plants.

Explore Fall’s map is a good way to find the best color near you at any time.

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Storm Team4 Meteorologist Chuck Bell said it’s important to stay weather alert during the sweletering heat. Wear light, loose-fitting clothing, drink plenty of water and limit time outdoors, especially if you’re doing strenuous activities.

Temperatures climbed into the mid-90s by about 1:30 p.m., and the heat index reached 103° in Washington, D.C.

There’s a very small chance for storms. Any storms that pop up during the day could turn severe because of the heat.

The good news? This sky-high heat will start to subside by Thursday, although humidity will stick around into Labor Day weekend.

Heat advisories in D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia

A heat advisory has been issued for the afternoon and early evening in D.C., plus much of Maryland and Northern Virginia. The heat index could be at 105° or higher for several hours, Bell said.

Maryland counties under a heat advisory include Charles, Montgomery and Prince George’s. In Virginia, heat advisories were issued for Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun counties plus nearby cities.

See a full list of weather alerts here.

Air quality alerts

On top of the hot weather, there is poor air quality around the area.

A code orange air quality alert is in effect for D.C. and surrounding areas, which means members of sensitive groups should be extra careful.

Those vulnerable to to air pollution include people with chronic health issues, children and the elderly, but bad pollution can affect healthy people, too.

Air quality Aug 28, 2024

How bad is the air quality in the DC area? Enter your ZIP code on this map

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Wild week of US weather includes heat wave, tropical storm, landslide, flash flood and snow

You can check which air quality code was issued in your area and the best tips for staying safe here.

Try your best to limit time outside, reduce strenuous activities like exercise, shorten dog walks and stay hydrated.

School and other local schedule changes due to heat

School is back in session and many districts are grappling with the extreme heat by keeping students inside.

Arlington Public Schools announced that there will be no outdoor recess or other outdoor activities during school hours. After-school activities like athletics will move indoors.

Prince William County Public School announced that all outdoor activities must move inside or be canceled between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Vienna, Virginia, is starting its solid waste collection to begin one hour earlier. Residents are advised to place trash and recycling by the curb at 5 a.m.

Residents of College Park, Maryland should put their trash out earlier too. Solid waste collection will start an hour earlier at 6 a.m.

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

As Tropical Storm Debby bears down on the East Coast, the storm’s remnants bring heavy rain and possibly flooding to the D.C. area. What’s left of Debby will have the greatest effects through Friday morning. Be prepared for downpours, potential flooding and a small risk of tornadoes.

A tornado watch is in effect until 7 a.m. for D.C. and several counties in Maryland: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Washington and St. Mary’s. There’s also a flood warning in effect until 11:15 a.m. (See more details and other weather alerts below.)

Prince George’s County handed out sandbags to residents Thursday, a day after Alexandria did the same. The Maryland Department of Emergency Management said it’s enhanced its emergency preparations stance, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to mobilize equipment and resources.

Tornado watch issued for the DC area until Friday at 7 a.m.

A tornado watch is in effect until 7 a.m. for D.C.; several counties in Maryland — Montgomery, Prince George’s, Washington and St. Mary’s — and in Northern Virginia for the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Manassas, Manassas Park and Falls Church, plus the counties of Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford.

A tornado warning was in effect in Northern Virginia in Fauquier County, Loudoun County, Frederick County and Central Clake County until 10:15 p.m. on Thursday.

In Maryland, a tornado warning was issued for central Montgomery County until 6 p.m. Thursday, and early Friday, one was issued for Charles County, Maryland, but was cancelled about 5 a.m.

Flood watch issued in Maryland and Virginia

Keep an umbrella handy Thursday. Steady rain was already falling as of midday in D.C. More rain is expected to pick up overnight, and the worst downpours are expected Friday morning.

Heavy rain could quickly lead to flash and urban flooding, especially in areas prone to flooding like Alexandria, Virginia. Make sure your gutters and storm drains are clear.

Flood watches have been issued for some areas west of the District. Frederick, Maryland, and parts of Northern Virginia, including western Loudoun County and northern Fauquier County, will be under a flood watch from Thursday evening to Friday evening, the National Weather Service said.

Go here to see all weather alerts.

Storm Team4 says areas closer to the D.C. metro area could get flood watches as well. However, the rain is needed after D.C.’s dry summer.

“In our area, this is needed rain. Certainly, there could be some isolated flooding but nothing like what they’re seeing down into parts of the Carolinas,” Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper said.

Weather Radar

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

There’s a “non-zero chance” for tornadoes as the remnants of the tropical storm near the D.C. area. Keep an eye out for tornado watches and warnings, and make a plan in case severe weather hits your neighborhood.

The rough weather could impact any travel plans.

Heavy rain and potential floods could slow drivers Thursday night and into Friday. Never drive into a flooded road. Remember: Turn around, don’t down.

Severe weather Aug 7, 2024

Tracking Debby: What the DC area can expect from the storm

Virginia Aug 6, 2024

Virginia state of emergency declared ahead of Tropical Storm Debby's arrival

Wind restrictions are possible on the Bay Bridge. This storm could also have ripple effects on air travel, so check with your airline before heading to the airport.

The good news? This storm won’t last too long. By Saturday, sunshine is expected to return, along with breezy conditions and highs in the 80s.

How can I prepare for Tropical Storm Debby?

• Make sure storm drains and gutters are clear
• Secure outdoor items such as trash cans and lawn chairs that could get knocked down or blown away
• Keep phones, tablets and laptops charged and have backup charging devices ready
• Have household and food supplies on hand, including medications and pet food
• Make sure cars are serviced and have a full tank of gas
• Have a family emergency plan in place in case of severe flooding and for potential future emergencies

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The D.C. area is getting ready for Tropical Storm Debby as it continues its crawl up the East Coast.

A foot of rain has already fallen in some places down South, flooding streets and homes in Georgia and South Carolina.

While the storm will be far less severe for the D.C. region, there’s still the potential for flooding.

Here’s what we know so far about the storm’s timing, how much rainfall to expect and what the region is doing to prepare.

When is Debby expected to reach the D.C. area?

Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper said the heaviest rainfall will move through from Thursday night into Friday. Most rain will move out by late Friday night.

How much rain will the D.C. area get from Tropical Storm Debby?

Overall, Draper said Debby will be good for the region, bringing 2 to 4 total inches of rain.

“In our area, this is needed rain. Certainly, there could be some isolated flooding but nothing like what they’re seeing down into parts of the Carolinas,” Draper said.

Future weather models show the Shenandoah Valley taking the brunt of the storm at times.

“While this might look a little ominous, for the Shenandoah Valley … this is the best news as they cope with the worst drought they’ve seen there in decades,” Draper said.

Storm Team4 1 hour ago

Storm Team4 Forecast: Light scattered rain on cloudy Thursday before rainout Friday

Extreme Weather Aug 8, 2024

Debby makes second landfall in South Carolina, heavy rain expected up the East Coast

What are the main concerns for the D.C. area?

Isolated flooding and some tidal flooding are possible, especially in areas like Alexandria, Virginia, that are prone to flooding.

Storm Team4 expects most of the D.C. area will be under a flood watch at some point.

As of Thursday morning, a flood watch was issued for areas west of D.C., including parts of Loudoun and Fauquier counties in Virginia and Frederick County, Maryland. Here’s a full list of weather alerts.

There’s also a low tornado risk, mainly on Friday, Draper said.

Draper said, however, that winds are not a big concern with this storm as gusts are expected to reach up to 25 miles an hour.

What is the DC area doing to prepare for Debby?

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed a State of Preparedness declaration Tuesday in preparation for any potential inland and tidal flooding.

In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to easily free up resources for any areas that might be hit hard by flooding.

The city of Alexandria urged residents to prepare ahead of the storm and crews handed out sandbags to homeowners and businesses on Wednesday.

How can I prepare for Tropical Storm Debby?

• Make sure storm drains and gutters are clear
• Secure outdoor items such as trash cans and lawn chairs that could get knocked down or blown away
• Keep cell phones, tablets and laptops charged and have backup charging devices ready
• Have household and food supplies on hand, including medications and pet food
• Make sure cars are serviced and have a full tank of gas
• Have a family emergency plan in place in case of severe flooding, and for potential future emergencies

It’s possible Debby could bring heavy rain, flooding, strong winds and storm surge to Virginia, according to Youngkin’s office.

Storm Team4 says the storm could affect the Washington, D.C., area between Thursday night and Saturday morning, but keep an eye on the forecast as we learn more about the storm’s track.

Prolonged downpours and flooding hammered the southeastern United States on Tuesday, and Debby was expected to hover over the Atlantic Ocean for the next few days before boomeranging back onto the mainland, the Associated Press reported.

Alexandria, Virginia, residents and businesses can get up to five free sandbags on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at three locations.

The Virginia Emergency Operations Center (VEOC) is actively monitoring the storm and anticipates it could move into Virginia as early as Wednesday evening.

Youngkin’s office said the state of emergency allows the Commonwealth to mobilize resources and equipment in case response and recovery efforts are needed.

“As we prepare for Tropical Storm Debby, I urge all Virginians and visitors to stay informed, follow local emergency guidelines, and take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their families and communities,” Youngkin said in a news release.

Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper expects the D.C. area will get about 2 to 4 inches of rainfall once Debby moves north. Most of the moisture from the storm will hit the region Thursday into Friday, she said Tuesday afternoon.

Go here for Storm Team4’s latest forecast.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

D.C. reached 104° Tuesday. Heat indices surpassed 110° in some places across the DMV.

Now, a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for D.C. and the suburbs until 10 p.m. There could be isolated severe storms through the evening.

Storms could produce wind gusts up to 70 mph, heavy rain downpours in spots and possibly small hail. Tornadoes are not likely.

Metro, MARC and VRE trains operated with speed restrictions Tuesday because of the heat. Metro limited above-ground train speeds to 35 mph across the system as rail temperatures topped 135°, the agency said. The extreme heat can make the rails expand.

Storm Team4 issued a weather alert, and another excessive heat warning was in effect through 8 p.m.

High heat and humidity may result in heat-related illnesses. Stay hydrated, limit strenuous activity outside and find ways to stay cool today.

Excessive heat warnings are in effect for D.C. and parts of Maryland and Virginia, including Prince George’s, Montgomery, Arlington and Fairfax counties. Go here to see all weather alerts.

There is a chance for a few isolated showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon and evening. Any storms that develop could be severe, like Monday’s storms.

Weather Radar

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

Excessive heat throughout midweek

Wednesday will still be hot, but less sweltering with temperatures in the 90s. More rain is expected on Wednesday, but the good news is that cooler air will come in behind the rain. Expect another severe thunderstorm watch Wednesday afternoon.

You can plan on a little relief from the heat starting Thursday. Then, highs are expected to max out in the upper 80s through Sunday.

That cooldown won’t last long: Expect to face heat advisories or excessive heat warnings again next week.

Heat safety tips

Intense heat can quickly become dangerous. Keep an eye on vulnerable groups including newborns, infants, children and the elderly.

“Heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year,” the National Weather Service says.

To stay safe in the heat, stay hydrated and opt for water and sports drinks over sugary beverages. Take shade breaks. Know how to respond to signs of heat-related illness. Avoid strenuous outdoor activities, or move them to the cooler morning hours.

Never leave a pet or kids alone in a parked car. Temperatures in cars can rise to lethal levels within minutes, even with the windows cracked, according to KidsandCars.org.

Wearing loose, light-colored clothing can also help you stay cool.

D.C. says it declares a heat emergency when temperatures or the heat index reach 95°. Cooling centers open during a heat emergency, here’s how to find a cooling center plus free transport.

Spray parks and public pools are another way to cool down.

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Where can you find a cooling center?

Cooling centers are available in D.C., Virginia and Maryland.

In D.C., free transportation to cooling centers is available by calling 202-399-7093 or 311; find other D.C. resources here.

Arlington County is offering shelters and resources during the heat wave. Financial assistance with air conditioning repairs is available by calling 703-228-1350. Shelter for homeless individuals is available by calling 703-228-1010. Find more information here.

Find cooling centers in Alexandria here.

Montgomery County has issued a heat emergency alert starting at 11 a.m. Thursday, lasting until 9 p.m. Saturday; find resources for the county here.

Find cooling centers in Prince George’s County here.

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for D.C. and surrounding areas in Maryland and Virginia. Storms have the potential to be strong to severe with downpours and gusty winds up to 60 mph.

D.C. hit a record-high temperature of 102° on Monday – and it felt like 106° in the afternoon, according to Storm Team4.The last time the region was this hot was July 8, 2012.

If the region hits 101° or hotter tomorrow, it will be three consecutive days at above 101°. This has only happened once before in 1930.

An excessive heat warning was issued for D.C. and parts of Maryland and Virginia, including Prince George’s, Montgomery, Arlington and Fairfax counties. The heat warning will continue through Wednesday, with possible isolated storms Tuesday night and strong to severe storms Wednesday night. Go here to see all weather alerts.

Make sure to practice heat safety and know the signs of heat-related illness. Cooling centers are available in D.C., Virginia and Maryland.

There is also an air quality alert in parts of Maryland, including Prince George’s, Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties. Suburban D.C. is expected to see code yellow air quality on Monday so people sensitive to air quality should take extra precautions. Children, the elderly, those with respiratory issues and other vulnerable populations should not spend a lot of time outdoors. You can check your local air quality on Airnow.gov.

Weather Radar

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

Excessive heat throughout midweek

The heat is expected to peak in intensity on Tuesday. Brace for temps just above 100 degrees with feels-like temperatures up to 111 degrees.

More rain is expected on Wednesday, but the good news is that cooler air will come in behind the rain.

You can plan on a little relief from the heat starting Thursday. Then, highs are expected to max out in the upper 80s through Sunday.

That cooldown won’t last long: Expect to face heat advisories or excessive heat warnings again next week.

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What not to wear to work this summer: ‘Stay away from shorts,' says etiquette expert

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The weather service has “paused” the translations because its contract with the provider has lapsed, NWS spokesperson Michael Musher said. He declined further comment.

Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, began providing translations in late 2023, replacing manual translations that the weather service had said were labor-intensive and not sustainable. It eventually provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash spending in federal agencies, including cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

NOAA referred questions about the contract to a message on its website announcing the contract had lapsed. Lilt did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, including 42 million Spanish speakers, according to 2019 Census data.

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

He said translated weather alerts saved lives during a deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky in 2021. A Spanish-speaking family interviewed afterward said they got a tornado alert on their cellphone in English but ignored it because they didn’t understand it, he said. When the same alert came in Spanish, they quickly sought shelter, he said.

“It saved their life,” said Trujillo-Falcón.

Trujillo-Falcón said weather alerts used to be translated by forecasters that spoke more than one language, a task that could be “completely overwhelming” on top of their forecasting duties.

The translations are important for more than extreme weather events, said Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. General weather forecasts are essential for a number of sectors including tourism, transportation and energy. Families and businesses can make more informed decisions when they can get weather information that often includes actions that should be taken based on the forecast.

Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said there are many people in the U.S. that function with limited English relevant to their daily routines. For example, a shopkeeper might be able to have short conversations with customers, but might not have the same understanding when it comes to reading weather or climate terminologies.

“If they don’t have access to that National Weather Service information in the different languages, that could be the difference between life and death for somebody,” said Mendoza-Denton.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Seven tornadoes tore through West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland Wednesday — an outbreak that left a path of tree and structural damage extending about 100 miles long and injuring five people in Montgomery County, Maryland — the National Weather Service said in a preliminary report Thursday.

Five of the tornadoes came from a single storm, Storm Team4 Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer said.

A powerful storm system spawned the destructive tornadoes, beginning in Inwood, West Virginia, where an EF-0 rated twister hit at 4:04 p.m. and traveled almost a mile over four minutes, reaching an estimated peak strength of 75 mph.

About two-and-a-half hours later, an EF-1 tornado hit in Leesburg, Virginia, for a minute at 6:42 p.m., covering a mile and reaching a strength of 95 mph.

That storm continue to Montgomery County, where at 7:14 p.m., another EF-1 tornado traveled 12 miles from Poolesville to Gaithersburg before ending at 7:42 p.m. That tornado reached a strength of 105 mph and width of 125 yards.

Dozens of trees were snapped or toppled completely by the twister, damaging homes and downing powerlines. Widespread outages were reported.

Martin Perez was at home in Gaithersburg with his wife, daughter and two friends when the tornado struck and high winds toppled a tree onto his home, splitting it in two. They all were rescued and were taken to the hospital.

“To see my daughter screaming, to see your family members scared, you’re scared too. I was very afraid,” Perez said Thursday, after he was released from the hospital.

“I’m devastated to see my family suffering, to see my property and my house damaged,” he said.

The tornado likely caused millions of dollars worth of damage, said Earl Stoddard, director of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security.

The storm then continued east to Columbia, where it produced a 95 mph strength, EF-1 tornado at 8:31 p.m. The twister covered a mile over two minutes.

In southern Baltimore County, a fifth tornado struck at 8:45 p.m. and traveled about two-and-a-half miles over seven minutes. It rated EF-1 with peak winds of 105 mph.

A few minutes later, another EF-1 hit briefly to the northeast of Baltimore city in Middle River.

Finally, an EF-0 twister northwest of Baltimore in Carroll County traveled about four-and-a-half miles for about 15 minutes before the outbreak ended.

‘Nature could happen anytime, anywhere’

As residents of Gaithersburg clean up storm damage, some told News4 they will take storm warnings more seriously next time.

“No matter where you live, nature could happen anytime, anywhere,” one man said.

Down the street, a neighbor echoed the sentiment.

Storm Team4 Jun 6, 2024

Tornadoes rip across Montgomery County, leaving people bloodied inside damaged homes

Storm Team4 Jun 6, 2024

‘Miracle': Drone footage shows home sliced by tree as tornado cleanup begins in Montgomery County

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SEE IT: 100 mph tornado moves through Montgomery County

“This was a big wake-up call. It was scary,” she said. “The wind was howling. It sounded like we had a freight train coming through the house. I felt like we were Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ I felt like the house was going to take off.”

“Listen to when they say tornado warning,” she added. “This was the real McCoy and it was very frightening.”

Be cautious when cleaning up, Stoddard told residents, especially while using ladders.

If you see any wires, call officials. Touching a live wire could be fatal.

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

At least two tornadoes touched down in Montgomery County on Wednesday, likely causing millions of dollars worth of damage, said Earl Stoddard, director of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security.

At least five people were injured but no deaths were reported.

Martin Perez was at home in Gaithersburg with his wife, daughter and two friends when a tornado struck and high winds toppled a tree onto his home, splitting it in two. They all were rescued and were taken to the hospital.

“To see my daughter screaming, to see your family members scared, you’re scared too. I was very afraid,” Perez said Thursday, after he was released from the hospital.

“I’m devastated to see my family suffering, to see my property and my house damaged,” he said.

Two or three tornadoes hit in that area of Montgomery County, with winds high as 105 mph, the National Weather Service said.

Trey Simmons and his little brother surveyed the storm damage on Thursday. A huge tree fell in their backyard and their trampoline was missing.

“I like to do fun flips in it, but it will not let me do fun flips anymore, because the tornado fell it away,” the little boy said.

Their great-grandmother said she had never seen anything like it.

“In 93 years, I’ve never experienced this. That’s amazing, isn’t it?” she said.

The property damage is extensive but Stoddard said he’s thankful no one was killed.

“We got incredibly lucky in Montgomery County with two different tornadoes coming during the peak of rush hour,” Stoddard said. “People home, having dinner in their homes.”

A framed picture could be seen through the torn wall of a home on Thursday morning.

About nine areas received damage “likely caused by tornadoes,” the National Weather Service said in an update Thursday, citing data, photos and videos. Those areas include Gaithersburg, Poolesville, Brookeville, Olney and Arbutus.

The National Weather Service is set to investigate the damage and release more information. They are investigating at least 15 potential tornadoes across Maryland, Stoddard said.

Storm Team4 Jun 6, 2024

Tornadoes rip across Montgomery County, leaving people bloodied inside damaged homes

Storm Team4 Jun 6, 2024

‘Miracle': Drone footage shows home sliced by tree as tornado cleanup begins in Montgomery County

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SEE IT: 100 mph tornado moves through Montgomery County

Reopening roads, cleaning up wires and trees and assisting families whose homes were destroyed are among the top priorities in the cleanup effort, Stoddard said.

‘Nature could happen anytime, anywhere’

As residents of Gaithersburg clean up storm damage, some told News4 they will take storm warnings more seriously next time.

“No matter where you live, nature could happen anytime, anywhere,” one man said.

Down the street, a neighbor echoed the sentiment.

“This was a big wake-up call. It was scary,” she said. “The wind was howling. It sounded like we had a freight train coming through the house. I felt like we were Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ I felt like the house was going to take off.”

“Listen to when they say tornado warning,” she added. “This was the real McCoy and it was very frightening.”

Be cautious when cleaning up, Stoddard told residents, especially while using ladders.

If you see any wires, call officials. Touching a live wire could be fatal.

More severe weather is possible on Thursday. The risk of tornadoes is lower than it was on Wednesday, but rresidents should remain weather alert.

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.