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The death toll from Hurricane Helene has risen to at least 44, and it is expected to jump even more in the coming days. Helene made landfall as a dangerous Category 4 storm on Thursday, wreaking havoc across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. To read more about Helene's landfall, click here . 44 people were killed after the hurricane's 140 mph winds blew down trees, power lines, and billboards, and cars were completely submerged by the 20+ feet of storm surge that hit the Florida coast, and homes were inundated after it dropped over 10 inches of rain in parts of Florida and Georgia. In fact, the city of Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, received a staggering total of 11.12 inches of rain in two days, shattering the city's record for the most rain in 48 hours. The records, dating back to 1878, state that this precipitation was the worst in the city's history, with the next-worst being 9.59 inches in 1886. The storm also did a lot of damage in more mountainous areas like western North Carolina, where part of the Appalachian Mountain range is located. The heavy rain pooled into temporary lakes at the lowest point in an area, and towns were also struck by mudslides as the extreme precipitation loosened the already-saturated ground. Many roads in urban areas are under multiple feet of water, and other areas have been completely flooded by rain or rivers bursting their banks. Several hospitals were also forced to close in southern Georgia, and numerous roads were shut down because of toppled trees, fallen power lines, and other debris. Tornadoes also struck some small towns, including one in southern Georgia that killed two people in a mobile home, and another tornado in North Carolina injured four people. Millions of people are still out of power across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Virginia. However, rescue and power crews are trying their best to save citizens, drain standing water, and restore power as quickly as possible. Thousands of rescues have already taken place, and emergency services have received hundreds of phone calls in just a few hours in some places. It is a dangerous job, though. Two firefighters were killed in South Carolina and another firefighter was killed in Georgia after trees fell on their fire trucks. The storm is currently a weak post-tropical cyclone over Kentucky, and it is dousing the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys with the last of its rain. The precipitation has ended for hard-hit states like Florida and Georgia, though, and the tough cleanup will now begin to recover from this devastating storm. Unfortunately, events like Helene will only become more common as the burning of fossil fuels exacerbates climate change, creating stronger, more frequent hurricanes. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Jellyfish are 95% water and have no brain, blood, bones, or eyes (except for the dangerous box jellyfish, which has 24 eyes). Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The greatest gift that human beings possess is curiosity. (Kenneth Clark) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Lucid (adj)- If somethin g written, spoken, or otherwise communicated is described as lucid, it is very clear and easy to understand. A person described as lucid is able to think clearly. Lucid is also used to describe things that are luminous, or that are visually transparent. In a Sentence: The film conveyed a lucid message that was hard to misinterpret.

We apologize for publishing this article late due to a scheduling issue. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend yesterday as a Category 4 hurricane packing winds of 140 mph and heavy rain, along with over 20 feet of storm surge in some areas. Helene made landfall east of the original projection but within the cone of its expected track, with the eye of the storm passing over Taylor County at around 11:10 pm last night. The storm formed as a tropical storm on Tuesday, moving northwest towards Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, and brushed Cancún before entering the Gulf of Mexico. The system had been an area of interest for possible development for days, and it has finally formed after moving over warm waters. You can read more into the initial development of Helene here . Helene then rapidly intensified in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing from a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph to a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph as it brushed western Florida. The eastern side of the hurricane battered Tampa and St. Petersburg for hours as it approached the Florida Panhandle, bringing storm surge of 6-8 feet to the entire area. As it came closer to the Big Bend, it began to slightly shift east as it continued to intensify, changing its primary target from the state capital of Tallahassee to the smaller town of Perry. Various watches and warnings were put into place across the region, including river flood warnings in some parts of Florida, flood watches across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia, hurricane warnings across the Florida Panhandle and southern Georgia, tropical storm warnings across the rest of Florida and Georgia, and more. A state of emergency was also declared in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Alabama by their respective governors before Helene arrived, allowing forces to mobilize and prepare ahead of time so that they can jump straight into action after the storm passes. US President Joe Biden also secured additional funding for Florida to help them recover from the initial severe effects of Helene. Last night, the system raged onto land as a as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of over 140 mph along with heavy rain, and storm surge was also a massive danger. The record-breaking storm surge reached over 20 feet in some areas, instantly inundating entire islands of homes. Pictures taken from cameras mounted on the roofs of evacuated houses showed water levels just below the location of where the photo was taken, showing the dramatic scale of the storm surge. This, coupled with heavy rain and winds, has knocked out power and wreaked havoc across the entire area. Rivers have also burst their banks due to the heavy rainfall, inundating areas farther inland. Unfortunately, Helene is striking the exact same area that was devastated by Hurricane Idalia (made landfall as Category 3) last year and was also hit hard by Hurricane Debby (made landfall as Category 1) earlier this year. Also, the storm did not just affect the area around it-- its impacts stretched far and wide. Helene itself a massive storm, with its outer bands reaching over 100 miles in each direction. Hurricane-force winds only stretched about 20-30 miles outside of the eye, but tropical storm-force winds were felt over 100 miles in all directions. Also, because Helene is a larger storm, that allows it to travel farther inland without weakening as fast as a smaller hurricane. Its size makes Helene worse than Idalia from last year, which was also a major hurricane but much smaller. In fact, Helene's size is relatively similar to the size of the catastrophic Hurricane Irma, which struck eastern Florida as a Category 5 hurricane in 2017. Trees and power lines were knocked down across the Southeast by Helene's strong winds-- over 1 million people are still out of power in Florida alone, and hundreds of thousands of people lost power in Georgia as well. Several people were also killed by the hurricane, including two people who died when a reported tornado hit their mobile home and another person who died in their car near Tampa after they were crushed by a billboard. Thousands of Floridians were forced to evacuate ahead of the storm due to the severe conditions arriving with Helene, but many residents refused to leave. Because of this, during the storm, the sheriff's office of Taylor County, where the storm made landfall, told residents that did not evacuate to write their name, birthday, and other important information on their arm or leg so that they could be identified in case of an emergency. However, the hurricane isn't just impacting Florida. After pummeling the Florida Panhandle, the hurricane rapidly moved into southern Georgia, traveling northward towards the state capital of Atlanta, which is home to around 6 million people. The storm (as of 7 am Eastern Time) is currently pummeling the Atlanta metro area with heavy rain and strong winds of over 65 mph, and it is still forecast to move on into Tennessee and Kentucky, dumping even more rain over the Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio Valley. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Many countries actually have more than one capital. For example, South Africa has three: Bloemfontein, Pretoria, and Cape Town; Bolivia has two, La Paz and Sucre; and the Netherlands has two: Amsterdam and The Hague. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): You can love what you see in the mirror, but you can’t self-esteem your way out of the way the world treats you. (Gabrielle Union) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Deter (verb)- To deter someone is to discourage or prevent them from acting. To deter a thing is to stop or limit it. In a Sentence: The heavy fines aim to deter people from dumping garbage here.

Hurricane John is expected to make another landfall in southern Mexico later today after battering the region with heavy rain and strong winds for the past few days. John began as a weak tropical depression over the weekend off the coast, and was originally expected to make landfall as a weak tropical storm. However, the system slowly drifted northward over extremely warm waters, causing it to rapidly intensify into a Category 3 hurricane packing winds of over 120 mph and heavy rain. John made landfall on Monday night in the southern state of Guerrero, slowly moving westward over the region. The storm also passed directly over the city of Acapulco, a coastal tourist destination that is home to around 850,000 people, bringing landslides to the mountainous region. Guerrero is where the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range meets the sea, so landslides and mudslides are common after heavy rainfall. Roofs were blown completely off of some houses, and numerous trees fell and blocked roads all over the state. The storm dumped totals of over a foot of rain in some areas, and more is expected. After making landfall, John drifted west over Acapulco, greatly weakening along the way. By the time it eventually moved back out into the sea, the system was a mere tropical depression, carrying meager winds of 35 mph. However, the rain still made an impact in Guerrero and the states around it. In total, around 60,000 people are out of power and at least three people are dead due to the dangerous landslides. Now, John has restrengthened into a hurricane once again, and is heading towards the neighboring state of Michoacán with winds of 75 mph and more intense rainfall. More mudslides and landslides are expected, but the system should finally fizzle out after making landfall in Michoacán as winds will carry it farther into the mountains, avoiding restrengthening of the storm. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): While 68% of Earth's landmass is in the northern hemisphere, a staggering 90% of the world's population lives in it. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): We can’t change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust the sails. (Indian Proverb) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Ilk (noun)- Ilk is a noun that means "sort" or "kind." It is usually used in short phrases with and or of , as in "and that ilk" and "of their ilk." In a Sentence: The hole beneath the stairs of the cabin's porch allows in squirrels, woodchucks, and other creatures of that ilk .

Helene has formed in the Caribbean, and it is now a dangerous, rapidly intensifying hurricane racing toward Florida. The storm formed as a tropical storm yesterday, moving northwest towards Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, and brushed Cancún before entering the Gulf of Mexico. The system had been an area of interest for possible development for days, and it has finally formed after moving over warm waters. It is now in the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico, west of Cuba, and is delivering rain to both regions. Helene's winds have strengthened to over 75 mph with gusts of over 90 mph, and more intensification is expected. Hurricane Helene is expected to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane as it quickly moves north through the eastern Gulf, putting the storm on track for a Thursday landfall in the Florida Panhandle. Water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico have been hitting over 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31 degrees Celsius) recently, which is prime condition for a storm to form and strengthen. Current forecasts expect Helene to be a major hurricane of Category 3 intensity by the time it reaches the Florida coastline, packing winds of over 120 mph, life-threatening rain, and dangerous storm surge. In fact, no model in the history of the National Weather Service has ever showed a hurricane intensifying from a tropical depression to a major hurricane this quickly-- according to their forecasts, it would take under 60 hours for Helene's winds to strengthen from 35 mph to 120 mph. After making landfall, it will quickly pass through Florida's thin panhandle before entering southern Georgia, where it will dump heavy rain for several days as it weakens. Forecasts expect a weakened Helene to travel through the Atlanta area, which is the state of Georgia's largest city and is home to around 6 million people. Then, as a tropical depression, it will deliver more rain to Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Ohio Valley, but it should fizzle out relatively swiftly as it moves farther and farther away from the warm waters of the Gulf. Florida and Georgia are already preparing for Helene's impacts-- flood and hurricane watches are already in place. Flood watches are in place across western Florida, the Panhandle, and almost all of Georgia, and also extend into parts of Tennessee and North Carolina. Hurricane warnings are place across Florida's Big Bend region, where Helene is expected to make landfall, and tropical storm warnings are also in effect for much of southern Florida. Meanwhile, the less severe tropical storm watch is in place across eastern Georgia and Florida along the Atlantic coastline, while tropical weather statements, which warn of possible tropical storm conditions coming soon, have taken effect across almost all of Florida and southern Georgia. The region will now brace for the heavy rain, strong winds, and serious storm surge from Helene heading their way, but they will need to prepare quickly-- the storm is moving and intensifying at a rapid pace. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): The first traffic signal was created by William Potts in 1920-- it was the first-ever tricolor, four-directional traffic signal, helping drivers stay safe at intersections. The first four-directional traffic light was installed at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Fort Street in Detroit, Michigan. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): I feel like money makes you more of who you already are. (Sara Blakely) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Jerkwater (adj)- Jerkwater means “remote and unimportant.” It is often used to describe a small town, village, etc., that is out in the country far from cities. Jerkwater can also mean “trivial.” In a Sentence: I grew up in a jerkwater town in the middle of nowhere.

At least 492 people are dead in the latest round of intense strikes on Lebanon as Hezbollah and Israel trade heavy fire at the border. Israel and Hezbollah experienced some serious conflict earlier in the week, sparking fears of an all-out war on the way. You can read more about the initial conflict here . Following Israel's electronic device explosions last week, Israel struck Lebanon again on Friday, killing a chief Hezbollah military commander, several operatives, and numerous civilians in an airstrike. Hezbollah replied by launching around 150 rockets and missiles towards northern Israel on Sunday, forcing locals into bomb shelters and bombarding the area with explosions. Many of the incoming projectiles were blocked by Israel, but a second round of over 250 rockets came down on the same region on Monday. Schools were forced to shut down and businesses closed for the day as well. Israel promised a strong retaliation, as they would not back down from a fight with Hezbollah. On Monday, Israel hit over 1,600 targets relating to Hezbollah activity in southern Lebanon, taking down missiles, drones, and more weapons. Numerous targets were deep inside residential areas, and while Israel told residents to evacuate ahead of time, many people were not able to or refused to leave. Other targets also included hospitals, medical centers, and schools. Highways leading out of southern Lebanon were jam-packed with evacuees scrambling to get out of the region before Israel struck their targets. 492 people were killed in the attacks, including 58 women and 35 children, and injured at least 1,650 others. Israel has confirmed that they will not stop now-- the country's military is already planning for another round of attacks on more Hezbollah operatives and bases in Lebanon this week. They have told all residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately, and Israel will let them know when it will be safe to return to their homes. Locals, experts, the United Nations, the European Union, and other governments all fear that this conflict could rapidly escalate into a full-blown war, as Hezbollah strongly supports Hamas in Gaza and Israel continues to retaliate to Hezbollah's attacks. However, a situation like that would certainly have a major impact on the civilian population of Lebanon, as it has done to Gaza-- over 41,400 people have been killed in the Israel-Hamas War, and a total of 1.7 million people have been displaced. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Farmers in South Dakota are allowed to set off fireworks or explosives to protect their sunflower crops, as long as the blasts are at least 660 feet away from the nearest church, home, or schoolhouse. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Every successful person has a painful story. Every painful story has a successful ending. Accept the pain and get ready for success. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Rue (verb)- To rue something is to feel penitence, remorse, or regret for it. Rue is often used in the phrase "rue the day." In a Sentence: I rue the day I signed that infernal contract.

Explosions rocked Lebanon recently after an elaborate Israeli scheme went into action, exploding pagers and other electronic devices belonging to Hezbollah operatives all over the country. The first round of explosions began on Tuesday after pagers all over Lebanon blew up as part of Israel's complex plan. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nazrallah planned for the organization to go very low-tech, as it would allow them to avoid being tracked by Israel. In February, he told members, "Shut it off, bury it, put it in an iron chest and lock it up." Rumors had been spreading that Israel was tracking their every move and scanning all of their communications, so Nazrallah ordered a shipment of thousands of pagers from BAC Consulting in Hungary, which was selling pagers under the branding of Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Gold Apollo. However, it seems to have all been part of an Israeli setup. According to intelligence officers interviewed by the New York Times, BAC Consulting was a shell company set up by Israel long before the order, as they had long expected Nazrallah to order pagers. They hooked up with Taiwan's Gold Apollo for marketing and sold pagers to various companies under Gold Apollo's branding, but the actual people producing the pagers were Israeli officers. When the time came around and Hezbollah made the order, the officers secretly manufactured the pagers with batteries that contained a dangerous explosive that was rigged to explode when the command was sent. Israel has declined to comment on the matter. Gold Apollo later reasserted that they had no correlation with the production of that specific model, known as the AR-924-- BAC was producing their own pagers instead of importing them from Taiwan. An expert inspected a pager that did not explode and found that the pager had been rigged in a specific way that made sure someone was nearby. When the message was sent, the pager experienced a strong vibration, forcing the user to press a combination of buttons to stop the buzzing. When those buttons were pressed, it activated a small amount of explosive that had been planted inside the pager, setting off the explosion. Unfortunately, the setup meant that the user was not necessarily the operative, meaning that another innocent person could have pushed the buttons and suffered from the attack. Nazrallah later told every Hezbollah officer to carry the pager at all times, and thousands of them were distributed across the organization. Then, at around 3:30 pm on Tuesday, a ping was sent to each pager in Arabic, camouflaging the intent of the message. At that exact moment, every pager in the nation exploded, wreaking havoc across Lebanon. The attack killed at least 12 people, including two young children, and injured over 2,800 others, leaving stricken victims lying across the streets. Hezbollah later confirmed that eight of their members had died, while thousands of others were injured. Most of the explosions took place in Beirut, Lebanon's capital and largest city of around 2.4 million people, injuring around 1,850 people, while approximately 750 were injured in southern Lebanon and another 150 were injured in the agricultural region of Beqaa to the east. Hospitals were quickly inundated with a surge of patients who had suffered injuries from the attack, which included missing fingers and hands, severe cuts and burns, and damage to facial features like the eyes, ears, and nose. The worst of the attacks took place in areas where Hezbollah operatives are everywhere, primarily in parts of southern Lebanon near the border with Israel. Then, on Wednesday, another round of explosions rocked Lebanon, coming from other low-tech devices like radios, walkie-talkies and solar panels. One of the explosions went off at a funeral that was taking place for a Hezbollah operative who had died in Tuesday's attacks, sparking more anger towards Israel. The second wave of attacks killed at least 20 people and injured 450 others, making the latest round even more dangerous than the first. The explosion of regular household devices has created a large amount of paranoia amongst locals, and devices are now being kept far away from people out of fear that an explosion could take place at any second-- the devices have become literal ticking time bombs. It is unclear how the bombs were placed inside the devices affected by the second wave, but investigations are ongoing. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have been rising over the last few months, especially due to the fact that Israel refuses to halt their attacks on Palestine following the October 7 invasion of Israel by Hamas. These attacks have caused serious chaos throughout the Hezbollah organization, and the purpose is to let them know that Israel is watching their every move. However, they will need to be cautious to avoid a full-scale escalation, and other nations like the United States are working to ensure that an all-out war does not occur in the region. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): There’s no clear reason as to why a hamburger is called a hamburger if it doesn't contain any ham, but the most likely origins are from Hamburg, Germany. The city was known for the original Hamburg steak, and the dish was shortened to "Hamburgs" later on. Then, when the beef was eventually sandwiched between two slices of bread, it became "hamburgers." Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): No matter how hard the loss, defeat might serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out. (Al Gore) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): By and large (adv)- By and large is another way of saying "in general" or "on the whole." In a Sentence: By and large , I like the way things have gone.

At least 22 people were killed and over 30 others were injured in Gaza after an Israel strike on a former school recently. The airstrike struck the Al-Zaytoun School in Gaza City, where Israel claimed a Hamas stronghold was situated. Thousands of Palestinians, including numerous women and children, were sheltering there, as schools and hospitals tend to be safe spaces for displaced refugees to set up camp. Unfortunately, Hamas centers tend to also be strategically placed in those areas, as they have a high concentration of civilians and are less likely for Israel to directly attack. It is unknown whether there were actually any Hamas operatives inside, but Israel stated that the school served as a "command and control center" for Hamas and was used by the organization to "plan and carry out terrorist attacks." Residents told CNN that they received absolutely no warning before the attack, and it took them completely by surprise. The missiles destroyed most of the building, leaving it in ruins. One video taken by the Associated Press showed metal rods and electrical wiring strewn everywhere, and the ceiling caved in on the original ground floor, leaving a massive amount of debris to sift through. Locals are acting as their own rescue crews in this situation, and they are now searching through the rubble for more survivors. 30 people were harmed in the bombing, but hospitals in the area are already overwhelmed with patients-- unfortunately, they will most likely fail to get adequate care for their injuries. Sadly, as Hamas continues to shelter in schools and hospitals, the death toll and frequency of these strikes will only increase as Israel moves toward their goal of totally eliminating Hamas. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): The rarest facial feature is known as heterochromia-- when your eyes are different colors. There are three types of heterochromia: complete heterochromia (two different-colored irises), central heterochromia (an inner/outer ring that is a different color than the other area of the iris), and partial heterochromia (part of one iris is a different color than the rest of it). Heterochromia only affects less than 1% of the world’s population. However, it may be rare in humans, but heterochromia is quite common in dogs! Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): I clean up, putting all the tools and instruments back where they belong, remembering that a tool in the wrong place is no better than a tool we don’t have. (Scott Kelly) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Paraphernalia (noun)- Paraphernalia can refer to objects or items that are used to do a particular activity, as well as objects or items that are typically associated with a particular activity, subject, etc. The word can also refer generally to personal belongings. In a Sentence: Jordan’s childhood bedroom was filled with hockey paraphernalia .

The Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani became the first-ever Major League Baseball player to join the 50-50 club on Thursday, slamming his 50th home run and stealing his 50th base in a game against the Miami Marlins. Ohtani, a Japanese-American, has been in the MLB since 2018 when he first signed with the Los Angeles Angels, and has broken numerous records since then. After experiencing major success in the league during his time with the Angels, he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2023 season, which is the largest contract in global sports history. As one of the best players in MLB history with his unique two-way ability as a hitter and a pitcher, he has become a huge sporting icon for Japan, and his face is up everywhere across the country. Then, on Thursday night, Ohtani reached yet another major milestone in his career, becoming the first-ever player in MLB history to join the 50-50 club. 50-50 is when a player hits 50 home runs and steals 50 bases in a single season, and no MLB player has ever achieved that feat-- until now. Ohtani surpassed the landmark statistic during the Dodgers' against the Miami Marlins, where they crushed their opponents 20-4. However, the milestones didn't stop there. Ohtani stole two bases and hit three home runs throughout the game, with a total of 10 runs batted in (RBI). He is only the 17th player in MLB history to hit 10 RBIs in a game, the most recent being Mark Reynolds in 2018 for the Washington Nationals. In addition, he is also the first-ever Dodgers player to hit 50 home runs in a season. Fortunately for Japanese and Dodgers fans, Ohtani's career is far from over. The Japanese-American is only 30 years old, and his contract has just begun-- it extends until 2033, so Ohtani will be 39 years old by the time his contract with the Dodgers expires. This season is not over for the Dodgers yet, either-- after this win, the Dodgers have qualified for the postseason for the 12th straight year, and it begins on October 1. The Dodgers are currently 92-62 and have eight more games to play in the regular season. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Ultramarine blue was once such a rare color that the cost was often higher than the price of gold. It was made from grinding up lapis lazuli, a gem found mostly in Afghanistan. Due to its exceptional rarity, it was used very sparingly and was usually reserved for extremely special uses. Then, in the late 1820s, synthetic ultramarine began to be manufactured in France and Germany, replacing the expensive and labor-intensive process of mining, shipping and grinding up lapis lazuli. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Focus on improving yourself, not proving yourself. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Winnow (verb)- In general contexts, winnowing is about removing what is not wanted. One can winnow items, or one can winnow something that has items: you winnow less important or less desirable items by removing them from a group, list, etc.; and you winnow a list or group by removing the less important or less desirable items from it. In agricultural contexts, to winnow chaff (unwanted seed coverings and other debris) is to remove it from grain by throwing the grain up in the air and letting the wind blow the unwanted parts away. In a Sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to three finalists; many of them are highly qualified.

An unnamed storm brought over a foot of rain to some parts of North Carolina recently, inundating towns and roads and even sparking tornado warnings. The storm formed over the weekend and was expected to become Tropical Storm Helene before it made landfall, but it ended up being too close to shore-- the system did not have enough time in the warm waters off the United States' eastern coast to intensify into a named storm. However, the storm, designated Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight, still made a huge impact in North Carolina. Much of the eastern part of the state is relatively low-lying, making it more susceptible to flooding-- especially North Carolina's famed Outer Banks barrier islands. In fact, waves of over 11 feet were recorded by buoys off the coast of Hatteras Island, located on the southern portion of Outer Banks. Heavy rain had been pouring across the region for days, covering roadways in water. Officials strongly advised residents to avoid driving and stay indoors, as driving through floodwaters can cause permanent damage to cars. In some areas, entire roads were swept away, and roads were shut down in the counties of Sampson, Duplin, Brunswick, New Hanover, Onslow and Pender. Firefighters and rescue crews responded to numerous calls for help from people stranded in vehicles, and local schools were closed down for the day after water started to flood the building. Flood watches and warnings were put into place across North Carolina and Virginia, and tornado warnings were also issued for parts of eastern North Carolina. However, no significant tornadoes were reported. According to the National Weather Service, one station at Carolina Beach recorded over 18 inches of rain in 12 hours, later reaching a total of 21 inches, which is deemed a once-in-1,000-year rainfall event. Meanwhile, other nearby areas received over a foot, making it a once-in-200-year-rainfall event. Also, while some towns did not end up with massive totals, they received large amounts of rain in short periods of time. In Brunswick County, precipitation fell at 4-5 inches per hour during parts of Monday, dousing the town of Southport in over 19 inches of rain, and the town of Sunny Point received 9 inches in just three hours-- equivalent to the town's average rainfall in an entire month. Sunny Point also received strong winds, with sustained winds at over 35 mph and gusts hitting 77 mph at one point. Thankfully, the system has weakened and the rain has moved north, leaving residents and the government with a lot of work to do to fix up the region. It will now deliver rain up the East Coast into states like Virginia and Maryland, but it should pose less of a threat now that the system has already released most of its precipitation. Central Virginia will take the worst of the hit-- the region can expect widespread totals of 1-2 inches with local totals of upwards of 3 inches and up to 5 inches in some areas. Unfortunately, these extreme rainfall events will only become more common as the impact of climate change worsens, changing weather patterns all over the world and warming oceans to create stronger storms. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Have you ever seen a Coca-Cola bottle with a yellow cap instead of a red one? Coke bottles with yellow caps signify that they are considered kosher for the Jewish holiday of Passover, which has specific dietary restrictions. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Everything you want to be, you already are. You’re simply on the path to discovering it. (Alicia Keys) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Dally (verb)- The word dally has a nu mber of meanings. To dally can be to physically linger or dawdle, or to waste time. Dally may also mean "to act playfully," especially in a romantic sense, or "to deal with something lightly or in a way that is not serious." In a Sentence: Three members of the hiking group were dallying and didn't arrive at the overlook until others were already starting to head back to the trailhead.

Tropical Storm Pulasan struck China's most populous city of Shanghai yesterday, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds. Pulasan began only four days ago as a tropical depression northwest of the Northern Mariana Islands, but the storm moved quick. The system maintained a rapid pace of around 20 mph as it moved northwest across the western Pacific, slowly intensifying as it traveled. At one point, the storm reached speeds of over 33 mph-- an exorbitant pace for a tropical system. During its journey, it intensified and even became a typhoon at one point, packing dangerous winds of over 75 mph, but cooler waters caused it to weaken as it approached China. By the time the storm had arrived in Zhejiang province, which stretches up the coast to the area south of Shanghai, it was a weak tropical depression carrying some heavy rain, and it had slowed down to only 9 mph. It made a brief landfall on an island off the coast, but later made its official landfall in Shanghai's Fengxian District, bringing its pouring rain to an already-saturated area. Earlier in the week, Typhoon Bebinca slammed Shanghai and the surrounding areas with heavy rain and winds of around 95 mph. It dumped buckets of precipitation all over the city, and that rain coupled with its strong winds did damage all over the Greater Shanghai area. Bebinca was the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Shanghai since Typhoon Gloria in 1949, flooding streets and knocking down power lines and trees. Over 414,000 people were forced to evacuate before Bebinca made landfall, while flights, ferries, and trains were canceled and school was out for the day. Two people were killed in the storm, and another local was injured by a falling tree. Power was restored quickly and everything returned back to normal until Pulasan brought more rain, with the heavily-saturated ground exacerbating flooding effects. However, Bebinca will continue to dump rain across China's inner regions as it fizzles out, while Pulasan has a long path ahead. The system is expected to restrengthen into a tropical storm today as it passes over the Yellow Sea, heading towards South Korea. From there, the storm could shift north and pass straight through South Korea before arriving in northern Japan as a tropical depression, bringing heavy rain to both areas. However, it could also veer south, skimming the southern coastline of South Korea and going on to impact central Japan with stronger winds and heavier rain. In addition, there is the possibility that the storm goes right through the middle of those two paths, delivering even more damage, as it would strike both South Korea and Japan hard. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Fingerprints start out looking like the same patches of cells that will go on to form hair follicles. However, instead of turning into hair follicles, these cells form ridges patterned in whorls and loops thanks to tiny differences in the expression of the genes responsible for forming skin structures. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create. (Buddha) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Approbation (noun)- Approbation is a formal wo rd that refers to praise or approval. In a Sentence: Their plan to rewild portions of the city’s parks has won the approbation of the mayor.