Weather

Travelers over the next few days may run into weather-related delays in parts of the Eastern U.S., while record warmth holds in the West. Here is a practical, trip-focused forecast summary and what to watch for by region, including storms, showers, and jet stream headwinds that can affect flight times.

A surge of extreme heat is developing across the western U.S., with temperatures running well above average and daily records falling in some locations. The hottest conditions are expected to peak for many areas on Tuesday, with limited relief afterward outside the Pacific Northwest.

Even when an El Niño pattern points toward a below-average Atlantic hurricane season, tropical storms can still develop before the official June 1 start. Recent examples and the most common early-season setup help explain how that can happen—and why an early storm doesn’t necessarily signal an active year ahead.

A late-season winter storm delivered heavy, wet snow across parts of Colorado in early May, creating mid-winter conditions, snarling travel, and raising concerns about tree damage, power outages, and flooding after the storm.

A quick look at the temperature rarely tells the whole story. By checking timing, humidity, heat index, wind, rain odds, radar, air quality and even nearby fronts, you can plan outdoor time with fewer surprises and more comfort.

Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir and a key water source for the U.S. West, is again approaching historic low levels. Records show a long decline since 2000, while exceptionally dry conditions, reduced snowpack and earlier melt are tightening water availability across the Colorado River Basin.

A violent storm in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, sent metal sheets skidding and tumbling across a highway as heavy rain and powerful winds turned routine driving into a dangerous scramble to avoid debris—an example of how high-wind hazards can become life-threatening during severe weather.

Chile’s Atacama Desert is prized for its dry climate, high altitude and isolation from urban light—conditions that deliver more than 300 clear nights a year and support some of the world’s most powerful observatories. Scientists warn, however, that expanding development and unclear regulations could erode the darkness that makes the region a window to the universe.

Moscow residents woke to an unusual late-April snowstorm that toppled trees, damaged power lines and disrupted air travel. The heavy, wet snow highlighted how rare late-season winter weather can quickly strain city infrastructure and daily routines.

La Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean recorded 71.8 inches of rain in a single day in 1966—an amount that exceeds Miami’s typical annual rainfall. Its volcanic terrain and frequent cyclone activity help explain how the island can produce such extraordinary precipitation.