Batten down the hatches: 100 km/h winds, rain — or snow — to sweep across Alberta - Global News

THE TAKEAWAYStrong to severe thunderstorms will develop across the Upper Midwest and central Plains on Tuesday, with hail, damaging winds and heavy rain possible. Storms will spread from the central Plains to the interior Northeast on Wednesday, with a few wind gusts topping 60 mph. The threat will shift south Thursday, when heavy rain and flash flooding could impact parts of the Ohio Valley, Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic. A powerful cold front will sweep across the Upper Midwest and central Plains on Tuesday, triggering strong to severe thunderstorms. Storms and rain will spread into the interior Northeast on Wednesday, with showers and rumbles of thunder possible from Kansas to Maine. By Thursday, the front will move south, bringing wet weather to the Mid-Atlantic, central Appalachians and Ohio Valley. Tuesday severe storm threat.(FOX Weather) Labor Day was a relatively quiet day, although two brief tornadoes were reported in the Dakotas, according to the FOX Forecast Center. Thunderstorms will continue Tuesday morning across parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, bringing a risk of severe hail and wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph.

Why is the SUV/crossover the dominant form of car in the world right now? When did we, collectively, decide that? Because I don’t recall being consulted. It’s not that I have anything against SUVs and crossovers, but I just don’t get why they ended being the default state of cars at this moment in history. Most people don’t off-road them, they’re not all that big inside, and I just don’t get the appeal of wanting to be so high off the ground all the time. Really, if you were to be completely, pointy-eared-alien rational about it all, the car type that should be dominant is a four-door hatch. Ideally, a hot one. Yes, this well-banged drum is going to get further banged! Spanked, even! Because it’s true, dammit, and everyone that drives any decent hot hatch has this same glimmer of realization, and it’s absurd to pretend it’s not A Thing. Because it is. I was reminded of this because I was recently loaned a 2027 (I think? Model years sometimes confuse me) Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Autobahn edition, and the GTI is arguably the hot hatchiest of all the heated hatches, so it was especially hard not to have the realization of, damn, why doesn’t everyone drive one of these?

A meteor streaks across the sky over a desert in China during the Orionid meteor shower on Oct. 22, 2023.(VCG/VCG via Getty Images)The Orionid meteor shower is peaking this week, and it promises to be one of the most dazzling displays of the year. And while some of you will have clear skies, rain and clouds could impact the view for others. Here's what you need to know about the Orionids and your forecast:Fast factsPeak day: The meteor shower peaks Wednesday night, Oct. 21, into the early hours of Thursday morning, Oct. 22. Peak time: From midnight to dawn are the best hours to catch the meteors streaking through the sky, so plan on a late night or really early morning. What the Orionids are known for: The Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and their speed. As they streak across the sky at around 41 miles per second, the meteors leave behind a glowing "train" that can last several seconds to minutes. While you can make the perfect plan to catch the Orionids, the key to stellar viewing is still in Mother Nature's hands. The good news is that many of you should have good meteor shower-watching conditions. Much of the central and eastern U. S.

(urbanbuzz/shutterstock)Could a cheap roll of duct tape help protect your home from flooding? New research suggests it could make a surprisingly big difference. In controlled tests, correctly applied duct tape on the outside of a household door reduced water leakage by 97-98%. The findings suggest that a simple low-cost measure could substantially reduce the amount of water entering a home during a flood. This is important as one of the key lessons from flood resilience research is that the best time to protect a property is before floodwater arrives. The UK government’s 2025 FloodReady Review called for practical, affordable measures that help households understand their risks and to prepare for flooding. And one potential contribution to this agenda might sound unlikely, at first glance. Duct tape is more commonly associated with household repairs than flood protection. However, tests colleagues and I conducted at the University of Hull demonstrated how much water can enter a property through an unprotected doorway during a flood. Three doors, ready for flood-testing.