New FEMA Alert Notifies Public Whenever ‘Twister' Airing On TNT
WASHINGTON—Predicting that the system would save countless Americans from missing an all-time classic, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the creation of a new alert Friday that would notify the public whenever the 1996 film Twister was airing on TNT. 'If Twister is playing in your area, you will receive a notification on your phone that reads 'Emergency Warning: Immediately find the nearest TV with basic cable,'' said FEMA acting administrator David Richardson, who confirmed the agency had launched the alert system in collaboration with the National Weather Service and the Helen Hunt Fan Club. 'A Twister warning means that conditions for the film are just right. For instance, if it's 1:30 p.m on a Friday, or if Angels In The Outfield was just on. A Twister watch means a promo has been spotted, and you should get yourself and your family on the sofa. Now, if you receive a notification saying there's a Twister warning? Run. That means the F5 scene is already on.' At press time, sirens across the Great Plains were blaring songs from the film's soundtrack, including Stevie Nicks' 'Twisted' and Van Halen's 'Respect The Wind.'
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Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Tornado sweeps through North Dakota town, leaving at least 3 dead
ENDERLIN, N.D. — Powerful winds — including a tornado — that swept across parts of the upper Midwest left three people dead and a regional airport heavily damaged, while nearly 150 million Americans were under a heat advisory or warning as the weekend warms up much of the U.S. A complex storm system wreaked havoc in parts of North Dakota, northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, with reported tornadic activity, large hail and strong wind gusts, according to Brian Hurley, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner said at a news conference Saturday that two men and a woman were killed at two locations around the town of Enderlin, N.D., late Friday. Enderlin is about 57 miles southwest of Fargo. About 24,000 customers were without power in North Dakota. Hours earlier in a post on the social media site X, the National Weather Service in Grand Forks said two deaths were attributed to a tornado that hit a home. Timothy Lynch, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Grand Forks, said that the storm had been confirmed as a tornado but that crews were still working to determine its strength and highest wind speeds. He said the storm affected the neighboring counties of Cass and Ransom. 'We still have people out investigating and gathering information on what happened. It was a pretty major event,' Lynch told the Associated Press on Saturday. Heavy winds also swept across localized areas of Minnesota. The weather service reported wind gusts of up to 106 mph at Bemidji Regional Airport overnight. 'I cannot ever recall hearing a rushing wind like that!' Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince posted on Facebook in the early hours Saturday. 'Emerged from our basement to find our neighborhood with lots of trees down and several homes with severe damage.' Prince also said officials were responding to many downed power lines and several gas line leaks. Beltrami County Emergency Management said the damage to the Bemidji area is 'extensive.' Many Bemidji-area businesses posted on social media Saturday saying they were without power and closed for the day. Nearly 34,000 customers in Minnesota were without power, according to Hurley said that same storm is traversing across parts of Michigan but is weakened. It will cross over lower Ontario, Canada, and back into the United States to hit upstate New York on Saturday night into Sunday. 'Still wind and hail threat,' Hurley said of the enhanced risk to upstate New York. 'It doesn't look like it's going to be as robust perhaps as we saw last night.' Almost 59 million Americans were under an extreme heat warning Saturday, Hurley said, as the high temperatures combined with humidity push an above-average heat index for the Northern Plains and the Midwest. Parts of Nebraska, the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa could face temperatures 'easily 20 degrees above normal,' Hurley said, including some areas reaching the triple digits. It may be expected in July, he said, but it's rarer to see in June. 'A lot of these areas have been pretty cool with rain over the last month or so, so it's going to be a little bit of a shock,' Hurley said. Cooling centers were open in cities including Omaha and Minneapolis as officials warned the public of dangerously hot conditions. An additional 84 million people were under a heat advisory as forecasters expect the extreme weather to migrate eastward toward the Great Lakes, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, where the 'heat risk category is a 4 of 4' into early next week, Hurley said. Meanwhile, parts of the Great Basin and the Southwest may be hot but are seeing relief from below-normal temperatures.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Three Killed in North Dakota Tornado Outbreak
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Three people died late Friday in rural Enderlin, North Dakota, after severe storms spawned tornadoes that devastated the area. According to a Saturday statement on Facebook from the Cass County Sheriff's Office, storm chasers discovered two deceased individuals at one location while first responders found a third victim at another site. The tornado outbreak left a trail of destruction in eastern North Dakota and across the Northern Plains, damaging homes, downing power lines, and cutting electricity to tens of thousands of residents. Law enforcement, fire, and emergency crews worked overnight conducting wellbeing checks and search operations, according to the sheriff's office. Why It Matters This deadly severe weather event highlights the increasing frequency and intensity of storms affecting the central United States. The tornadoes and associated winds exceeding 100 miles per hour left thousands without power in North Dakota and Minnesota, disrupting critical services and prompting urgent safety warnings. As the same storm system moved east, forecasters warned of continuing hazards for millions of Americans already coping with a dangerous heatwave, USA Today reported. The disaster serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of rural communities to extreme weather and underscores the importance of disaster preparedness, timely public alerts, and coordinated emergency response efforts. Authorities and utility companies face significant challenges in restoring infrastructure and aiding affected populations. What To Know Deputies from the Cass County Sheriff's Office responded to a call about tornado damage at approximately 11:40 p.m. on Friday in rural Enderlin, which is about an hour outside of Fargo and the Minnesota state line. Upon arrival, the Enderlin Fire Department informed deputies that storm chasers had located two deceased individuals, with the third victim found by firefighters at a separate location soon after. Sheriff Jesse Jahner confirmed the victims were two men and one woman, The Bismarck Tribune reported. Their identities have not yet been released. The severe thunderstorms and tornadoes caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure in several parts of eastern North Dakota, including Urbana, Eckelson, and Buchanan. Winds exceeding 100 mph—such as a 101-mph gust near Linton and 111 mph gust recorded in Luverne—were reported by the National Weather Service (NWS) and private weather stations. High winds continue within the red area. THESE ARE LONG DURATION WINDS, lasting over an hour. Gusts have been recorded of up to 100 MPH. Power outages, tree damage, and outbuilding damage are possible. Remain weather aware. #NDwx #MNwx — NWS Grand Forks (@NWSGrandForks) June 21, 2025 The storms also produced large hail, measured over 3.5 inches in diameter, and led to flash flooding, particularly in Fargo and Bemidji, according to local reports. As of Saturday morning, approximately 30,000 North Dakota residents and 57,000 in Minnesota were without power at the peak of outages, according to utility companies and official trackers. Meteorologists attributed the outbreak to a persistent heat dome over the southwestern U.S., which created conditions for destructive thunderstorms across the Northern Plains, Midwest, Northeast, and beyond. Forecasters warned that the ongoing storm system was advancing eastward, with the potential to generate more tornadoes, flash floods, and possibly a derecho event—a long-lived, damaging windstorm—over the next 48 hours, USA Today reported. The extreme weather coincided with a dangerous heatwave affecting more than 150 million Americans, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees or higher across parts of over two dozen states. In this stock photo, a tornado is seen in York, Nebraska, on June 20, 2011. In this stock photo, a tornado is seen in York, Nebraska, on June 20, 2011. Getty What People Are Saying NWS Grand Forks wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday morning: "High winds continue within the red area. THESE ARE LONG DURATION WINDS, lasting over an hour. Gusts have been recorded of up to 100 MPH. Power outages, tree damage, and outbuilding damage are possible. Remain weather aware." North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread in a statement on Saturday: "While North Dakota is no stranger to summer weather, the scale and intensity of last night's storm were especially significant. Our hearts also go out to those who lost their lives during this terrible storm. If your home, farm, vehicle, or business sustained damage, the most important thing you can do right now is to act quickly, document everything, and protect your property from further harm." What Happens Next? Disaster recovery information for North Dakota residents is available at and by contacting the Insurance Department at 701-328-2440. Authorities plan to continue welfare checks and damage assessments throughout the affected region, while utility teams work to restore power. The NWS and emergency agencies have urged residents to monitor forecasts as the storm system proceeds eastward, with hazardous weather expected in additional states over the next several days.
3 hours ago
100 million from Arizona to Massachusetts under heat alerts on first day of summer
Americans from Arizona to Massachusetts are under heat alerts on the first day of summer, the longest day of the year, as most of the eastern U.S. braces for a heat wave beginning early next week.
