The Weather Thread

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www.theguardian.com

Ted Cruz ensured Trump spending bill slashed weather forecasting funding

Senator on vacation abroad while Texas was hit by deadly floods, a disaster worsened by forecasting cuts, critics say
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

​

Senator on vacation abroad while Texas was hit by deadly floods, a disaster worsened by forecasting cuts, critics say

Oliver Milman
Mon 7 Jul 2025 18.53 EDT
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Ted Cruz has had quite a week. On Tuesday, the Texas senator ensured the Republican spending bill slashed funding for weather forecasting, only to then go on vacation to Greece while his state was hit by deadly flooding, a disaster critics say was worsened by cuts to forecasting.

Cruz, who infamously fled Texas for Cancun when a crippling winter storm ravaged his state in 2021, was seen visiting the Parthenon in Athens with his wife, Heidi, on Saturday, a day after a flash flood along the Guadalupe River in central Texas killed more than 100 people, including dozens of children and counselors at a camp.


The Greece trip, first reported by the Daily Beast, ended in time for Cruz to appear at the site of the disaster on Monday morning to decry the tragedy and promise a response from lawmakers.


...

But before his Grecian holiday, Cruz ensured a reduction in funding to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (Noaa) efforts to improve future weather forecasting of events that cause the sort of extreme floods that are being worsened by the human-caused climate crisis.

Cruz inserted language into the Republicans’ “big beautiful” reconciliation bill, prior to its signing by Donald Trump on Friday, that eliminates a $150m fund to “accelerate advances and improvements in research, observation systems, modeling, forecasting, assessments, and dissemination of information to the public” around weather forecasting.

A further $50m in Noaa grants to study climate-related impacts on oceans, weather systems and coastal ecosystems was also removed. Cruz was contacted by the Guardian with questions about these cuts and his trip to Greece.
 
05C40 said:
Do you live anywhere near St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church? That place is awesome. One Sunday afternoon after the local PBS station aired a special about it, I drove over to see it and take some photos. Shortly after my arrival, a guy walked over from a neighboring house and I immediately mentioned the PBS special and added that I had no idea something like this was even in Charlotte. He smiled, identified himself as the Treasurer of St. Nektarios, and said, "Would you like to see the inside?" And it is more impressive inside than it is outside.
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No, I looked it up (I hadn’t heard of it before your post), and that’s pretty far from me. I’m a couple blocks away from Park Road Shopping Center.
 
Mulberry Heel said:
That state and local officials did nothing about Camp Mystic after the 1987 flood was bad enough, but if this summer camp is rebuilt and reopened it will be even more criminal and negligent if local, state, and federal officials do nothing to ensure that the camp is built on higher ground, away from and well above the floodplain. Sadly, I'm guessing that officials will continue to do nothing to prevent this camp or anyone else from building in the floodplain or dangerous areas.
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I think the owner has been confirmed dead in the flood, so looks like it will be a decision for the new owners.
 
altmin said:
I think the owner has been confirmed dead in the flood, so looks like it will be a decision for the new owners.
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Generationally owned. Dick Eastland, the owner who died, was the son of the previous owner. His and his wife's children are all involved in various aspects of the Camp ownership/management.

Believe there is less than a 5% chance the camp will be rebuilt.
 
hawriverballroom

Just so everyone knows - and because we are getting so many concerned calls and emails and texts (which we deeply appreciate all you sweet people ❤️‼️) The Ballroom, and all the upper mill businesses have not been affected by the flood - we are fine and our power is on ——however the lower parts of the Rivermill, including @haw_river_canoe_kayak @paperhandpuppet @thebridgewellnesscenter @saxapahawcampground and some cottages and apartments have been flooded at different levels of severity - the bridge is closed - and much of Sax doesn’t have power - (if you need to charge anything come to @cup22sxphw and plug in!) there is a community meeting at 3 o’clock for anyone who wants to join in who needs help or can help —link in bio for the zoom for that meeting. Thanks everyone for your love and care!!!
 
Icky Mettle said:
No, I looked it up (I hadn’t heard of it before your post), and that’s pretty far from me. I’m a couple blocks away from Park Road Shopping Center.
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I must have mistyped the street into Google. St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church was just a surprise to me in a suburban Charlotte neighborhood.
 
Two more people were found dead in Alamance County from flooding. A man and a 23 year old woman were found in their cars that had been swept away by the flooding.
 
Carolina Fever said:
They did have warning. There was a flood warning out from the NWS four hours beforehand. They just didn't pay attention. The camp should have had NOAA weather radios to alert them. There was even a dangerous flood warning out for the river an hour before the flood waters came through the camp, but they didn’t know because they were asleep and didn't have any warning system like a NOAA weather.
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They were protected by The Lord. Who needs science or proper zoning laws.
 
A little PTSD here in WNC. Too soon. Still digging out. Families still displaced. Church just held a healing service last week reading off the names of all 108 who perished in the Diocese. Not fun.
 
donbosco said:
hawriverballroom

Just so everyone knows - and because we are getting so many concerned calls and emails and texts (which we deeply appreciate all you sweet people ❤️‼️) The Ballroom, and all the upper mill businesses have not been affected by the flood - we are fine and our power is on ——however the lower parts of the Rivermill, including @haw_river_canoe_kayak @paperhandpuppet @thebridgewellnesscenter @saxapahawcampground and some cottages and apartments have been flooded at different levels of severity - the bridge is closed - and much of Sax doesn’t have power - (if you need to charge anything come to @cup22sxphw and plug in!) there is a community meeting at 3 o’clock for anyone who wants to join in who needs help or can help —link in bio for the zoom for that meeting. Thanks everyone for your love and care!!!
Click to expand...
Haw River Ballroom is Tom LaGarde and his wife, Heather. She’s a Carolina Friends alum. They’re two of the nicest people. Integral to Saxapahaw becoming what it is.
 
altmin said:
www.theguardian.com

Ted Cruz ensured Trump spending bill slashed weather forecasting funding

Senator on vacation abroad while Texas was hit by deadly floods, a disaster worsened by forecasting cuts, critics say
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

​

Senator on vacation abroad while Texas was hit by deadly floods, a disaster worsened by forecasting cuts, critics say

Oliver Milman
Mon 7 Jul 2025 18.53 EDT
Share


Ted Cruz has had quite a week. On Tuesday, the Texas senator ensured the Republican spending bill slashed funding for weather forecasting, only to then go on vacation to Greece while his state was hit by deadly flooding, a disaster critics say was worsened by cuts to forecasting.

Cruz, who infamously fled Texas for Cancun when a crippling winter storm ravaged his state in 2021, was seen visiting the Parthenon in Athens with his wife, Heidi, on Saturday, a day after a flash flood along the Guadalupe River in central Texas killed more than 100 people, including dozens of children and counselors at a camp.


The Greece trip, first reported by the Daily Beast, ended in time for Cruz to appear at the site of the disaster on Monday morning to decry the tragedy and promise a response from lawmakers.


...

But before his Grecian holiday, Cruz ensured a reduction in funding to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (Noaa) efforts to improve future weather forecasting of events that cause the sort of extreme floods that are being worsened by the human-caused climate crisis.

Cruz inserted language into the Republicans’ “big beautiful” reconciliation bill, prior to its signing by Donald Trump on Friday, that eliminates a $150m fund to “accelerate advances and improvements in research, observation systems, modeling, forecasting, assessments, and dissemination of information to the public” around weather forecasting.

A further $50m in Noaa grants to study climate-related impacts on oceans, weather systems and coastal ecosystems was also removed. Cruz was contacted by the Guardian with questions about these cuts and his trip to Greece.
Click to expand...
I mean Ted had to catch a plane to Greece.
 
"In the last few hours, two earthquakes of 5.2 and 5.6 magnitude were reported, followed by a series of aftershocks, the most recent recorded at 6:39 PM. In response, the President of the Republic has announced the suspension of classes and work activities in the departments of Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, and Escuintla for this Wednesday, the 9th of July." ~Guatemala Solidarity Network
 
No one has been found alive in Texas since Friday. Yikes.
 
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