• Extreme heatwave breaks power demand records, China

    Extreme heat affecting vast areas of China on July 16, 2025, pushed the national maximum electricity load above 1.5 billion kilowatts for the first time on record, marking the third new peak this month. Temperatures exceeded 46°C (114.8°F) at local stations in Xi’an and reached 42.2°C (108.0°F) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with widespread nighttime heat and record-high ground temperatures observed.

  • Floods create sinkholes, submerge roads in central North Carolina

    Flash floods caused widespread disruptions across central North Carolina on July 15, 2025, inundating roads, basements, and intersections in cities such as Burlington, Mount Airy, and Greensboro. Emergency services responded to flooded roadways, downed trees, and multiple sinkholes, while the Burlington City Council canceled its scheduled meeting due to the conditions.

  • Heavy rainfall and flash flooding threaten Florida and Gulf Coast as Invest 93L moves westward

    A low-pressure system designated Invest 93L is moving westward across the Florida Peninsula on July 15, 2025, with a medium chance of tropical cyclone development in the northeastern Gulf by mid-week. The system could become a tropical depression or Tropical Storm Dexter later this week, potentially affecting the northern Gulf Coast with heavy rain and localized flooding.