Live updates: Tornadoes rake across US, major flooding likely Thursday
CNNMAR 19
Deadly Tornado Outbreak Strikes Central US
Above: Severe Weather Outlook for April 3, 2025. Image copyright: The National Weather Service via X
The Spin
Climate-concerned narrative
The unprecedented severity of these weather events directly results from climate change. Data shows rains are intensifying at one of the fastest rates in the Ohio Valley, and extremely heavy early spring rains are one of the best-predicted consequences of global warming.
Establishment-critical narrative
The catastrophic impact of these storms is exacerbated by critically short-staffed weather services and emergency response agencies, with five of 12 River Forecast Centers having critical vacancies and FEMA recently firing hundreds of probationary staff under White House orders. Now, government cuts are a disturbing variable to consider alongside the meteorological impacts.