Red Flag Warnings and Severe Thunderstorms Hit US Plains and New York While Typhoon Dolphin Cancels Hong Kong Flights

Multiple severe weather alerts are active across the United States, including Red Flag Warnings for fire danger in the Northern Rockies and High Plains and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings producing ping-pong ball size hail in Nebraska and damaging winds in western New York, while Typhoon Dolphin has disrupted air travel in Hong Kong and business in Japan.

Active Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in the Central and Eastern US

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northwestern Wyoming County in western New York, northeastern Erie County in western New York, southern Niagara County in western New York, southwestern Orleans County in western New York and Genesee County in western New York until 8:30 AM EDT. [2] At 7:44 AM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Grand Island to near Cheektowaga to Billington Heights, moving east. [2] The National Weather Service in North Platte has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for eastern Hooker County in west central Nebraska and southwestern Thomas County in north central Nebraska until 7:30 AM CDT. [3] At 6:38 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles southwest of Mullen, moving southeast at 25 mph. [3] The hazard includes ping pong ball size hail. [3] People and animals outdoors will be injured, with expected damage to roofs, siding, windows and vehicles. [3] The National Weather Service in North Platte has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for north central Cherry County in north central Nebraska until 7:15 AM CDT. [4] At 6:27 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Cody, or 24 miles southeast of Martin, moving east at 25 mph. [4] The hazard includes ping pong ball size hail. [4] People and animals outdoors will be injured, with expected damage to roofs, siding, windows and vehicles. [4] These warnings cover portions of western New York including Genesee, southwestern Orleans, southern Niagara, northeastern Erie and northwestern Wyoming counties. [2] Storms in Nebraska cover eastern Hooker County, southwestern Thomas County and north central Cherry County. [3] [4] Storms in Nebraska are moving southeast or east at 25 mph and producing ping-pong ball size hail capable of injuring people and animals and damaging roofs, siding, windows and vehicles. [3] [4]

Red Flag Warning for Elevated Fire Weather in the Northern High Plains

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect from noon to 8 PM MDT for Northern Foot Hills, Butte County, Northern Campbell, Southern Campbell, Crook County Plains, Weston County Plains and Wyoming Black Hills due to northwest winds of 10-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph and low relative humidity. [1] The affected area includes Fire Weather Zones 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 323 and 327. [1] Timing runs from noon today to 8 PM MDT this evening. [1] Winds are northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. [1] Relative humidity remains low during the period. [1] This Red Flag Warning remains in effect from noon today to 8 PM MDT this evening due to gusty winds and low relative humidity for Northern Foot Hills, Butte County area, Northern Campbell, Southern Campbell, Crook County Plains, Weston County Plains and Wyoming Black Hills. [1]

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Typhoon Dolphin Disrupts Flights and Tourism in East Asia

At least 12 flights connecting Hong Kong with mainland China, Taiwan and Japan have been cancelled as Typhoon Dolphin gradually moves away from Japan’s Okinawa prefecture and approaches eastern China. [5] Eight outbound flights were cancelled on Saturday, including to Okinawa and Ishigaki in Japan, and three to Shanghai on the mainland. [5] The other cancelled flights had been scheduled to depart for Zhoushan and Ningbo on the mainland and Taipei in Taiwan. [5] Arrivals were also affected, with one flight each from Zhoushan, Taipei, Ishigaki and Okinawa cancelled. [5] HK Express cancelled one flight between Hong Kong and Ningbo on Saturday and another on Sunday, while a further flight had been rescheduled to Monday because of Dolphin. [5] Cathay Pacific said it was waiving rebooking, re-routing and refund charges for eligible travellers booked on flights to or from Fuzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai and Wenzhou on the mainland and Taipei in Taiwan. [5] Hongkongers in Okinawa whose travel plans were disrupted by Dolphin were able to partially resume their itineraries as supermarkets and aquariums reopened. [5] An accommodation and car rental operator said the typhoon had cost his business between 500,000 and 1 million yen. [5] Cathay Pacific and HK Express waived change and refund fees for affected routes to multiple Chinese cities and Taipei. [5]

Broader Context of Global Severe Weather Activity

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect from noon to 8 PM MDT for Northern Foot Hills, Butte County, Northern Campbell, Southern Campbell, Crook County Plains, Weston County Plains and Wyoming Black Hills due to northwest winds of 10-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph and low relative humidity. [1] Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued for portions of western New York including Genesee, southwestern Orleans, southern Niagara, northeastern Erie and northwestern Wyoming counties until 8:30 AM EDT with storms moving east. [2] Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Nebraska cover eastern Hooker County, southwestern Thomas County and north central Cherry County until 7:15-7:30 AM CDT with storms moving southeast or east at 25 mph and producing ping-pong ball size hail capable of injuring people and animals and damaging roofs, siding, windows and vehicles. [3] [4] Typhoon Dolphin caused the cancellation of at least 12 flights connecting Hong Kong with mainland China, Taiwan and Japan, with additional rescheduling; businesses in Okinawa reported losses of 500,000 to 1 million yen. [5] Cathay Pacific and HK Express waived change and refund fees for affected routes to multiple Chinese cities and Taipei. [5] These simultaneous events illustrate ongoing severe weather patterns across North America and the Western Pacific.

What to watch next: Continued movement of storms in Nebraska and New York, expiration of the Red Flag Warning at 8 PM MDT, and further flight adjustments related to Typhoon Dolphin.