Severe Weather
Regulator criticizes power companies over prolonged Storm Johannes outages
Reported by AI Image generated by AI
Days after Storm Johannes battered northern Sweden, thousands of households remain without power, violating electricity laws limiting unplanned outages to 24 hours. The Energy Markets Inspectorate slams companies for poor maintenance and demands better preparedness amid new storms.
Researchers warn that warming ocean hot spots are fueling more intense hurricanes and typhoons beyond Category 5. These deep-heat regions, expanding due to climate change, have led to over half of the strongest storms occurring in the past decade. Experts call for a new classification to better inform public preparedness.
Reported by AI
Scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria have developed a technique using intersecting laser beams to trap and charge single aerosol particles, observing their electrical changes in real time. This method, detailed in Physical Review Letters, mimics processes inside storm clouds and could uncover how lightning initiates. The glowing particles reveal electron loss and sudden charge bursts through a two-photon process.