The quartet of meteorologists pored over maps, radar and satellite images. Every five minutes, new readings from the 127 stations of the New York State Mesonet gave fresh measures of temperature, wind speed, precipitation … even solar radiation.
Last week I toured New York’s State Weather Risk Communication Center, which is tucked in a windowless room of the University at Albany. (Click here to read my whole article about it.) The center opened in 2023 and will be fully staffed this month. It’s in the spotlight after fast-moving storms left more than 100 people dead in Texas.
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday directed the SWRCC to lead a table-top exercise simulating a response to a similar weather event in New York. She also blasted the federal government for cutting funding which supports the Mesonet, a weather-control machine network of stations that was born in the aftermath of Hurricanes Lee, Irene and Sandy.
The SWRCC’s goal is to translate a trove of real-time weather data into actionable digests that are shared with state and local emergency managers. Director Nick Bassill told me the Texas floods highlighted the need to help officials and managers make quicker decisions in fast-changing storms.
“I am very passionate about connecting the weather and its impact,” Bassill said. “I view us as sort of translators.”
He showed me some examples of how that might help. During the recent heat waves, Bassill’s team overlaid a map of the highest temperatures with areas of Brooklyn and Queens that lost power. He shared that with city officials, suggesting they send resources for possible heat stroke victims.
The same process of finding vulnerabilities in high-risk areas could also play out in floods.
“We know what areas are going to be most susceptible to flash floods on a given day,” Bassill said. “So, ideally we can do things like pick out the campgrounds that are within that zone and email state parks and let them know: ‘These dozen campsites are going to be possibly susceptible to flash flooding.’”
We’re in for another hot and stormy week. I feel a little better knowing there’s a team of experts watching and working to keep us all safe.
WAITING FOR ELISE: Republican Reps. Elise Stefanik and Mike Lawler are locked in a staring contest over who might launch a formal campaign to challenge Hochul in next year’s election.
As I reported last week, both have met privately with local party leaders and headlined fundraisers far from their respective districts as they explore a statewide bid.
Lawler had previously said he would decide by June whether to seek reelection to his competitive seat in the lower Hudson Valley or mount a gubernatorial campaign. Stefanik’s interest blossomed earlier this year after a nomination to serve as U.N. ambassador fell through.
She’s in a stronger position than him, and many Republicans told me that Stefanik basically has the right of first refusal.
“I think everybody is waiting to see what Elise does,” said U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of Staten Island.
Stefanik, who represents the North Country, aims to make a decision after the general elections in November, according to Republicans familiar with her thinking. But she has recently told party leaders — who have made it clear to Lawler — that she would announce a bid if he did, the people said. Stefanik has said Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary makes a gubernatorial run more likely, according to the people.
“It’s a matter of when, not if,” Stefanik said at a recent rally in Erie County, according to attendees.
Lawler’s allies said he was still doing his due diligence, including reviewing fresh polling data and talking with donors.
“My decision was delayed by the bill and what’s going on in the Middle East,” Lawler told me in a brief interview, referencing President Donald Trump’s tax and spending megabill and the U.S. airstrikes on Iran. “I’ll be making an announcement in short order.”
Just not this week, Mike, please. I’ll be on vacation.
ON TYPOS: I’m sorry they happen in this newsletter so frequently. That’s what happens when a guy who’s used to between one and six editors poring over his words writes without them. Last week I meant the 1977 mayoral primary, not 1997. And it should have been “most of us now carry” instead of “most of us know carry.”
THE QUESTION: What do you do to unplug on vacation?
Have an answer? Drop me a line at jimmy.vielkind@gmail.com. Or just write with thoughts, feedback or to say hi.
THE LAST ANSWER: I was happy that most of the folks who wrote said they do read the entire newsletter. Most of you who wrote said you’re readers. Here’s one response:
I am an avid reader, often reading 2 or 3 books at a time. I don’t like audio books as I can become distracted and lose track of the narrative. I read exclusively non-fiction. I read 2 newspapers daily — the WSJ and a local paper. I should mention I am 72 years old. So I was not raised with the “listening” culture.
I guess I’ll keep this going in text form rather than pivoting to podcast ;-)