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Column | ChatGPT is an energy guzzler. These things you’re doing are worse.

Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · 27d

I’m *this* close to meeting Melissa Clark

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · 27d

Some professional news:

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Aug 26

If you're worried about the energy demands of your ChatGPT queries, you should think more about your daily commute and whether to throw those burgers on the grill. From the Post's Climate Coach:

AI services have earned a reputation as energy-hungry beasts. But what about the other emissions in our digital lives?

How surging summer humidity is making nights hotter

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Aug 18

Nearly half the planet has experienced record or near-record high daily minimum temperatures this summer, according to a Washington Post analysis. Most of those areas also endured record or near-record levels of humidity since June.

How surging summer humidity is making nights hotter:

A less noticeable but widespread trend is happening across the planet while most people sleep: rising overnight temperatures.

We fact-checked the Trump administration’s climate report

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Reposted by Scott Dance

Teddy Amenabar @teddyamen.bsky.social · Aug 1

For journalism: Do you have a memory of the Presidential physical fitness test?

My team is reporting an article about the test — and its lasting legacy, with stories from those who participated.

If you have a story to share, email -- [email protected]

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Aug 1

A new Trump administration report promised a "critical review" of climate science. Experts say it cherry-picks data to downplay the realities of global warming.

Here is our fact check:

Scientists say the report cherry-picks key data and misrepresents the state of climate research.

Texas lawmakers fault Kerr County officials on response to deadly floods

Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 31

The emergency manager in the Texas county where 108 people died in July 4 floods slept through the disaster, saying he knew of no flood risks.

“The situation evolved faster than anyone could have predicted,” he said, adding, “We cannot rely on forecasting alone. We need systems on the ground.”

Thursday’s special hearing in Kerr County is the public’s first chance to speak directly to legislators. “We have every right to be angry,” one woman says.

Why one of the world’s biggest earthquakes wasn’t followed by a monster tsunami

Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 31

Why didn't one of the world’s biggest earthquakes trigger a monster tsunami? Scientists explained a few reasons to @kashapatel.bsky.social and I:

Past strong earthquakes have caused massive and damaging waves far away, but scientists say these tsunami waves were tame by comparison across the Pacific basin.

Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 31

An enlightening display of tsunami waves from NOAA:

National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · Jul 31

On Tuesday, an 8.8 magnitude #earthquake struck off the coast of Russia, triggering multiple #tsunami alerts along the U.S. west coast. Learn how NOAA scientists monitor, detect, and research tsunamis: noaa.gov/explainers/science-behind-tsunamis

‘Welcome to hell’: Inside the mega prison where the U.S. deported migrants

Reposted by Scott Dance

María Luisa Paúl @marialuisapaul.bsky.social · Jul 31

“Welcome to hell”

We spoke to 16 Venezuelans the U.S. sent to a mega-prison in El Salvador. This is the most complete view yet of the conditions they faced — which, some experts said, may violate conventions against torture.

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...

Interviews with 16 former detainees of El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center offer the most complete view yet of conditions inside the notorious prison.

How weather conspiracy theories moved from online fringes to state laws

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Reposted by Scott Dance

Shannon Osaka @shannonosaka.bsky.social · Jul 16

Chemtrails and cloud seeding conspiracy theories are increasingly moving from the fringe into GOP-sponsored laws. Latest from me:

www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

On Monday, Florida’s attorney general warned, “We don’t jeopardize public health so we can bend the knee to the climate cult.”

NOAA was developing a way to predict extreme rainfall — until Trump officials stopped it

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 16

The Trump administration has suspended work on a research tool designed to better predict extreme rainfall and prepare for floods like the ones that just hit Texas, New Mexico, North Carolina and New Jersey. via @sarahkaplan48.bsky.social:

The tool would have projected how climate change could affect rainfall frequency and intensity in communities across the nation.

This is why there’s been so much extreme rainfall and flooding in the U.S.

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 16

In the week and a half since floods killed at least 130 people in Central Texas, deadly floods struck New Jersey and New Mexico. A subway station filled with water in NYC and high water stranded drivers near D.C.

This is why there’s been so much extreme rainfall and flooding in the U.S.:

There’s been an abnormal amount of extreme rainfall across the United States in recent days. Here’s what’s driving it.

Data showed Texas’s flood risk was rising. The forecast didn’t change.

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 9

Through Thursday afternoon and evening, weather forecasting data showed Texas’s risk of torrential rain was rising, and gave reason to warn of higher flood risks as the Hill Country readied for Independence Day. But the forecast didn’t change.

Weather model data show the National Weather Service had reason to warn of higher flood risks. Still, meteorologists said the agency had made reasonable predictions.

Live updates: Rescuers search for more than two dozen missing campers after Texas floods killed at least 27

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 5

There was no immediate sign the staffing shortages that have wracked the National Weather Service this year contributed to the tragedy in Texas. There are a handful of vacancies at two central Texas forecasting offices, according to a union representing meteorologists.

The flooding in Kerr County, Texas, killed 27, while Camp Mystic on the banks of the Guadalupe River had dozens of girls unaccounted for.

How the Trump administration is already cutting off climate research

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 5

President Trump’s efforts to freeze climate research spending have sparked warnings of rippling consequences in years ahead. For many climate scientists, the consequences are already here.

How the Trump administration is already cutting off climate research (gift link):

President Trump’s efforts to freeze climate spending have sparked warnings of rippling consequences in years ahead. For many climate scientists, the consequences are already here.

Why the Texas floods were so severe

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jul 5

A flash flood watch had been issued across central Texas out of an abundance of caution, for a low-probability, high-risk flood event. Then, four months' worth of rain fell in just a few hours.

Why the Texas floods were so severe (gift link):

Flooding rains in and around Kerr County had brought a widespread 10 to 15 total inches by Friday morning. Four months of rainfall came down in four hours.

Trump says governors should be able to handle disasters without FEMA

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Reposted by Scott Dance

Capital Weather Gang @capitalweather.bsky.social · Jun 20

Here comes the summer solstice! The days are about to start getting shorter again, but don’t worry — there’s plenty summer left. More at cwg.live

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jun 10

Governors should prepare to handle disasters on their own after hurricane season, Trump told reporters today. “If they can’t handle it, they shouldn’t be governor.”

Noem said FEMA “stands prepared” for storms, but also “fundamentally needs to go away as it exists.”

In remarks to reporters, the president said the administration plans to “wean” states off FEMA assistance after hurricane season ends.

As disasters loom, emergency managers say they aren’t counting on FEMA

Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jun 10

President Trump and DHS Secretary Noem today repeated plans to scale down FEMA and let states lead on disaster response.

But that's causing confusion among emergency managers, because the states already lead, and can't always do alone. Now, they say, "We are planning that FEMA is not coming."

President Donald Trump has said he wants state and local officials to shoulder more of the burden of disaster response, even though what that looks like in practice is unclear.

Trump administration races to fix a big mistake: DOGE fired too many people

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Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · Jun 6

The National Weather Service finally got a long-awaited and critical hiring freeze exemption. Director Ken Graham called it “Big news! Fantastic news!” in a Monday email to staff.

It's one of many examples of the federal government rushing to hire people, because DOGE let too many go.

Across the government, the administration is rehiring federal workers who were forced out or encouraged to resign.

We finally may be able to rid the world of mosquitoes. But should we?

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Reposted by Scott Dance

Dino Grandoni @dinograndoni.bsky.social · Jun 3

It's almost summer, and the 🦟🦟🦟 are coming

But it may be within our grasp to suppress some mosquitos out of existence with powerful gene-editing tools

The big question now: Should we? Or is it ever ethical to deliberately drive a species extinct?
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

Gene editing holds the potential of suppressing mosquito species that carry deadly diseases — and raises ethical questions.

What we lose when weather balloons don’t fly

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Reposted by Scott Dance

Scott Dance @byscottdance.com · May 26

The U.S. has been launching fewer weather balloons since DOGE-led staffing cuts began in the National Weather Service this year. See what happens when the balloons fly — and what we lose when they don’t.

Meteorologists are launching fewer weather balloons across the United States as the National Weather Service loses staff. Some worry forecasts will suffer.