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BOSTON (AP) — Tens of millions of residents along the East Coast are bracing for several inches of snow Sunday followed by dangerously cold temperatures that will grip much of the country from the Northern Plains to the tip of Maine. Winter storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service have already gone into effect for parts of the Mid-Atlantic through Monday morning, with the forecast projecting up to a half foot (15 centimeters) of snow. Warnings will begin in New England on Sunday afternoon, with parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut seeing as much as 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow. Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in College Park Maryland, projected that as many as 70 million residents will be under some kind of winter storm warning in the coming days including in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Large cities such as Philadelphia, New York and Boston could see several inches of snow this evening with the highest totals accumulating outside of major cities. “There will certainly be some more hazardous road conditions anywhere from D.C. up the whole I-95 corridor and then inland from there later today and tonight,” Chenard said. “Then it gets quite cold behind that. By Monday morning, any roads that haven’t been treated or cleared will still likely be some hazardous travel conditions.” The snowfall was disrupting airline flights along the Eastern Seaboard. Nearly 130 flights at New York City-area airports were canceled and nearly 90 others were delayed, according to the FlightAware flight tracking service. Dozens of flights also were canceled or delayed at airports around Washington, D.C., and Boston. In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams urged city residents to take the subway and buses if they have to travel during the storm, making the task easier for crews to clear the streets. He said people who need help with heating or frozen pipes can call 311, and he asked residents to check on their neighbors during the frigid weather. “Cold temperatures, high winds tomorrow, could be dangerous,” Adams told reporters on Saturday afternoon. “We have to be here for each other and make sure our pets and other parts of New York are safe.” The weather service said there was a chance of snow showers Sunday afternoon and evening in western New York state, where the Buffalo Bills are hosting the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL playoff game starting at 6:30 p.m.. Heavier, lake-effect snow was expected in that part of the state Monday through Wednesday morning, with 2 feet to 3 feet (about 60 to 90 centimeters) possible in some areas including Oswego along Lake Ontario. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state emergency for all 21 counties in the Garden State. A winter storm warning was in effect for 10 counties in the northern part of the state, where 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow is expected to fall from Sunday afternoon through the late evening. Cities and towns were opening warming centers for the next several days to protect people from the freezing temperatures. “Cold temperatures, high winds tomorrow, could be dangerous,” Adams told reporters on Saturday afternoon. “We have to be here for each other and make sure our pets and other parts of New York are safe.” The weather service said there was a chance of snow showers Sunday afternoon and evening in western New York state, where the Buffalo Bills are hosting the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL playoff game starting at 6:30 p.m.. Heavier, lake-effect snow was expected in that part of the state Monday through Wednesday morning, with 2 feet to 3 feet (about 60 to 90 centimeters) possible in some areas including Oswego along Lake Ontario. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state emergency for all 21 counties in the Garden State. A winter storm warning was in effect for 10 counties in the northern part of the state, where 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow is expected to fall from Sunday afternoon through the late evening. Cities and towns were opening warming centers for the next several days to protect people from the freezing temperatures. Return of the Arctic blast But the snow is just the start of a chaotic week of weather. Much of the Eastern Seaboard will be enduring some of the coldest temperatures this winter. An area from the Rockies into the Northern Plains will see colder than normal temperatures over several days with temperatures dropping to minus 30 degrees F (minus 34 degrees C) to minus 55 F (minus 48 C) on Sunday and Monday. Wind chills of minus 40 F (minus 40 C) were already recorded in parts of North Dakota and Minnesota. Sub-zero wind chills are forecast to reach as far south as Oklahoma and the Tennessee Valley. Minnesota residents were urged to wear appropriate clothing and carry a survival kit for travel. Kristi Rollwagen, director of homeland security and emergency management at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, also urged motorists to drive with a full tank of gas and a fully charged cellphone to keep in touch with loved ones. “It’s not something we haven’t experienced before, it’s just a good reminder that it does get cold in Minnesota,” Rollwagen said. The cold weather forecasted for Monday for Washington, D.C., prompted President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural ceremony to be moved inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. “It’s going to be a cold day in Washington, D.C. on Monday. That’s for sure,” Chenard said, noting temperatures will be in the 20s with wind gust upwards of 30 mph (48 kph). As happened earlier this month, this latest cold snap comes from a disruption in the polar vortex, the ring of cold air usually trapped about the North Pole. The cold air will moderate as it moves southward and eastward, but the Central and Eastern U.S. will still experience temperatures in the teens and 20s Monday into Tuesday, Chenard said. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast also will have highs in the teens and 20s, lows in the single digits and below zero degrees F (minus 18 C) and wind chills below zero. Unusual mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain The colder temperatures will dip into the South early this week, where as many as 30 million people starting Monday could see a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain. The unusual conditions are expected to stretch from Texas into northern Florida and the Carolinas. Impacts are expected starting Monday night in Texas and then spreading across the Gulf Coast and Southeast on Tuesday into Wednesday. Frigid air combined with a low-pressure system over the Gulf is behind the storm, which could bring heavy snow just south of the Interstate 20 corridor across northern Louisiana and into Mississippi and a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain near the Interstate 10 corridor from Houston to Mobile, Alabama. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Saturday issued a state of emergency ahead of the severe weather, urging residents to prepare and keep watch on the forecast.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia will boost spending by $4.4 billion in the last three months of the current budget year under the spending plan released Thursday by Gov. Brian Kemp. But the Republican is projecting that state revenues will barely budge in the 2026 budget year that begins July 1. State lawmakers originally agreed to spend $36.1 billion in state money this year, but Kemp wants to boost spending to $40.6 billion, or 12%. Some of that additional money would come from growth in tax revenue, but Kemp would also crack open state savings accounts to spend another $3.1 billion. The state has more than $16 billion in reserves, including $5.5 billion in its rainy day fund and $11 billion in other surplus cash. Here’s a look at some major themes: Kemp will hold down new ongoing spending As he has in most of his previous six years, Kemp is trying to hold down commitments to new ongoing spending in the state budget. Although he’s ready to spend heavily out of the surplus for an income tax rebate and other projects, Kemp is projecting the state will collect less revenue in the current year and in 2026 than it did in 2024. That in part reflects caution about ongoing income tax cuts, which Kemp wants to prioritize. Speeding up income tax cuts could cost the state more than $1 billion in foregone revenue by June 2026. “Just because we take in more money doesn’t mean we need to create new big government programs to fund for eternity,” Kemp said Thursday in his state of the state speech. A Hurricane Helene relief package could top $1 billion Kemp and other state leaders have emphasized the importance of aiding local governments and individuals after September’s Hurricane Helene cut a swath across the eastern half of the state from Valdosta to Augusta. Kemp wants to spend $615 million on aid and give tax breaks to farmers and timber growers that could be worth roughly $450 million. The state would set aside $200 million to cover costs that the Georgia Department of Transportation already paid for repairs after Helene and other storms. That money should eventually be repaid by the federal government. The state would also put aside $150 million to pay state and local matches to access federal disaster funds. The state already shifted $75 million to provide disaster relief loans to agricultural businesses and $25 million to clean up downed timber. The money had been set aside for construction projects or paying off debt and Kemp would replace the $100 million. Kemp would also send $99 million to the Georgia Department of Transportation to make up for a two-week holiday on gas and diesel taxes. The governor wants to give tax breaks for replanting timber and rebuilding chicken houses and to exempt federal disaster relief to farmers from state income taxes. That could cost $450 million in foregone revenue. Georgia will again pay cash for construction projects to avoid borrowing money Kemp is proposing to again pay for construction and renovation using the state’s surplus cash instead of borrowing money. The governor proposes spending an additional $709 million in the amended 2025 budget and $867 million in the upcoming 2026 budget. Officials say by paying cash, Georgia will avoid $1.5 billion in interest payments over 20 years. Among projects proposed are $100 million for a new medical research building at Augusta University, $25 million for a new medical school building at Mercer University in Macon, and $25 million for a new academic building at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. The state would also spend $47 million to buy new ballot scanners and printers to remove machine-readable barcodes previously used to count ballots. The state could spend heavily on infrastructure The governor wants to spend $502 million to help fund a plan to withdraw surface water from the Savannah River to supply water to Savannah and surrounding counties, including the new Hyundai Motor Group plant in Ellabell. That would ease concerns about new wells for Hyundai and other developments depleting the underground water supply that much of coastal Georgia and South Carolina rely on. Kemp would also spend an additional $530 million on transportation projects to help move freight, $250 million to help cities and counties maintain roads and bridges, $60 million for grants and loans for local transportation projects and $250 million to fund loans for local water and sewer work.

MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas — According to a news report from KCEN out of Texas, a crash involving multiple vehicles on I-35 in the McLennan County area has resulted in the death of one person and six others being taken to the hospital for injuries. According to the Lorena Police Department and Robinson VFD, the crash occurred in the northbound lanes at mile marker 328 around 6 a.m. Wednesday morning in Hewitt. Police arrived and found a semi truck fully engulfed in flames, with a total of nine vehicles involved in the wreck. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), six cars and three tractor trailers were involved in the wreck, which occurred after a tractor-trailer didn’t match the speed of traffic that was slowing down for a road crew, ultimately hitting other cars. In an update from officials at 8:43 a.m. on Wednesday, the individual that died in the crash was identified as Jennifer James, 39, of Lorena. DPS also says six others have been taken to Baylor Scott & White in Waco for injuries.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s efforts to limit pollution from diesel-powered trains and big rigs were stalled in anticipation of pushback from the incoming Trump administration. The California Air Resources Board said Tuesday it withdrew its requests for federal approval to implement stricter emissions rules for locomotives and semi-trucks because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had yet to approve them. The decision came just days before Democratic President Joe Biden leaves office. During his first administration, Trump attempted to thwart various California climate efforts, including rules to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources. One of the rules California pulled after the EPA failed to approve it would have phased out the sale of new diesel-powered semi-trucks and buses by 2036. The Air Resources Board passed the regulation in 2023. Another rule, which the agency approved the same month, would have banned locomotive engines more than 23 years old by 2030 and increased the use of zero-emissions technology to transport freight from ports and throughout railyards. Both rules were opposed by industry as costly mandates that would be difficult to implement. Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph said the agency is assessing its options to continue its efforts to curb planet-warming emissions and improve air quality but did not offer specifics on what comes next. “While we are disappointed that U.S. EPA was unable to act on all the requests in time, the withdrawal is an important step given the uncertainty presented by the incoming administration that previously attacked California’s programs to protect public health and the climate and has said will continue to oppose those programs,” Randolph said in a statement. Mike Alpern, a spokesperson for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region, said the agency would not take any further action on the rules. California has long had the authority to set emissions standards that are stricter than federal rules. During Trump’s first term, his administration challenged that authority. But a federal court last year upheld California’s ability to set nation-leading vehicle emissions regulations. The EPA granted California the authority last month to enforce a rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s transition team, did not comment on California pulling its waiver requests but said the incoming president would work to improve air and water quality during his second presidency.

SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. — What was a normal Tuesday afternoon took an interesting, and unusual turn for some Tennessee Highway Patrol officers. According to a media release, THP troopers  responded to an unusual call on Interstate 81 in Sullivan County. While handling a routine matter, troopers encountered a stranded Great Horned Owl on the shoulder of the interstate, unable to fly.  THP said the rescue began when troopers noticed the owl during a response to a bicyclist near mile marker 60. Concerned for the bird’s safety, they contacted wildlife authorities and a local rehabilitator. After coordinating with a veterinary clinic in Kingsport that specializes in wildlife care, the owl was safely transported for treatment. “Behind the badge, there’s a heart for service,” said Colonel Matt Perry of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. “Our troopers may sometimes seem serious, but moments like this show the compassion and care they have for all living things. It’s not just about enforcing laws; it’s about making a difference.” The vet confirmed it was a Great Horned Owl and started immediate care. By the end of the day, the owl was reported to be eating and resting comfortably, showing promising signs of recovery. “This story reminds all Tennesseans of our state troopers’ commitment to serving the community — including the wildlife — that shares Tennessee’s roads and landscapes,” THP stated.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, publicly faced senators for the first time after weeks of questions from Democrats — and praise from Republicans — about his “unconventional” resume. Hegseth, a former combat veteran and TV news host, says he will be a “change agent” and a “warrior” as Republicans demand new and strong leadership at the Pentagon. Democrats say Hegseth’s lack of experience running a huge department, his past comments about women and Black troops, and allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct make him unfit to serve. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., called Hegseth’s nomination “unconventional” but compared him to Trump, saying that may just be what makes him an “excellent choice.” Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, said Hegseth lacks “the character and the competence” to lead the Defense Department. Reed said he has voted to confirm the nine previous defense secretaries, including in Trump’s first term, but will not support Hegseth. His confirmation would be an “an insult to the men and women who have sworn to uphold their own apolitical duty to the Constitution,” Reed said. Here are some takeaways from Hegseth’s confirmation hearing: A ‘warrior culture’ at the Pentagon Hegseth told senators that Trump’s primary charge to him was “to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense” and that “he wants a Pentagon laser-focused on warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness.” Republicans have criticized President Joe Biden’s Pentagon for encouraging diversity, equity and inclusion and say there is no place for “woke” culture in the military. Reed said he wants Hegseth to explain why DEI efforts make the military weak and “how you propose to ‘undo’ that without undermining military leadership and harming readiness, recruitment and retention.” Hegseth said the military “was a forerunner in courageous racial integration in ways no other institutions were willing to do” but argued that modern diversity and inclusion policies divide troops and didn’t prioritize “meritocracy.” A secretary with ‘dust on his boots’ Republicans have praised Hegseth’s lack of a high-level leadership role. Hegseth said “it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm.” But Hegseth would not be the first defense secretary to have served in combat — far from it. An array of previous secretaries have had combat service, dodging bombs and leading troops into the fight, including current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who was a leader in the initial invasion into Iraq. Lt. Col. Jim Mattis, Trump’s first defense secretary, fought in the Gulf War and later retired as a four-star general. And Trump’s final acting Pentagon chief, Chris Miller, served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army special forces officer. He later retired as a colonel. Chuck Hagel, who served under former President Barack Obama, was the first former enlisted soldier to become defense secretary. He served as a sergeant on the front lines in Vietnam. ‘Equal standards’ for female troops Hegseth made overtures to women and Black troops, an attempt to blunt some of the criticism of his previous comments that women should “straight up” not serve in combat and his suggestions that some Black troops may not be qualified. “It would be the privilege of a lifetime, if confirmed, to be the secretary of defense for all men and women in uniform,” Hegseth said. At the same time, he implied that the Pentagon has lowered standards for women to fight without giving examples of those standards. “The standards need to be the same, and they need to be high,” Hegseth said, adding that where those standards have been eroded to meet diversity quotas, that should be under review. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, told Hegseth that his quotes about women are “terrible” and harmful to morale. “You will have to change how you see women to do this job,” she said. A senior defense official, who was not authorized to talk with the media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said “the standards for military service have not been lowered” and that standards are based on each field and based on ability, not gender. Hegseth was questioned about the issue by Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iraq veteran and a survivor of sexual assault. Hegseth reiterated an earlier promise to Ernst that he will to hire a senior official to prioritize those cases in the military. ‘Insufficient’ background check Reed told Wicker at the beginning of the hearing that he believes the FBI background check on Hegseth was “insufficient.” “There are still FBI obligations to talk to people,” Reed said. The background check did not probe or produce new information beyond what’s already in the public realm about Hegseth, according to a person familiar with the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss it. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked Hegseth if he’d be willing to submit to an expanded background check with interviews of former colleagues, ex-wives, “sexual assault survivors and others.” “I’m not in charge of FBI background checks,” Hegseth said. A focus on character Hegseth’s hearing was focused far more on character issues than recent defense nominees have faced. Senators also questioned whether Hegseth has the management experience to do the job. Austin and Mattis faced questions about being recently retired four-star generals but had significant support and were grilled on policy. Mark Esper, the only other Trump defense nominee to get a hearing, faced a number of questions about keeping the military apolitical and how he would make decisions on the use of military force. Even Hegseth’s Republican supporters spent a great deal of time digging into character and leadership issues to give him more opportunities to defend himself. North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer praised his faith, while Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy asked him how many push-ups he could do. Several Republicans praised his military service and described him as “tough.” Hegseth acknowledged he’s only run organizations with at most a couple hundred people and said he would surround himself with knowledgeable staff. “I know what I don’t know,” Hegseth said. ‘I’m not a perfect person’ Hegseth did not directly address the allegations of sexual misconduct and aggressively pushed back on Democrats who asked questions about it, calling it a “coordinated smear campaign.” “I’m not a perfect person but redemption is real,” Hegseth said. In 2017, a woman told police that Hegseth sexually assaulted her, according to a detailed investigative report recently made public. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing and told police at the time that the encounter at a Republican women’s event in California was consensual. He was not charged but paid the woman a confidential settlement to head off a potential lawsuit. Asked by Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat, if he had entered into a settlement, Hegseth replied that he was falsely accused. He has said repeatedly that he was “completely cleared.” Hirono also asked him about reports of excessive drinking. Hegseth has told Republican senators in meetings over the last month that he will not drink on the job. Republicans dismissed the allegations. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., noted that Democratic senators had asked Hegseth about his drinking, saying, “How many senators have showed up drunk to vote at night?” “Don’t tell me you haven’t seen it, because I know you have,” Mullin said to his colleagues.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The side fencing and roof of a pedestrian bridge fell in strong wind early Sunday, closing the main highway south of Anchorage in both directions until the debris could be cleared. No one was hurt when the structure fell onto the Seward Highway on the south side of Alaska’s biggest city, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities. A highway worker reported the debris around 2:30 a.m. Traffic was rerouted and crews with saws and front-end loaders had it cleared by 6:30 a.m., department spokesperson Shannon McCarthy said by email. “While it is too early to determine the cause, it’s likely that the winds were a major component,” McCarthy said. The walkway’s main structure spanning the four-lane highway, an entrance ramp and an outer road remained intact. The bridge links a neighborhood to an elementary school. Winds at the time topped 20 mph (32 kilometers per hour). Heavy rain, snow and wind topping 60 mph (96 kilometers per hour) were forecast later Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.  

It was a week of fire and ice. It began with millions of people across the U.S. shivering amid blizzard conditions and frigid air that lasted for days, thanks to a jet stream that slips out of its usual path more often these days. Then, catastrophe in California, with wind-whipped flames taking off in a landscape parched by months of drought to become Los Angeles’ worst-ever wildfires. To cap it off, major weather monitoring agencies confirmed 2024 as the hottest year in global history. Even more dire, four of the six agencies said it was the first full year Earth went beyond a warming threshold seen as critical to limiting the worst effects of climate change. Welcome to one wild week of the climate crisis, scientists say. There will be more. “For the average person, this means the changes you’re experiencing — more extreme weather, rising costs due to climate impacts, threats to food and water security — aren’t anomalies,” said Victor Gensini, a meteorology professor at Northern Illinois University. “They’re the new normal unless we take action.” “The last week of weird weather has been alarming,” said Natalie Mahowald, chair of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University. “I hope it’s not a sign of things to come, because we’ve barely seen any climate change compared to what we are going to get unless we radically cut CO2 emissions.” Here’s how the week unfolded. Monday The cold came first. The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the world, which means the difference between temperatures up north and down south are shrinking — along with sea ice that releases more heat into atmosphere. That means more energy bouncing off and warping or moving the polar vortex, scientists say. And climate change is also messing with the jet stream, the air currents that circle the globe. The result? More frequent blasts of intense cold in winter even as global temperatures heat up overall. The blizzard dumped more snow in some parts of Kansas than they usually get in a year, one Kansas State University meteorologist said. Ice-coated trees downed power lines in eastern Kentucky, and a U.S. Olympian skied on the National Mall in Washington. Farmers rushed to move cows to keep them from freezing to death and to feed and water them as rural roads became impassable. Travel stalled as multiple states warned motorists not to chance the treacherous snow and ice. About 200 people, many homeless, sheltered at a roller rink in Cincinnati. The alternative was frostbite or worse in exposure to temperatures that were expected to slip from freezing to sub-freezing overnight. Tuesday Out West, wildfire took hold. The Palisades Fire erupted in the Santa Monica mountains and moved quickly on Santa Ana winds gusting to 100 mph — much faster than normal. The winds were so strong they grounded airplanes normally used to drop water on the flames. The blaze reached near the Getty Museum and by the end of the day, several celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Jhené Aiko, had lost homes. Less than 72 hours before, many stars had convened to walk the Golden Globes’ red carpet. The Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, killing 2 people and closing about 10 school districts. Climate change laid the groundwork for California’s megafires. Atmospheric rivers dumped huge amounts of water on the region that caused plenty of plant growth. Then, a fast onset of drought dried them out, providing plenty of fodder for the flames Wednesday The water system used to fight the Palisades fire in Los Angeles buckled in the morning, as some hydrants ran dry as they were overstressed without assistance from firefighting aircraft. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was pumping from aqueducts and groundwater into the system, but demand was so high that it wasn’t enough to refill three 1-million gallon tanks in hilly Pacific Palisades. At least 1,000 buildings were engulfed in flames. The Sunset Fire started, too, threatening the Hollywood Hills and forcing mandatory evacuations in Hollywood. President-elect Donald Trump criticized state and local officials’ water management policies. But experts said critics were connecting unrelated issues and spreading false information during a crisis. Thursday By the afternoon, calmer winds aided firefighters in making some headway, though by that point at least five fires were still active and some burned out of control in the L.A. area. Scenes of the destruction started to emerge. Recovery crews pulled a body from the rubble of a beachfront residence in Malibu. AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impact, estimated the overall wildfire damage could reach $57 billion, though much of the destruction remains to be surveyed. At the same time, another winter storm bore down on the South, with warnings and advisories for at least 20 states. Many had gone through the same thing just days earlier. Friday Major weather monitoring agencies said 2024 was the hottest since record-keeping began, easily passing 2023. Even more significant: 2024 was the first year with a global average that broke the long-term warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since the late 1800s that was set as a goal by the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Extreme weather like this week’s is “affecting so many more people all at one time,” said Barbara Hofer, a professor emerita of psychology at Middlebury College. “Increasingly, the scale is changing. The loss is mounting.” Hofer said the growing impact may make some people deny climate change, ignore it or become numb to it as “a way to avoid what’s psychologically uncomfortable.” Such a week can also energize positive change, she said. But Hofer said she thinks that will be harder, at least in the U.S., as Trump takes office. He’s promised to halt federal climate action and repeal existing legislation aimed at the problem. “I worry about the denial, the misinformation, and the forces that are feeding that denial,” she said. “That’s what we have to address.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The wildfires that erupted this week across Los Angeles County are still raging, but already are projected to be among the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. The devastating blazes have killed at least 16 people and incinerated more than 12,000 structures since Tuesday, laying waste to entire neighborhoods once home to multimillion-dollar properties. While it’s still too early for an accurate tally of the financial toll, the losses so far likely make the wildfires the costliest ever in the U.S., according to various estimates. A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion. By comparison, AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic losses caused by Hurricane Helene, which tore across six southeastern states last fall, at $225 billion to $250 billion. “This will be the costliest wildfire in California modern history and also very likely the costliest wildfire in U.S. modern history, because of the fires occurring in the densely populated areas around Los Angeles with some of the highest-valued real estate in the country,” said Jonathan Porter, the private firm’s chief meteorologist. AccuWeather factors in a multitude of variables in its estimates, including damage to homes, businesses, infrastructure and vehicles, as well as immediate and long-term health care costs, lost wages and supply chain interruptions. The insurance broker Aon PLC also said Friday that the L.A. County wildfires will likely end up being the costliest in U.S. history, although it did not issue an estimate. Aon ranks a wildfire known as the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, in 2018 as the costliest in U.S. history up to now at $12.5 billion, adjusted for inflation. The Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed about 11,000 homes. The L.A. County wildfires, which were fueled by hurricane-force Santa Ana winds and an extreme drought, remained largely uncontained Saturday. That means the final tally of losses from the blazes is likely to increase, perhaps substantially. “To put this into perspective, the total damage and economic loss from this wildfire disaster could reach nearly 4% of the annual GDP of the state of California,” AccuWeather’s Porter said. In a report Friday, Moody’s also concluded that the wildfires would prove to be the costliest in U.S. history, specifically because they have ripped through densely populated areas with higher-end properties. While the state is no stranger to major wildfires, they have generally been concentrated in inland areas that are not densely populated. That’s led to less destruction per acre, and in damage to less expensive homes, Moody’s noted. That’s far from the case this time, with one of the largest conflagrations destroying thousands of properties across the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, home to many Hollywood stars and executives with multimillion-dollar properties. Already, numerous celebrities have lost homes to the fires. “The scale and intensity of the blazes, combined with their geographic footprint, suggest a staggering price tag, both in terms of the human cost and the economic toll,” Moody’s analysts wrote. The report did not include a preliminary cost estimate of the wildfire damage. It could be several months before a concrete tally of the financial losses from the wildfires will be possible. “We’re in the very early stages of this disaster,” Porter said.

ATLANTA (AP) — The game between the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks scheduled for Saturday has been postponed because of a winter storm. The NBA said the decision was made “to prioritize the safety of the players, fans and staff due to the severe weather and hazardous icy conditions in the Atlanta area.” The league said a date for a rescheduled game will be announced at a later time. The Rockets’ team flight arrived in Atlanta before the postponement was announced. A winter storm dumped snow and ice on the Atlanta area Friday and roads were expected to refreeze Saturday night. Power outage numbers around Atlanta crept up Friday night as falling trees on power lines became a widespread issue. More than 110,000 customers were without electricity, mostly in the Atlanta area. On Friday, four passengers were injured after a Delta Air Lines jet bound for Minneapolis aborted its takeoff. Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant said the plane experienced an engine problem. While the issue happened during the snowstorm that caused widespread cancellations and delays in Atlanta — the world’s busiest airport — officials couldn’t say if the problem was related to the weather. The 201 passengers, two pilots and five flight attendants aboard evacuated the Boeing 757-300 using inflatable slides and were bused back to a concourse. One of the injured passengers was taken to a hospital, while three were treated at the airport for minor injuries.

Winter weather has left its mark on the south, and is predicted to drop more frozen precipitation into the weekend. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency ahead of Friday’s expected winter weather. The order suspends federal regulations limiting the hours commercial truck drivers can drive in a single stretch. It also prohibits price gouging for goods or services related to storm preparation The National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued a Winter Storm Warning for Metro Atlanta, which will go into effect beginning 7am Friday and end at 7am Saturday. According to forecasters, snow showers could begin by 7 a.m. moving to the east.  Snow showers are predicted to mix with freezing rain and sleet through the late morning and early afternoon. Snow began blanketing the south hitting Texas, and Arkansas on Thursday. The Associated Press reported a winter storm brought heavy snow and icy conditions to parts of the U.S. South on Thursday, forcing officials to close schools, cancel flights and warn residents in some of the worst-hit areas to stay off roads as it lumbered eastward through Oklahoma and Texas. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders mobilized the National Guard to help stranded motorists, and school was canceled for Thursday and Friday for millions of children across a wide tract of southern states from Texas to Georgia. The storm dumped as much as 6 to 7 inches (about 15 to 18 centimeters) in some spots in central Oklahoma and northern Texas before pushing into western Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service. Heavy snow fell in Little Rock, Arkansas, and further south and east into Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain glazed roads and made travel treacherous, according to the AP. “I have not seen any accidents, but I have seen a couple of people get stuck out on the road and sliding around,” said Charles Daniel, a truck driver hauling a 48-foot trailer loaded with paint, auto parts and other supplies through slick, slushy roads in central Oklahoma on Thursday. “People do not need to be driving.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Firefighters began to slow the spread of deadly and devastating fires in the Los Angeles area Thursday after the ferocious winds that drove the fast-moving flames diminished, but the largest blazes still burned out of control. Crews were able to knock down a major threat that broke out Wednesday evening in the Hollywood Hills, close to the heart of the entertainment industry, and by morning had lifted an evacuation order for the area. “While we are still facing significant threats, I am hopeful that the tide is turning,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said during a news conference Thursday morning. Water dropped from aircraft helped fire crews quickly seize control of the fires in the Hollywood Hills and Studio City, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. Much of the widespread destruction around the city occurred Tuesday after those aircraft were grounded due to high winds. Wind gusts were expected to strengthen Thursday evening through Friday morning, with yet another round of strong winds expected next week, raising concerns that the conditions could worsen, the National Weather Service said. But Thursday’s daytime forecast could provide a window for firefighters — including crews pouring in from neighboring states and Canada — to make progress in reining in blazes that have killed at least five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and caused thousands of people to flee their homes. The metropolitan region, home to 13 million people, was marred by haunting scenes of destruction: At one spot in Malibu, blackened palm strands towered over debris where homes with ocean views once stood. Flames from the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills soared Wednesday night not far from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre and Madame Tussauds. Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said firefighters were able to keep the blaze in check because “we hit it hard and fast and Mother Nature was a little nicer to us.” Fire officials said Thursday that they don’t yet know the cause of the fires but are actively investigating. Wind fuels the fires Earlier in the week, hurricane-force winds with gusts up to 80 mph (129 kph) blew embers, igniting block after block in the coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades and in Altadena, a community near Pasadena. Thousands of homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed in those blazes, known as the Palisades and Eaton fires. Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said the Palisades Fire alone has burned thousands of coastal structures, and that the damage is still being calculated. The five deaths recorded so far were from those two fires. Cadaver dogs and search crews are searching through rubble and the death toll is expected to rise, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. While those two fires were no longer spreading significantly, both remained at 0% containment, officials said. In Pasadena, Fire Chief Chad Augustin said Wednesday that the city’s water system was stretched and further hampered by power outages, but even without those issues, firefighters would not have been able to stop the fast-moving blaze because of the erratic wind gusts. Still, questions have been raised about why some hydrants ran dry and what caused the water system to buckle when it was needed most. 180,000 people are ordered to evacuate In Pacific Palisades, a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity homes, block after block of California Mission Style homes and bungalows were reduced to charred remains. Roughly 180,000 people are under evacuation orders, and the fires have consumed about 45 square miles (117 square kilometers) — roughly the size of San Francisco. The Palisades Fire is already the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history. At least 20 arrests have been made for looting and the city of Santa Monica declared a curfew Wednesday night because of the lawlessness, officials said. Actors lost homes Flames destroyed the homes of several celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Paris Hilton. Several Southern California landmarks are gone. Jamie Lee Curtis pledged $1 million to start a “fund of support” for those affected by the fires that touched all economic levels from the city’s wealthy to its working class. A longer fire season The main fires grew rapidly in different areas that had two things in common: densely packed homes in places that are choked with dry vegetation that was primed to burn. Flames moved so quickly that many barely had time to escape. California’s wildfire season is beginning earlier and ending later due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall tied to climate change, according to recent data. Dry winds, including the notorious Santa Anas, have contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in Southern California, which has not seen more than 0.1 inches (2.5 millimeters) of rain since early May. Picking up the pieces with nowhere to go Robert Lara sifted through the remains of his home in Altadena on Thursday with tears in his eyes, hoping to find a safe containing a set of earrings that once belonged to his great-great grandmother. “All our memories, all our sentimental attachments, things that were gifted from generation to generation to generation are now gone,” he said. His mother and uncle lost their homes too. “I haven’t slept for two whole days now, and I keep asking myself what do I do? Where do I start?” he said. “We’re lost.” Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio and Watson from San Diego. Associated Press journalists Eugene Garcia in Los Angeles; Ethan Swope in Pasadena, California; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Jeff Martin in Atlanta; Janie Har in San Francisco; Brian Melley in London; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland; and Tammy Webber in Detroit contributed.