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NOAA revises forecast– Forecasters now expect more named storms
According to predictions released yesterday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 12 to 17 named storms are likely in this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. Original predictions were made in May for nine and 15 storms.
CNN’s meteorologist Alexandra Steele is here to break down the numbers and explain what you should be prepared for.
Over sixty percent of the U.S. suffering through drought – Alexandra Steele reports
The White House announced $30 million in new drought aid for individuals and businesses yesterday but President Obama doesn't think that will be enough.
The president is pleading with Congress to step up relief for U.S. farmers suffering through the historic drought by passing a $500 billion farm bill.
Experts are now saying that this drought could bring the smallest corn crop in six years, driving up food prices for people all over the world as a result.
CNN's Alexandra Steele explains how long the drought is expected to persist and discusses the effect the conditions are having on farmers and ranchers on Early Start this morning.
Pepco CEO describes efforts to get power restored for customers amid heat wave
Massive power outages have left millions of customers from Georgia to Washington D.C. in the dark and without air conditioning as temperatures hover over 90 degrees.
Joe Rigby is CEO of Pepco Holdings, the power company that is responsible for providing much of the power to this area.
On Early Start this morning, Rigby says that the company's "singular focus is getting restoration done quickly and safely" and explains that his biggest worry is the well-being of customers.
Responding to criticism that the company has not responded fast enough, Rigby says that engineers needed to get the power grid's "backbone" up and running before they could "have a presence in the field."
Joplin native makes documentary about the tornado that devastated her hometown
Following last year's devastating tornado, Joplin native and documentary filmmaker Erica Tremblay returned to the town to visit her family and friends and to see how she could help rebuild her hometown.
After witnessing the destruction caused by the natural disaster, Tremblay's producing partner suggested that they get together a crew and document the stories of the people she knew.
The documentary "Heartland" is the end result, and Tremblay appears on "Early Start" this morning to discuss her work and to explain the back story behind the film.
Tremblay says that while the film began as a disaster documentary, it quickly turned into a story about the human spirit, and how it heals after tragedy.
While she says that working on the project helped her heal, Tremblay explains that it also kept her in the thick of the disaster every day, reminding her about just how much her neighbors had lost in the tragedy.
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