Axios

Texas passed California as the state with the most power-generating capacity from big solar projects, new industry data shows.

Why it matters: Growth of these utility-scale arrays highlights the wider trend that Texas is a lab for almost every aspect of the energy and climate future.

The global average surface temperatures from June through August were the hottest on record, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Why it matters: The period, which comprises summer in the Northern Hemisphere, brought a spate of extreme heat, wildfires and other extreme events.

The NOAA is adding to its high-performance computing resources in a bid to bolster its uses of AI and machine learning for weather and climate.

Why it matters: The agency's $100 million investment comes as it faces rapid advances in forecasting techniques, and new entrants build accurate weather models trained on historical data.

For some Americans, the air is getting crisper and the leaves are starting to change as fall approaches — but one thing's certain no matter your local weather: The days are getting shorter.

The big picture: Parts of the northern U.S. are losing more than three hours of daylight between June 20 (the summer solstice) and Sept. 22 (the fall equinox), per NOAA's handy Solar Calculator.

After one of the hottest summers on record, many cities in the Southwest and West are bracing for a significant heat wave beginning Wednesday.

Threat level: A strong heat dome will send temperatures soaring into the 100s°F to 110s°F in Phoenix and Las Vegas, with triple-digit heat also affecting much of inland California.