Axios

National Weather Service offices have issued a record number of year-to-date flash flood warnings in 2025 as storms have brought devastating and deadly rainfall to Texas, the Northeast and elsewhere.

Why it matters: The numbers reflect the recent above-average rainfall we've had in parts of the country, with some slow-moving storms dropping lots of water relatively quickly.

Nvidia unveiled a new AI weather forecasting model it calls capable of making very fast forecasts and better estimating risks of extreme events.

Why it matters: Tech companies are moving deeper into AI-based models at a time when climate change is worsening some risks and harms.

As tech giants seek nuclear power for AI data centers, the flip side of that coin is emerging — using AI to improve reactor licensing and construction.

Why it matters: Energy demand for data centers is rising fast, and nuclear energy is carbon-free and round-the-clock.

The sandbags are filled in New Orleans, the pumps are prepped and now the region waits for the tropical system that has the potential to dump a month's worth of rain in a single day.

Why it matters: New Orleanians are on edge about flash flooding, which happens too frequently in this city below sea level.

President Trump has set a radical new course in the U.S.-China rivalry, ceding ground to Beijing in pursuit of a far narrower vision of America's role in the world.

Why it matters: Six months into office, the Trump administration has hollowed out the machinery of American soft power and retreated from key arenas where the U.S. has sought to blunt China's rise.

The Trump administration is being sued by 20 states that are seeking to block the cancellation of a grant program that helped protect against potential natural disasters.

The big picture: "By unilaterally shutting down FEMA's flagship pre-disaster mitigation program, Defendants have acted unlawfully and violated core separation of powers principles," says the lawsuit that was filed in Boston on Wednesday. The program has helped state, local and territorial governments and tribal nations work to reduce their hazard risk.

General Motors is partnering with Redwood Materials, a battery recycler and energy company, to supply U.S.-built batteries for backup energy storage systems.

Why it matters: The companies are responding to the soaring demand for battery storage systems that can offset power outages and reinforce the grid during peak demand.

Storms sweeping through the U.S. this summer have dumped intense rain on cities across the country, left towns flood-ravaged and forced water rescues.

The big picture: Scientists who spoke to Axios say the deadly floods in Texas that killed more than 130 people underscores the risk that climate change can worsen extreme rainfall events.

Imposing a single narrative on Tuesday's AI-energy summit with President Trump and top execs would feel fake and forced, but some wider themes emerged.

Why it matters: Big investments unveiled in Pittsburgh — plus C-suite and Cabinet wattage there — highlight how fueling data centers is a massive challenge and opportunity.

Firefighters in Arizona were tackling two out-of-control wildfires in extreme heat on Tuesday — including one at the Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim that's forced evacuations, road closures and razed a historic lodge and other structures.

The big picture: The Dragon Bravo Fire that destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge and prompted parts of the park to close had grown to an estimated 8,570 acres and the White Sage Fire to nearly 52,000 acres by Tuesday evening.

New Orleans and Jefferson Parish officials are preparing for up to 10 inches of rain as a tropical system heads toward Louisiana.

Why it matters: That's more rain than New Orleans typically gets in the entire month of July.

• Officials are setting up sandbag locations and encouraging residents to prepare for the possibility of street flooding.