At least 42 people are dead after powerful storms swept through the Midwest and the South over the weekend and drenched parts of the Northeast. 

Multiple states woke up on Monday morning to damage from dust storms, wildfires, rain, and tornadoes, following nearly 1,500 storm reports across the country from Friday to Sunday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has begun plans to lay off 10% of the current workforce, cuts experts are warning could reduce the ability to accurately warn Americans of severe weather.

That comes as the country heads into the warmer months and faces increasing risks from severe storms. In 2024, there were a historic 1,796 tornadoes, 11 hurricanes and 27 weather disasters where losses exceeded $1 billion.

A new poll of Los Angeles County voters shows significant support for strengthening building codes and restricting homebuilding in high-risk areas after January’s Palisades and Eaton fires.

Voters surveyed also favored boosting funding for fire protection, even if it increased taxes, and building more homes in higher-density urban areas.

More than half of those polled opposed increasing home insurance rates.

The most intense rain to hit Southern California in over a year unleashed flooding, debris flows and mudslides that trapped cars and covered roadways, but spared areas burned in devastating wildfires from the catastrophe that was feared.

Firefighters are tackling a new brush fire — dubbed the Sepulveda Fire — near Interstate 405 and Sepulveda Blvd in Los Angeles. The fire sparked hours after fire crews started to achieve some containment on the Hughes Fire, which spread rapidly Wednesday afternoon in a Los Angeles County suburb.

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley has come under attack for her handling of the deadly wildfires. Several current and former LAFD battalion chiefs and administrators are calling for her retirement.

In a scathing five-page letter obtained by NewsNation, the group puts the number of fatalities and the loss of property at Crowley’s feet and says her retirement “would be best for the citizens of Los Angeles” and members of the department.

“It didn’t have to be this way,” says Sara Gonzales of the ongoing L.A. wildfires that have already left 40,000 acres scorched, 1,300 monuments destroyed, and at least 24 people dead.

“If the city had been ready for something like this, it would not have been able to spin out of control the way that it did,” she sighs.

California wildfire victims are eligible for a one-time $770 payment so they can "quickly purchase" things they might need, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday.

The federal assistance, offered through a Federal Emergency Management Agency program, is designed to cover the cost of essential items like water, formula, gasoline and prescription drugs.

President Joe Biden announced Monday that federal aid is flowing to Los Angeles as California battles its worst wildfires in state history, with containment levels varying from 14% in Pacific Palisades to 100% in Ventura.

Biden and senior officials met Monday night to discuss the ongoing federal response to the Los Angeles County wildfires as Biden’s White House tenure draws to a close.

A post shared on social media purports that the iconic Hollywood sign landmark is currently on fire.

Verdict: False

The claim is inaccurate.