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Why has it been so dusty in North Texas recently?

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Why has it been so dusty in North Texas recently?


As North Texans have been luxuriating in spring temperatures and sunshine, they’ve also experienced sustained high winds that have brought a lot of dust.

On multiple occasions this month, the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office has alerted metro area residents of strong blowing dust, sometimes impacting visibility. It was forecast to make an appearance again on Wednesday, with winds ranging from 25 to 35 miles per hour.

A highway pileup in western Kansas shows how dust storms can turn deadly

Here’s what to know about the dust:

D-FW Weather Wise

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From snow to 100-degree heat, we’ve got you covered.

What is causing the dust in North Texas?

Strong west winds have affected most of the state in recent weeks, picking up dust in New Mexico and West Texas, Sarah Barnes, a meteorologist with the weather service said.

The dust has traveled from west to east, with some landing in Dallas-Fort Worth. Barnes noted the metro area has not seen the recurring reduction in visibility other parts of the state have experienced, such as in the Texas Panhandle.

What makes dust dangerous when driving?

The biggest threat from dust is reduced visibility. It can be difficult for drivers to estimate how thick the dust will be until they’re in it and their visibility is reduced, sometimes down to zero. In that situation, drivers often slow down substantially and then get hit by other cars.

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But visibility isn’t the only threat. The high winds can coat the roads with fine dust particles, making it harder to brake.

Is the dust normal for North Texas?

Not really. Barnes said a day of hazy skies here or there isn’t abnormal for the region, but the continued pattern of substantial dust is irregular. It was not immediately clear how long it would continue.

Does the dust have anything to do with the lack of rain?

North Texas has been short on rain recently. There’s been no measured rainfall in the last week, and almost none predicted for the week to come.

But the two trends are separate. Since the dust is getting picked up and brought over from other areas, the lack of moisture in the ground here isn’t directly contributing.

When will it rain again?

It’s hard to say.

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While March isn’t over, North Texas is only halfway to its March precipitation average of 1.93 inches and almost no rainfall is predicted for the next week.

Barnes said there’s been a lack of moisture coming up from the Gulf of Mexico, which has limited precipitation when the cold fronts move through.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.





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Texas sues Netflix for allegedly spying on kids, addicting users

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Texas sues Netflix for allegedly spying on kids, addicting users


Netflix was sued Monday (May 11) by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused the streaming company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent, and designing its platform to be addictive. Ram Nabong reports.



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Texas sues Netflix, alleges platform spied on kids and collected data

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Texas sues Netflix, alleges platform spied on kids and collected data


The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday, accusing the company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent and designing the platform to be addictive.

Texas claims that Netflix has falsely represented to consumers that it didn’t collect or share user data while it actually tracked and sold viewers’ habits and preferences to commercial data brokers and advertising technology companies.

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The lawsuit, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claims that “Netflix’s endgame is simple and lucrative: get children and families glued to the screen, harvest their data while they are stuck there, and then monetize the data for a handsome profit.”

The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday. (Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“When you watch Netflix, Netflix watched you,” Texas added in the lawsuit.

NETFLIX CO-FOUNDER REED HASTINGS TO STEP DOWN, DEPARTURE IS ‘SPOOKING INVESTORS’

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The complaint quotes comments made by former CEO Reed Hastings who said in 2020, while he was still leading the streaming company, that “we don’t collect anything,” amid questions over Big Tech companies’ data collection practices.

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Netflix was also accused of quietly using “dark patterns” to keep users watching on its platform, such as an autoplay feature that starts a new show after a different show ends.

NETFLIX RAISES SUBSCRIPTION PRICES ACROSS ALL PLANS

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)

Paxton said in a press release that Netflix “has built a surveillance program designed to illegally collect and profit from Texans’ personal data without their consent, and my office will do everything in our power to stop it.”

The attorney general said he’s charging Netflix under the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act and seeks to require Netflix to stop the unlawful collection and disclosure of user data, require Netflix to disable autoplay by default on kid’s profiles, and to secure injunctive relief and civil penalties.

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FOX Business reached out to Netflix for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.



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6 people found dead inside a boxcar in Texas, officials say | CNN

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6 people found dead inside a boxcar in Texas, officials say | CNN


Six people were found dead inside a cargo train boxcar in a Texas city along the southern border on Sunday, officials said.

The bodies were found in a Union Pacific train at a rail yard in Laredo, around 160 miles south of San Antonio, just after 3:30 p.m. local time, said Jose Espinoza, a public information officer with the Laredo Police Department.

The circumstances of their deaths are unknown, said Laredo police spokesperson Joe Baeza, according to CNN affiliate KGNS, and an investigation is underway.

Union Pacific operates across the border and is the only railroad that services all access points into Mexico, according to the freight company’s website.

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Temperatures on Sunday afternoon in Laredo were in the low-mid 90s, though it’s unclear whether heat was a factor.

Union Pacific said it was saddened by the incident and is working closely with law enforcement to investigate.

Laredo police said they received a call around 3 p.m. from an employee at the Union Pacific rail yard, KGNS reported. The bodies were discovered during a routine rail car inspection, police said. No survivors were found.

CNN has reached out to Laredo police for more information.

“It’s a very early phase of the investigation. There’s not a lot to reveal right now,” Baeza said, KGNS reported.

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The immigration status and ages of the deceased are not yet known, Espinoza said.

US Customs and Border Protection referred CNN to the Laredo Police Department, saying “The incident remains under investigation by Laredo Police Department and Homeland Security Investigation and Texas Rangers.”

CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, HSI and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

“It’s a very unfortunate event,” Espinoza told CNN. “It was too many lives that were lost.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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