Latest local news, weather and sports for Syracuse and Central New York

Thursday, December 13, 2012  You could soon be using your smartphone to hail a taxi in New York City.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012  Several thousand utility customers were without power overnight after severe thunderstorms rolled across upstate New York, knocking out electricity service to thousands of homes and businesses.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012 

Wednesday, March 28, 2012  A father accused of kidnapping his daughter and keeping her overseas for five years made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Friday, March 16, 2012  Jeffery Shipman's family says every story has two sides. Friday night, they told us Jeffery's side, who is now facing federal kidnapping charges.

Thursday, March 15, 2012  A Liverpool girl missing since 2007 has been found in Thailand.

Thursday, May 26, 2011  Another round of severe weather rolled through Central New York Thursday afternoon, hitting the region with rain, thunder, and damaging high winds.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011  It wasn't just flooding that caused damage across Central New York.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011  UPDATE: A fast-moving storm packing wind gusts as high as 60 mph swept through Syracuse, pelting the area with torrents of rain and quarter-size hail and forcing closure of I-81 just north of downtown.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010  September skies seized many eyes yesterday as fast paced weather changes produced brilliant pictures.

Friday, July 30, 2010  What’s the biggest hail you’ve ever seen?  Were you stuck outside when it happened?  Let me know.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010  The National Weather Service in Aberdeen South Dakota will be surveying a reported 8" diameter hail stone that fell recently.

Friday, May 07, 2010  Hail comes in all sizes and we typically hear hail size described as pea sized, golf ball sized and so on.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009  Lightning is a giant spark of electricity that occurs within the atmosphere or between the atmosphere and the ground.  As lightning passes through the air, it rapidly heats the air to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, considerably hotter than the surface of the sun.  During a lightning discharge, the sudden heating of the air causes it to rapidly expand.  Afterward, the air contracts quickly as it cools back to a normal temperature. This rapid expansion and contraction of the air causes a shock wave that we hear as thunder.  Lightning can occur completely within the cloud, between the cloud and ground, or between clouds.  Cloud to ground lightning can be categorized as negative or positive flashes.