Mike Simms

GIS analyst and data guy for an environmental engineering company. Fan of weather, environment, and science. Arizona native, ASU alum, skeptic.

[Mike Simms @MSThrock]

@AdamKinzinger If you don't measure it, then it's not a problem.

[Mike Simms @MSThrock]

@maricopaflood OMG loving these.

[Lisa Desjardins @LisaDNews]

BREAKING: President Trump and DOJ abandon their "weaponization fund" in the face of court rulings and wide Senate Republican objections.

Senate Leader Thune made it clear that reconciliation (ICE + CBP funding) could not pass if this fund was unaddressed.

Republicans drew a rare but firm red line over this - a unique standoff where the GOP Congress forced President Trump to back down in his second term.

[NWS Flagstaff @NWSFlagstaff]

2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Route 66! Check out these fun facts:
📍Length: Approximately 2,448 miles
📍Established: 1926
📍Decommissioned: 1985
📍Highest Point: 7,335 ft (Arizona Divide)
📍Longest Segment: New Mexico (~487 miles)
📍Shortest Segment: Kansas (~13 miles)

[Justin Wolfers @JustinWolfers]

Economists call this diminishing marginal utility. The first dollars change your life. The billionth doesn't. So the argument stops being about consumption and starts being about power.

[Mike Simms @MSThrock]

@azcapmedia We need standard time!! @SaveStandard

[Mike Simms @MSThrock]

@12News We need standard time!! @SaveStandard

[Project 48 Arizona @project48az]

Yes, communities should have input and be able to ask questions about projects in their neighborhoods, including data centers.

However, the claim that Arizona’s major data center projects are lining up to use 1–1.5 million gallons of water per day does not reflect reality here.

The major projects you see in the news in Tucson, Marana, Glendale, and Chandler use air-cooling or closed-loop systems, which use significantly less water than older data center designs. In fact, many are either water-positive, meaning they put more water into the system than they take out, or they use less water than the site currently uses or than alternative land uses, like farming.

The same goes for power. Our utilities have been clear: growth pays for growth. These projects are already backed by agreements that require data centers to pay for the power and infrastructure they require, not everyday ratepayers.

So yes, review every project carefully. But let’s skip the outdated talking points and debate each project on its actual merits.

Debating the real numbers, the real water plans, and the real power plans is how Arizona can keep growing while protecting the communities that make growth possible.

[Grand Canyon NPS @GrandCanyonNPS]

At 6 a.m. this morning, the gate to the North Rim swung open and staff welcomed visitors back to one of the most spectacular places in the world. We are excited to welcome everyone back for another season at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park!

Visitor services currently available include:

🛒 General Store open daily from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. with grab-and-go food, dry goods, bottled water (single-serve and gallon sizes), and other essential items available.

⛽ Gas station open daily with unleaded and diesel fuel available via pay-at-the-pump service.

⛺️At this time, there is no reopening date set for the North Rim Campground. More information will be shared as it becomes available. Follow current North Rim status and updates here:
https://t.co/q8Hlgi6Enq (2195)

The North Kaibab Trail has reopened. Parking at the trailhead will be limited this weekend. Overflow parking is available north of the former Grand Canyon Lodge site. The Bridle Path connecting the North Kaibab Trailhead to the Lodge parking area is also now reopened.

Reminder: No potable water is available at the North Kaibab Trailhead or anywhere else on the North Rim at this time. Please plan accordingly and bring adequate water and food for your visit.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to National Park Service staff, Grand Canyon Conservancy, the Arizona Trail Association and Aramark for the incredible teamwork and dedication that made reopening on time for the 2026 season possible. We couldn’t do it without you!

Photos:
Entrance Station: NPS/J. Baird
Entrance Sign: NPS
Group photo courtesy of Radmen Niven, @AZTourismNews

[AZ Dept. Forestry and Fire Management @azstateforestry]

Hazen Fire Status Clarification. The fire is 0% contained and we'd like to take a moment to clear up confusion among the public and media. Understanding Wildfire Status: Contained, Controlled, and Out

Wildfire terminology can be confusing, especially when multiple agencies are working together during an incident. We want to help clarify what these terms mean in wildland fire operations.

Contained means that firefighters have completed fireline around a portion of the fire’s edge, or are using existing features such as roads, dozer lines, handlines, rock outcroppings, or other natural barriers to help hold the fire in place. Containment is reported as a percentage.

That percentage does not increase simply because crews have built line. It increases only when fire managers are confident that a section of line is expected to hold under current and forecasted conditions, including wind, terrain, fuels, and fire behavior.

For example, a fire may have line constructed around much of the perimeter but still be reported as 0% contained if crews are not yet confident that the fire will stay within those lines. On a wildfire map, containment is typically shown as a black line along the fire perimeter. A red line indicates uncontained fireline, meaning that section of the perimeter has not yet been secured or is not expected to hold with confidence under current and forecasted conditions.

Controlled means the fireline has been strengthened and secured to the point that the fire is not expected to escape the established perimeter. Crews may still be working inside the fire area, cooling hot spots, removing hazards, or patrolling the perimeter.

Out means there is no remaining heat, smoke, or active fire. At that point, the fire is fully extinguished.

In the early stages of an incident, different terms may be used quickly as information develops. In wildland fire reporting, however, “contained” has a very specific meaning tied to confidence in the fireline holding under both current and expected conditions.

We appreciate everyone’s patience as agencies work together to provide accurate, consistent information. The most current official updates from DFFM will continue to report containment based on wildland fire standards.

#HazenFire #AZFire #AZForestry

📸 Graphic explaining the difference between Contained, Controlled, and Out with visual aids

[City of Phoenix, AZ @CityofPhoenixAZ]

The City’s drought management plan plays a key role in what happens next. With cuts coming on the #ColoradoRiver, Phoenix anticipates going to Drought Stage 2 - Water Warning - by the end of 2026.

Phoenix Water Services Director Brandy Kelso explains what that may include ⬇️

[City of Surprise @AZSurprise]

Update: Landfill fire in Surprise contained

A fire at a privately-owned landfill near 195th Avenue and Deer Valley Road has been contained and the site has been turned over to facility personnel for mop-up operations. @SurpriseFD is continuing to monitor the situation and remains on standby if needed.

A smoke column may remain visible as hot spots are fully extinguished.

Air quality is still being monitored, and there is no danger to the community, although, those sensitive to smoke or with breathing conditions are encouraged to limit time outdoors.

More information: https://t.co/xshWSPOPx0

[City of Surprise @AZSurprise]

Earlier today, Surprise Fire-Medical crews responded to a working fire at a privately owned landfill facility near 195th Avenue and Deer Valley Road. Crews have successfully contained it to the facility, and there is no immediate risk to nearby homes or businesses. 

Due to the type of fire, there may be visible smoke in the area for a few days until the fire is fully extinguished. The air quality is being monitored to ensure there is no danger to the community. However, those with sensitivity to smoke or breathing issues are encouraged to limit time outside and stay indoors when possible.

[Amber Sullins @AmberSullins]

Winds cranking up across Arizona.

Fire danger will be on Wednesday, especially across northeastern Arizona where Red Flag Warnings are in effect.

APS may do public safety power shutoffs on the east side of Flagstaff.

#abc15 #abc15wx #azwx #az #wx #arizona #weather

[Auschwitz Memorial @AuschwitzMuseum]

This is one of the hardest but also one of the most important warnings from the history of Auschwitz coming to us today.

Perpetrators were people who accepted and followed an ideology that made them believe that they were better than others, an ideology that rationalized and promoted hatred and evil. This ideology became part of their everyday lives and environment.

They were not monsters. They were people: fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters. They were farmers, doctors, bakers, bankers, architects, or carpenters. They had their family joys and problems, favorite desserts or songs, hobbies or fears. They were people like us.

But they also perpetrated horrible, monstrous acts on behalf of the ideology they believed in.

Dehumanizing all the „others” was a tool that helped them achieve their goal. The perpetrators thought of themselves as moral people. And this is the scary part of this history.

We should not and cannot dehumanize them, as their story and choices are the human warning. For us all.

[James Pettus @PettusWX]

Here is a loop of radar along with severe thunderstorm warnings, tornado warnings, and storm reports from yesterdays tornado outbreak.

In total...
311 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
150 Tornado Warnings

[Mike Simms @MSThrock]

@KTAR923

[Rep. Oscar De Los Santos @RepODLS]

MONUMENTAL ELECTION EARTHQUAKE IN ARIZONA TONIGHT: Consumer advocates & clean energy candidates defeated Turning Point USA in a huge utility election and FLIPPED the majority of the utility board. SRP will be the largest utility in the country with a clean energy majority. 🧵

[Adenot Sophie @Soph_astro]

Day 054, orbit 0835 – After the hunt for eggs, time to hunt down a few misconceptions! Here on the Station, because we’re in microgravity, things are not pulled downward like on Earth… and here’s a surprising fact: hair that naturally detaches doesn’t fall. 🧐 It stays with the rest of your hair. Other forces also come into play, such as the entanglement of hairs and even surface tension when the hair is wet!

When I first arrived, I was wondering the same thing: would we see hair floating everywhere?! Well, as unexpected as it may sound: absolutely not! There isn’t even any in the hoodie I use as a pillow!!!

Hair that sheds naturally only actually leaves the head when you brush it. I brush my hair twice a day, and I have never in my life collected so much hair on a brush. So don’t worry, there’s no hair floating all over the Station.

And fun fact: hair isn’t the only thing that doesn’t fall… dust doesn’t either. It floats and gets trapped in the air‑duct filters until the weekly cleaning… and sometimes an astronaut’s long hair catches it before, like an improvised feather duster would catch it! The result? I’ve never had such dusty hair, and once again, it’s very obvious on the brush!

Most of the time, I work with my hair tied back, as you can see in the timelapses and photos taken during working hours. But for communication activities, I like to let it loose to make microgravity visible. Watching the video playback always makes me laugh (sometimes even burst out laughing 🤣 when I discover my very own space hairstyle!) and I hope it brings a smile to your face too!

📷 @esa /@NASA

#εpsilon