The City of Philadelphia is pledging millions over six years to fix those potholes, ditches, dips and cracks that are causing a bumpy ride and costing drivers lots of money.

You may have heard about it because of the popular 2004 movie “The Day After Tomorrow”. The Gulf Stream off the East Coast stops, and the North Atlantic cools off faster than taking the “Polar Bear Plunge” on New Year’s Day. Of course, the movie is a wild, ridiculous exaggeration, but there is a nugget of science there.

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The Gulf Stream is a zone of extra-warm ocean water that extends from just off the Florida east coast to the North Atlantic (the area in red in Figure 1). It’s a permanent feature, although it does move around a bit. The water moves northward, helping to warm both the ocean and even Europe. If the Gulf Stream didn’t exist, Europe would be a LOT colder.

But the Gulf Stream is just a small part of what is known as the AMOC, or Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, which is part of the Great Ocean Conveyor (The ocean circulation then travels all over the globe). As the warm, salty water reaches the far North Atlantic, it cools down. Cooler water sinks, starting the “return” part of the circulation. Figure 2 shows the path for the Atlantic portion of the Great Conveyor.

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HOW DO WE KNOW IT IS SLOWING?

Climate models have been predicting a slowing of the AMOC for a long time. In 2015, a paper published by noted climate scientists Stephan Rahmstorf and Michael Mann showed that this slowing had already begun. One piece of evidence stuck out:

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Notice anything? That blob of light blue in the North Atlantic represents the ONLY part of the world that actually cooled in the past century or more. That is exactly what would be expected from a weakened AMOC. And a new study by Rahmstorf confirms more than just a slowdown, but evidence the slowdown is happening even more quickly than expected.

WHY SHOULD WE CARE?

A slow-down in the Gulf Stream leads to a warming of the waters to its west. That means off the U.S. East Coast. Warmer waters lead to higher sea levels, and this is probably why sea level is rising here more than just about any other part of the earth. Higher sea levels mean more frequent coastal flooding. It also means any given storm now will cause worse coastal flooding than it would have decades ago. And in the future, the coastal floods will be even worse.

A warmer ocean near us can also help prevent tropical storms and hurricanes from weakening as they get closer. Climate models show this as well: a greater percentage of hurricanes form and track farther north as oceans warm. Superstorm Sandy had record warm ocean temperatures in its path northward in the Atlantic, which probably helped prevent weakening. Expect more of that in the future.

And a warmer ocean leads to more moisture in the atmosphere. That can result in heavier rains in coastal storms, and even heavier snows if it is just cold enough for snow.

We've had plenty of rain and clouds recently, but the storms aren't moving out of our region just quite yet. This weekend will be wet and cloudy, but when will the sunshine return? NBC10 meteorologist Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz has your forecast.

We are tracking the sixth weekend of rain in our region, and the clouds and storms are taking their toll on people. NBC10's Tim Furlong caught up with some people in Delaware to see how they're making it through.

Prepare for the unexpected! Celebrate the ground-breaking artistry of local and international music, dance, and aerial magic performances and installations this summer as the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) returns Thursday night.

Occurring every two years in Philadelphia, PIFA is a celebration of the arts presented by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The festival runs from May 31 through June 10 and includes works by Taylor Mac, Elizabeth Streb, Bassem Youssef and many others.

If you want to see some of the most exciting and innovative acts from around the world, but don’t want to spend too much, we’ve got you covered.

Here are some of the free events offered from PIFA this year:

¡La NOCHE CUBANA!

Monday, June 4 at 8 p.m.

The Kimmel Center will be hosting one of the hottest live bands in town with host Kevin Ngo leading the dancing for visitors on the dance floor. On Monday, Cuban percussionist Arturo Stable will lead the celebration of Cuban music featuring The La NOCHE Band, along with two special guest Cuban singers and musicians, Ariacne Trujillo Durnad and YUSA!

Sittin’ In: Live Sessions

Wednesday, June 6 at 9 p.m.

This production introduces audience to new artists from various musical genres. The unpredictability of “Sittin’ In” is something that PIFA embraces and loves to show. Audiences can expect to experience perfectly tuned sets along with improvised shows from people who have never collaborated together prior to the production. “Sittin’ In” is meant for an informal club-like setting and features sets from the hottest DJs around Philadelphia.

Rare Essence, Washington's premier Go-Go band for many decades will be headlining “Sittin’ In” Wednesday. The group attracts fans from multiple generations and has produced music with some of the biggest names in the industry including Wale, Run DMC, LL Cool J, French Montana and many more.

Street Fair

Saturday, June 9 at 11 a.m.

The grand finale of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts is a day-long street fair that takes place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m on seven blocks of Broad Street between City Hall and South Street. This block party will feature performances, interactive experiences and popular food vendors from around the country.

Broad Street will close Friday, June 8, and reopen Sunday, June 10. For more information on rides, performances, and street closures, click here.

PIFA also hosts many other affordable and interesting events throughout the celebration and those can be found on their website.

A 7-year-old child was caught in the crossfire when four masked men opened fire on a Philadelphia street. Now, police are searching for those shooters as parents are scared to allow their children outside.

A family fun center set to close in Delaware had thousands devastated. But now, after a deal fell apart, the center will remain open and keep hundreds of families busy and happy.

Jami Amo remembers pulling a trashcan over her head at Columbine High School in Colorado to protect herself from two shooters 19 years ago. Now, after hearing from Parkland, Florida, students who survived a shooting at their own school, Amo decided it was time to speak out.

“The long-term goal is for this to stop being a reality, to not have a school shooting in the news every week,” Amo told NBC10 this week. "To not have a mass shooting every month.”

Amo spoke at Philadelphia’s March for Our Lives, a part of the group "Moms Demand Action."

Today, Amo is a mother of three and she worries about her kids' safety as she hears about the active shooter drills they take part in at school.

Amo said she doesn’t think things will change quickly, but she believes they can, and she has some ideas.

She’d like to see better door locks installed in schools, have gun owners better secure their firearms and there to be better resources for victims of gun violence. Amo has made one thing clear, though: she’s not giving up.

“You can’t just give up, though, and say it’s over,” she said. “Maybe that’s what we did after Columbine and maybe that’s what we did after Sandy Hook, and here we are.”

Moms Demand Action will host another walk to end gun violence in Philadelphia on Saturday.

An emergency meeting was held at Boyertown High School after a threat was found posted online.

Police release new surveillance video of a man they want to talk to in connection with the death of a Montgomery County barber.

A young hockey player who survived of a deadly Canada bus crash comes to Philadelphia looking for help on his road to recovery.

New details reveal a New Jersey school superintendent was warned about the bus driver who was involved in a deadly crash in Mount Olive Township. 

A Philadelphia teenager is fighting rare form of blood cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant. In order to help find a donor she is organizing a cheek swab drive to check for possible matches for herself and others in need of help.

People living in Horsham, Montgomery County are being told to boil their tap water before drinking it due to a drop in chlorine levels in tap water -- and that water emergency also led local schools to close Friday.

Newly obtained documents appear to contradict the Paramus schools superintendent's claim that she had no idea that the driver in the deadly bus crash that killed a teacher and a student had a checkered driving record. 

NorthJersey.com reports that Superintendent Michele Robinson was notified about 77-year-old Hudy Muldrow Sr.'s violations last December, months before he was behind the wheel in the crash that killed 10-year-old Miranda Vargas and teacher Jennifer Williamson Kennedy.

State motor vehicle records show that Muldrow had his license suspended 14 times between 1975 and 2017, mostly for administrative reasons. The most recent license suspension was in December for failing to pay parking tickets. He also had eight speeding violations between 1975 and 2001.

Robinson told News 4 in a statement earlier this month, days after the crash, that she was "shocked, saddened and angry" to read news reports about Muldrow's driving record.

"Nothing that was provided to the district by the state reflected that the driver had any moving violations," she said at the time. "In fact, all we were told is that he was a driver in good standing and eligible to operate a school bus."

But on Dec. 21, 2017, the New Jersey state education department notified the superintendent that his endorsement to drive school buses had "been suspended or revoked, and his medical certification has expired," adding, "You are hereby notified that the above-named driver is ineligible for employment as a school bus driver." 

The letters do not explain why his driving privileges had been revoked, but state guidelines say they can be revoked because of a criminal history or a disqualifying medical condition. 

The letter said, "Please confirm your compliance with this determination in writing." 

However, the school district in January received another letter from the state education department saying Muldrow was allowed to be back behind the wheel and recertified to drive school children. 

In a statement to News 4 Thursday, Robinson said, "The information we were provided was that Mr. Muldrow’s license was suspended for a period of time during the winter recess when schools were closed, not related to any moving violations.

"During that time, Mr. Muldrow submitted his updated medical information to the Motor Vehicle Commission. The state subsequently informed us that Mr. Muldrow was a driver in good standing and eligible to operate a school bus." 

Muldrow's attorney, Matthew Reisig, has defended his driving record as "above average" and noted the speeding tickets spanned 43 years and none had resulted in a license suspension.

Muldrow was released Wednesday from the Morris County jail, where he has been held since his arrest last week, as he awaits his trial on charges of death by auto.

A criminal complaint alleges the 77-year-old Muldrow missed a turn for the Waterloo Village historic site and tried to make an illegal U-turn on the interstate. The bus collided with a dump truck, and the impact tore the bus apart. 

Two people were found dead inside a house in West Goshen, Chester County, early Friday after police responded to the home for a report of a shooting, authorities said.

Their identities were not immediately released, but investigators did note that the two killed are a man and a woman.

The initial investigation has determined that the cause of the deaths is "a murder followed by a suicide," police said.

"There are no outstanding suspects and there is no danger to the public," police said.

The two were found by family members about 6:30 a.m. in the living room of the house on North Five Points Road.

Some good news in the saga of four escaped peacocks from the Philadelphia Zoo: Two of the missing birds were found Friday morning and are now home safe.

The zoo reported that a tipster spotted the birds near the equestrian center in Fairmount Park.

The tipster stayed with the birds until zoo staff arrived to rescue them.

"Both birds appear healthy if a little hungry, have been examined by the veterinary staff, and are currently being housed behind-the-scenes," the zoo said in an email.

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The zoo also said it was moving other young peacocks behind the scenes as well, since peacocks are "more likely to wander" when they are young. And they will review other changes to their free-ranging flock, which has been a longtime delight to zoo visitors.

Sadly, one of the peacocks had been found dead Thursday afternoon, likely after being hit by a car.

The search is continuing for the fourth peacock, which is young and does not have the bright plumage or long tail that an adult peacock has. Anyone who thinks they have information about that bird should email peacocks@phillyzoo.org.

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The birds created a traffic jam on the Schuylkill Expressway Wednesday evening when they were found strutting along I-76 westbound near the Girard Avenue exit. 

State police shut down two of the six lanes of traffic and appeared to escort the four birds down the highway, causing backups for miles.

Police managed to form a barricade around the peacocks and get them off the highway, but were unable to capture them. The four birds then flew away into nearby trees, with one of them managing to fly across the highway.

It's not unusual for some of the Zoo's peacocks to stray, but they normally return in the evening to roost for the night, said Philadelphia Zoo spokeswoman Dana Lombardo.

Zoo officials reminded people not to approach remaining peacock because he is "out of their normal environment and may be nervous."

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We start this Saturday morning off with a few light scattered showers. NBC10's First Alert Weather meteorologist Krystal Klei let's us know about the storms heading our way throughout the weekend.

The Wawa Foundation has continued its commitment to local organizations by returning one of its biggest community grants. The third annual Wawa Foundation Hero Award is down to four finalists, and voting is open to the public through June 15.

One of the four organizations will receive a $50,000 grant courtesy of The Wawa Foundation. The three runners up will receive a $10,000 grant each. The winner will be announced at an award presentation on July 4th.

Take a look at the finalists' in consideration for this year's award (listed in alphabetical order):

Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia

The group consisting of full-time staff, volunteers, and donors has worked hard to help young people in Philadelphia learn and grow outside of the classroom. Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia is a non-profit organization that aims to enable young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. With over 8,900 children involved, the BGCP is one of the largest youth-development organization in Philadelphia. Students are exposed to opportunities and experiences that would not be possible without the help of the foundation. BGCP includes numerous programs such as STEM Learning Labs, Literacy Initiative, and Educational & Career Development. While many public schools have cut their physical education programs, several BGCP clubs host sport leagues and fitness opportunities to kids across the city. The staff and volunteers teach kids leadership values and the importance of giving back during their time in the program so that they can help tomorrow’s youth and continue the work of the Boys & Girls Club in the future. Find out more here.

Education Works

This Philadelphia based organization provides a wide variety of educational opportunities to over 12,000 children and young adults annually. EducationWorks is a nonprofit that provides high quality academic support, career readiness and enrichment programming for the young people involved in the program. They provide educational support in existing schools, through after school programs, and in the summer with unique summer camps. The organization works with topics such as literacy, science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics, and social emotional learning. EducationWorks focuses on communicating with community and school leaders to identify problems and create specialized programs based on these needs. These customized programs are aimed at reengaging young adults who may have been disconnected due to poor education early in life. Their goal is to create confident and empowered students who are not afraid to dream big and reach their full potential. Find out more here.

Inn Dwelling

Since being founded in 1981, Inn Dwelling has provided young adults with educational support while also stressing community service and leadership development. Their overall goal is to break the cycle of poverty by proving the next generation with the right tools to inspire, thrive, and lead. Their approach combines aspects of public speaking, test preparation, community service, leadership development, and many other programs. Their tutoring and enrichment is available after school, on weekends and during the summer months. Inn Dwelling serves at-risk, low-income, and gifted young adults age 11-18. Their organization has 100 percent success rates in both high school graduation and college matriculation. During the 2017-2018 school year, they served 84 students from numerous different local high schools. Students involved in the program have access to several academic trips including national landmarks, and summer programs at a number of universities. Inn Dwelling has graduated about 150 students already, and hopes to continue its positive impact in the future. Find out more here.

Philadelphia Fire Department Explorer Youth Program

Philadelphia Fire Explorers is a program designed to introduce young adults age 14-20 into fire service through hands on training and experience. The young men and women are introduced to public safety initiatives, emergency preparedness, and all-hazard safety. In addition, the fire department stresses giving back through community outreach initiatives and events. Emergency medical services, disaster relief, and military-related training are also included in the youth program. Their mission is to teach young adults the knowledge and values needed to succeed in a fire service career. This is done through classroom instruction, mentoring from current firefighters, and training exercises. The program takes place at the Fire Training Academy along the Delaware River. Since being implemented in April 2014, Philadelphia Fire Explorers has prepared many young men and women for a future in fire science. Find out more here.

Applicants for this grant were tasked with creating video or story about their impact on the Philadelphia community. These four organizations were selected for having the most compelling stories out of the non-profit organizations who submitted the application. One of groups will be presented the award during the Independence Day morning ceremony at the 2018 Wawa Welcome America Festival.

"All of us at Wawa were truly inspired to hear about the work that so many area non-profits are doing to help others and improve their communities," said The Wawa Foundation President, Jared Culotta.

"We can’t wait to celebrate these four non-profits during the Wawa Welcome America! festivities as they tell their stories of what it means to be a hero. We invite all who applied to stay connected with The Wawa Foundation to find out more about the support The Wawa Foundation offers to non-profit organizations in Wawa’s operating area."

VOTE NOW.

Sheri Cole talks about Hope's Night Out Fundraiser hosted by Career Wardrobe June 6. Among the models featured will be NBC10 First Alert Chief Meteorologist Tammie Souza.