# extreme weather event (news sources) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover extreme weather event. Page: Feed: --- ## [NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Departs Agency to Continue Military Service](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-astronaut-jonny-kim-departs-agency-to-continue-military-service/) _2026-08-27 · Jessica Taveau · NASA_ After nearly a decade of service to NASA, including an eight-month science expedition aboard the International Space Station, astronaut Jonny Kim’s last day at the agency is Thursday. He will continue serving as lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. Kim launched to the space station in April 2025 aboard the Soyuz MS‑27 spacecraft to conduct \[…\] ## [School districts face a back-to-school math problem: The high price of diesel](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/27/nx-s1-5944429/school-buses-fuel-diesel-prices) _2026-08-27 · Willa Rubin · NPR Topics: Climate_ With the war in Iran driving up fuel prices, diesel is now nearly $5.60 a gallon, affecting school districts at the start of the year. ## [APOD: 2026 August 27 – Colorful Aurora over an Icelandic Waterfall](https://science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2026-august-27-colorful-aurora-over-an-icelandic-waterfall/) _2026-08-27 · NASA_ APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 27 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Colorful Aurora over \[…\] ## [Rare, Widespread Snow in the Atacama Desert](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/rare-widespread-snow-in-the-atacama-desert/) _2026-08-27 · NASA_ Back-to-back winter storms in August 2026 brought snowfall to northern Chile, from the Andes to near the Pacific coast. ## [Building Foresight for Earth Science, featuring Lindsey Jacobson](https://www.nasa.gov/earth/earth-visualization-mapping/building-foresight-for-earth-science-featuring-lindsey-jacobson/) _2026-08-26 · Sondra Woodward · NASA_ NASA’s Earth-observing satellite missions track dozens of features of a changing planet — aerosols, sea levels, land cover, cloud cover — over years and decades. Sustaining that record for the scientific and operational communities who depend on it requires more than engineering talent. It requires planning for an uncertain future: anticipating where a mission delay \[…\] ## [Roman Space Telescope Travels to SpaceX Hangar](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/roman-space-telescope-travels-to-spacex-hangar/) _2026-08-26 · HQ Web Team · NASA_ NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, encapsulated in its payload fairing, travels from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, ahead of mating to a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Roman’s science instruments are designed to help researchers understand dark \[…\] ## [NASA Johnson Pilots Chase Moon’s Shadow for Eclipse Science](https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/johnson/nasa-johnson-pilots-chase-moons-shadow-for-eclipse-science/) _2026-08-26 · Sumer Loggins · NASA_ During the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse over Europe, scientists aimed to study a long-standing mystery: why the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, is far hotter than its visible surface. Capturing the data they needed meant being in exactly the right place at the right time. Pilots from NASA’s Johnson Space Center flew the WB-57F high altitude research aircraft from Ellington Field in Houston to… ## [NASA Sets Spacewalk for Station Maintenance, Live Coverage Planned](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-spacewalk-for-station-maintenance-live-coverage-planned/) _2026-08-26 · Jennifer M. Dooren · NASA_ NASA will provide coverage as two astronauts step outside the International Space Station on Tuesday, Sept. 1, to replace a spacecraft navigational aid and complete several maintenance tasks in support of space station operations. Watch live coverage beginning at 7 a.m. EDT. The spacewalk is expected to start at approximately 8:30 a.m. and last about \[…\] ## [NASA Begins Moon Mission Plume-Surface Interaction Tests](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-begins-moon-mission-plume-surface-interaction-tests/) _2026-08-26 · Joseph Atkinson · NASA_ EDITOR’S NOTE: This story, originally published in December, was revised Aug. 26, 2026 with an update on a new phase of testing, including video from a recent test run and new images. To help NASA and commercial partners better understand the science of lunar landings, specifically the hazards that may occur when a lander’s engine \[…\] ## [Contractor to Civil Servant: NASA Welcomes Jeret Howard](https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/stennis/contractor-to-civil-servant-jeret-howard/) _2026-08-26 · LaToya Dean · NASA_ At 17, Jeret Howard raised his right hand to serve his country as a United States Army combat medic in Iraq. This past summer, he raised his right hand again at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Hired as a civil servant under the agency’s workforce directive to restore core competencies by \[…\] ## [Crypto Payments, No Custody (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/K5Fszq0HOsvc) _2026-08-26 · **Sponsored**_ Send crypto to merchant wallets via API with real-time updates and automatic fees. ## [Nearly 1,000 are missing in Nepal and Tibet after floods caused by a glacial collapse](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/26/g-s1-140211/nepal-china-floods) _2026-08-26 · The Associated Press · NPR Topics: Climate_ China's Xinhua News Agency said Thursday that mudslides in Tibet caused by a glacial collapse have left three people dead and 558 missing, while police in Nepal reported at least 162 were killed. ## [APOD: 2026 August 26 – JWST Images The Lion’s Head Nebula](https://science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2026-august-26-jwst-images-the-lions-head-nebula/) _2026-08-26 · NASA_ APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 26 – JWST… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. JWST Images \[…\] ## [New Next-Gen Dish Adds Muscle to NASA’s Deep Space Network](https://www.nasa.gov/technology/space-comms/deep-space-network/new-next-gen-dish-adds-muscle-to-nasas-deep-space-network/) _2026-08-25 · albarne1 · NASA_ NASA’s Deep Space Network facility in California is marking the addition of a brand new 34-meter-wide (114-foot-wide) radio frequency antenna to the agency’s deep space communications and navigation system. The network uses giant dish antennas located at three global facilities to support more than 40 spacecraft exploring the solar system and interstellar space. The new \[…\] ## [California's rolling out a new rule requiring more efficient tires](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/25/nx-s1-5938883/californias-rolling-out-a-new-rule-requiring-more-efficient-tires) _2026-08-25 · Fio Geiran · NPR Topics: Climate_ NPR's Adrian Florido talks with Ken Rider of the California Energy Commission about a new rule for more efficient tires, which could cut the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. ## [NASA Invites Media to LunaRecycle Challenge Finale Event in Alabama](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-invites-media-to-lunarecycle-challenge-finale-event-in-alabama/) _2026-08-25 · Lee Mohon · NASA_ NASA will announce the winners of the final phase of its LunaRecycle Challenge on Friday, Aug. 28, at The University of Alabama (UA) Lee Styslinger College of Engineering in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Launched in 2024, the challenge incentivizes the invention of new recycling systems that could support non-metabolic waste management efforts for future lunar missions. Media \[…\] ## [NASA Ames’ Contributions to Roman’s Mission](https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-ames-contributions-to-romans-mission/) _2026-08-25 · Gianine Figliozzi · NASA_ Set to launch on Sunday, Aug. 30, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will empower astronomers to explore vast regions of the cosmos and settle essential questions in the areas of dark energy, dark matter, planets outside our solar system, and the formation and growth of galaxies over cosmic time. Key contributions to Roman’s mission \[…\] ## [NASA Ames Experts Available for Roman Space Telescope Interviews](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-ames-experts-available-for-roman-space-telescope-interviews/) _2026-08-25 · Jeanne Neal · NASA_ NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley invites media to learn more about NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled to launch Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Roman telescope will provide a wide, detailed view of the universe, helping scientists study dark energy, exoplanets, and cosmic structures. \[…\] ## [NASA’s Pandora Mission Begins Study of Exoplanets, Host Stars](https://science.nasa.gov/missions/pandora-missions/nasas-pandora-mission-begins-study-of-exoplanets-host-stars/) _2026-08-25 · NASA_ Pandora, NASA’s newest exoplanet mission and the first satellite to launch through the agency’s Astrophysics Pioneers program, is now making unique observations of worlds beyond our solar system and the stars they orbit. The mission will determine the atmospheric make-up of at least 20 exoplanets, including the presence of hazes, clouds, and water. “Pandora’s data \[…\] ## [Galactic Gems Glisten in New Gallery From NASA’s Chandra](https://science.nasa.gov/missions/chandra/galactic-gems-glisten-in-new-gallery-from-nasas-chandra/) _2026-08-25 · NASA_ Galaxies are like cosmic gems, each with characteristics including size and shape that make them distinct. A new gallery released today from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes displays a collection of galactic images that showcase this variety. Astronomers put galaxies into three main categories: spirals like our own Milky Way with arms emanating \[…\] ## [Did climate change cause this heat wave? Most likely, and here's why](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/25/nx-s1-5940053/heat-wave-extreme-forecast-climate) _2026-08-25 · Sadie Babits · NPR Topics: Climate_ As the senior climate editor at NPR, when extreme weather impacts us, I often send out guidance to the newsroom to help everyone understand the role of climate change. Here's what I tell them. ## [AI QA that opens fix PRs (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/BJWswkIIT2Vn) _2026-08-25 · **Sponsored**_ Run a browser QA from plain-English instructions; get GitHub issues and optional fix PRs. ## [Indonesians brave choking smoke to pray for rain as country battles wildfires](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/25/nx-s1-5944062/indonesia-battles-wildfires) _2026-08-25 · The Associated Press · NPR Topics: Climate_ Huge blazes in central and western regions of Indonesia have scorched wide areas of forests and peatland, creating a choking haze that blanketed some cities. ## [Thousands forced to evacuate parts of Reno, Nevada, as new wildfire rages](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/23/g-s1-139729/thousands-forced-to-evacuate-parts-of-reno-nevada-as-new-wildfire-rages) _2026-08-24 · Maria Godoy · NPR Topics: Climate_ Officials say the fire, which has now burned more than 15,000 acres and is zero percent contained, was human caused. Nearly 90,000 people have been told to evacuate or prepare to leave. ## [Climate change is unearthing archaeological discoveries, while also threatening them](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/23/nx-s1-5938809/climate-change-is-unearthing-new-archeological-discoveries-while-also-threating-them) _2026-08-23 · Danielle Kurtzleben · NPR Topics: Climate_ NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben speaks with Jørgen Hollesen, a Senior Researcher at the National Museum of Denmark, about how climate change is impacting the study of archaeology. ## [Drying springs in Arizona jeopardize the future of a key Navajo tradition](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/23/nx-s1-5920401/drying-springs-in-arizona-jeopardize-the-future-of-a-key-navajo-tradition) _2026-08-23 · Chris Clements · NPR Topics: Climate_ For centuries, Navajo shepherds have herded sheep in Arizona's mountains. Now, springs they rely on are drying up, putting a mainstay of the tribe's culture at risk. ## [Curiosity Blog, Sols 4982–4987: Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming](https://science.nasa.gov/blog/curiosity-blog-sols-4982-4987-back-to-our-regularly-scheduled-programming/) _2026-08-23 · NASA_ By Allison Dries-Padilla, Missions Operations Specialist at Malin Space Science Systems Earth planning date: Friday, Aug. 14, 2026 This week of Curiosity Mars rover operations takes us back to our “regularly scheduled programming.” After taking a slight detour to investigate the “erosional surface” we are back on course to ascend Mount Sharp. As we transition \[…\] ## [APOD: 2026 August 22 – Mostly Perseids](https://science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod/apod-2026-august-22-mostly-perseids/) _2026-08-22 · NASA_ APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 22… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Mostly Perseids Explanation: Recorded \[…\] ## [NASA Shares Views of August Solar Eclipse from Ground, Air, Space](https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasa-shares-views-of-august-solar-eclipse-from-ground-air-space/) _2026-08-21 · NASA_ On Aug. 12, a total solar eclipse darkened skies over Greenland, Iceland, and Spain. As the Moon covered the Sun, it briefly revealed the Sun’s wispy outer atmosphere — the corona — to those in the path of totality who were lucky enough to have clear skies. NASA researchers and photographers were along the eclipse \[…\] ## [TB 26-04 Updates and Modernization of NASA’s Chemical Equilibrium with Applications (CEA) Code](https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/nesc/tb-26-04-updates-and-modernization-of-nasas-chemical-equilibrium-with-applications-cea-code/) _2026-08-21 · Daniel Hoffpauir · NASA_ For more information, contact Mark K. Leader, Glenn Research Center, mark.leader@nasa.gov Download the PDF version NASA’s Chemical Equilibrium with Applications (CEA) code is a foundational tool for propulsion system analysis. It provides equilibrium chemistry, rocket performance, shock, and detonation calculations used across NASA and the broader aerospace community. NASA Engineering and Safety… ## [Webb Opens Treasure Chest](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/webb-opens-treasure-chest/) _2026-08-21 · HQ Web Team · NASA_ NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured this Aug. 6, 2026, infrared image of part of the Carina Nebula, a star-forming region also home to the Cosmic Cliffs. This feature, called the “Treasure Chest,” is an object known as a cometary globule. A cometary globule is an isolated cloud of gas and dust with a dense, \[…\] ## [NASA’s Artemis II Crew Set to Receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-artemis-ii-crew-set-to-receive-congressional-space-medal-of-honor/) _2026-08-21 · Gerelle Q. Dodson · NASA_ President Donald J. Trump will award each of NASA’s Artemis II crew members the Congressional Space Medal of Honor at 11 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28, during a ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, \[…\] ## [One OS for your AI workforce (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/fqdwEkL1JvC8) _2026-08-21 · **Sponsored**_ Build, direct, and supervise an AI workforce from a single operating workspace. ## ['Survival mode': Indiana residents endure a ninth day without power](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/21/g-s1-139527/indiana-storm-outages) _2026-08-21 · The Associated Press · NPR Topics: Climate_ Tens of thousands of people in Indiana are entering a second week without power after a deadly storm toppled trees and power lines. Schools remain closed and businesses have been unable to reopen. ## [Europe’s Scorching Summer](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/europes-scorching-summer/) _2026-08-21 · NASA_ A series of heat waves in 2026 is breaking records and taking a toll in Europe. ## [SmallSat 2026](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/smallsat-2026/) _2026-08-20 · NASA_ SmallSat 2026 Join NASA in the Exhibit Hall (Booth # 635, 835, 641, and 940) for Storytelling by NASA experts. Full Agenda below. MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 9:00 – 10:00 AM WelcomeJose NunezBryceTech’s Smallsats by the Numbers: 2026Fletcher FranklinSupply Chain ObservationsBruce YostTechnology Shortfall Rudy de RoseeSPARCS Camera and Early Science ObservationsKaitlyn AshcroftJPL: SkyfallTim CanhamSWIFT… ## [Artemis Mission Patches](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/artemis-mission-patches/) _2026-08-20 · HQ Web Team · NASA_ A jacket decorated with Artemis I and II mission patches, along with other NASA patches hangs on the back of a chair on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, inside the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis III mission. NASA’s Exploration Ground \[…\] ## [NASA Selects University Teams to Help Advance Aviation Research](https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/nasa-selects-university-teams-to-help-advance-aviation-research/) _2026-08-20 · Lillian Gipson · NASA_ NASA has selected four university teams to help the agency transform the future of aviation through projects ranging from high-supersonic propulsion systems to low-noise routes for small aircraft flying through cities. The agency made awards through its University Leadership Initiative, which offers student teams the opportunity to contribute to real-world flight research that advances NASA’s… ## [The View from Above: The Gemini Visual Acuity Experiments](https://www.nasa.gov/history/the-view-from-above-the-gemini-visual-acuity-experiments/) _2026-08-20 · Michele Ostovar · NASA_ NASA astronaut L. Gordon Cooper, Jr. took 29 color photographs of the Earth with a 70mm camera as he orbited our planet during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission in May 1963. Cooper’s view from the window of his Faith 7 spacecraft was spectacular, and he reported that he could see vehicles motoring on dirt roads, smoke-belching trains, \[…\] ## [NASA Data Feeds River Forecasts as Snow Drought Effects Linger](https://science.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/nasa-river-forecasts-snow-drought/) _2026-08-20 · NASA_ NASA Earth science data is supporting machine-learning forecasts that inform decisions about water, power, and public safety in Washington state. ## [APOD: 2026 August 20 – The Elephant’s Trunk in Cepheus](https://science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod/apod-2026-august-20-the-elephants-trunk-in-cepheus/) _2026-08-20 · NASA_ APODScienceAPODAPOD: 2026 August 20 – The…Today’s APODArchiveSubmissionsIndexSearchCalendarRSSEducationAboutDiscuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. The Elephant’s Trunk in Cepheus Explanation: Like an illustration in a… ## [An Uncommon Drifter in the Denmark Strait](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/an-uncommon-drifter-in-the-denmark-strait/) _2026-08-20 · NASA_ A large iceberg, observed in summer 2026, had drifted more than 1,000 kilometers south from the northeastern Greenland bay where it likely originated. ## [California passes the toughest wildfire rules in the U.S. for home landscaping](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5937926/california-wildfire-rules-zone-zero-vegetation) _2026-08-19 · Lauren Sommer · NPR Topics: Climate_ California has adopted the toughest new rules in the country that require homeowners to manage the plants around their houses. Fire experts say it helps protect houses from burning, but public pushback has been strong. ## [NASA TechLeap Prize: Orbital Clarity Challenge](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/prizes-challenges-crowdsourcing-program/nasa-techleap-prize-orbital-clarity-challenge/) _2026-08-19 · Bailey G. Light · NASA_ The Orbital Clarity Challenge — the sixth in the NASA TechLeap Prize series — is a collaborative effort between NASA’s Heliophysics Division, Flight Opportunities program, and Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation. The Heliophysics Division studies space weather, including how it heats and expands Earth’s outer atmosphere during intense solar activity, creating orbital drag through… ## [NASA Updates Next Steps for Commercial Swift Boost Mission](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-updates-next-steps-for-commercial-swift-boost-mission/) _2026-08-19 · Lauren E. Low · NASA_ Due to an ongoing commercial spacecraft attitude control issue, NASA and Katalyst Space announced Wednesday the LINK spacecraft will not capture or boost an agency satellite to a higher altitude to extend its science mission as planned. However, LINK still will attempt to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations with NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to \[…\] ## [How far-right parties are using extreme weather events to boost their cause](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5930697/how-far-right-parties-are-using-extreme-weather-events-to-boost-their-cause) _2026-08-19 · Ruth Sherlock · NPR Topics: Climate_ Political scientists explain why extreme weather events like this summer's European heatwaves can drive support to parties that traditionally deny human-made climate change. ## [Midwest is overwhelmed by rainfall caused by rising temps (which will only get worse)](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/17/nx-s1-5935383/midwest-is-overwhelmed-by-rainfall-caused-by-rising-temps-which-will-only-get-worse) _2026-08-17 · Lauren Sommer · NPR Topics: Climate_ Severe storms in the Midwest have cause widespread flooding. Climate experts say extreme rainfall has already gotten worse in the region and will keep intensifying. ## [As wildfires get worse, some states are struggling to pass fire protection rules](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/17/nx-s1-5923975/wildfires-western-community-protection) _2026-08-17 · Lauren Sommer · NPR Topics: Climate_ There's a lot homeowners can do to prepare for wildfires, such as managing flammable plants and using fire-resistant building materials. But some states struggle to pass rules requiring those steps. ## [A pizza-sized ocean predator and a tribe are trying to protect each other. Here's how](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/16/nx-s1-5928398/endangered-sea-stars-release-pacific-ocean) _2026-08-16 · John Ryan · NPR Topics: Climate_ Sunflower sea stars are critically endangered in the Pacific Ocean. University of Washington researchers are working with the Samish Indian Nation to bring this 24-armed creature back from the brink of extinction. ## [Flood death toll in India's Assam reaches 100 as thousands lose their homes](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/10/g-s1-138015/flood-death-toll-in-indias-assam-reaches-100-as-thousands-lose-their-homes) _2026-08-10 · The Associated Press · NPR Topics: Climate_ Days of heavy monsoon rain has caused rivers, including the Brahmaputra, to overflow, inundating communities, disrupting livelihoods and damaging infrastructure. ## [Meet the man circumnavigating the Arctic Ocean, alone](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/08/nx-s1-5923345/circumnavigate-arctic-ocean-matt-rutherford-10000-mile-odyssey) _2026-08-08 · Henry Larson · NPR Topics: Climate_ Matt Rutherford is sailing 10,000 nautical miles, through ice floes and gales, to try and accomplish a world first. He spoke with NPR from the cabin of his boat. ## [When tragedy strikes, America's wildland firefighters ask, was it 'somebody that we loved?'](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/07/nx-s1-5920418/firefighters-mourn-deaths-intense-wildfire-season) _2026-08-07 · Murphy Woodhouse · NPR Topics: Climate_ Deaths and close calls while fighting wildfires have strained an already on-edge workforce. They've also raised questions about policies and priorities amid an intense wildfire season. ## [Amid severe drought, Puerto Rico to begin rationing residents' water](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/06/nx-s1-5922450-e1/amid-severe-drought-puerto-rico-to-begin-rationing-residents-water) _2026-08-06 · Adrian Florido · NPR Topics: Climate_ Puerto Rico's government will begin rationing water on Friday as the island copes with its worst drought in more than a decade.