California methane leak one of the worst environmental disasters in US

California methane leak one of the worst environmental disasters in US

The leak of natural gas observed by the Southern California Gas Company in its facility in Porter Ranch on October 23, 2015, is now the largest natural gas leak ever recorded in California, and it might be the worst environmental disaster since BP's Deepwater…

Satellite view of massive southwest US storm system

Satellite view of massive southwest US storm system

This animation of NOAA's GOES-East satellite imagery over the course of two days (December 26 – 28) shows a massive low pressure system that generated severe weather in the southwestern and central US bringing snow, heavy rainfall, flooding and tornadoes. During…

Long duration M1.8 solar flare produces a full halo, Earth-directed CME

Long duration M1.8 solar flare produces a full halo, Earth-directed CME

A long duration solar flare measuring M1.8 at its peak time erupted from central Region 2473 at 12:45 UTC on December 28, 2015. The event started at 11:20 and ended at 14:09 UTC. The flare produced a full halo CME heading directly toward Earth. A type IV radio sweep…

Violent tornadoes produce massive damage in Texas, US

Violent tornadoes produce massive damage in Texas, US

Severe weather conditions continued across Texas on December 26, 2015, as several violent tornadoes swept the area killing 11 people. The total death toll caused by extreme weather conditions in the US since December 23 is now 29. Only a few days after the storm on…

Deadly Christmas Eve storm wreaks havoc across Mississippi and Alabama, US

Deadly Christmas Eve storm wreaks havoc across Mississippi and Alabama, US

Major thunderstorms accompanied by tornadoes that battered portions of Mississippi and Alabama on December 24, 2015, claimed at least 15 lives and devastated homes across the area, making this Christmas a sad event for numerous people. According to the National…

New landslide hits Myanmar’s jade mine in Hpakant, dozens feared missing

New landslide hits Myanmar’s jade mine in Hpakant, dozens feared missing

A new landslide hit jade mining region in Hpakant, Myanmar on December 25, 2015, leaving, according to witnesses, as many as 50 people missing. Nilar Mying, an official from Hpakant Administrative Office, said for AFP that the rescue process has started. "We…

Powerful M6.9 earthquake hits Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan

Powerful M6.9 earthquake hits Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan

A powerful earthquake registered by Pakistan's National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) as M6.9 at a depth of 197 km (122 miles) hit Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region at 19:14 UTC on December 25, 2015. USGS is reporting M6.3 at a depth of 203 km (126 miles)….

Using maths to reveal the Sun’s magnetic field mysteries

Using maths to reveal the Sun’s magnetic field mysteries

An important research project, led by the UK's University of Dundee, aims to improve knowledge of Sun's complex magnetic fields using mathematics. The goal is to find out the effects of space weather caused by the Sun and its magnetic structures origins….

Active volcanoes in the world: December 16 – 22, 2015

Active volcanoes in the world: December 16 – 22, 2015

New activity/unrest was observed at 7 volcanoes from December 16 – 22, 2015. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 12 volcanoes. New activity/unrest: Egon, Flores Island (Indonesia) | Fuego, Guatemala | Kanlaon, Philippines | Masaya, Nicaragua |…