I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
Tropical Cyclone “Kevin” formed on March 1, 2023, between Vanuatu and Caledonia, as the 5th named storm of the 2022/23 South Pacific cyclone season. A Red Alert is in effect for Vanuatu’s provinces of Sanma, Malampa, and Penama. The cyclone comes just a couple of days after Tropical Cyclone “Judy” damaged a number of buildings in Vanuatu, caused power outages, and closed schools.
The Colombian Geological Service (SGC) found changes in vegetation and increased soil temperature during their inspection of the Cerro Machín volcano. The last eruption at this volcano took place in 1180 CE ± 150 years.
New activity/unrest was reported for 5 volcanoes from February 22 to 28, 2023. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 18 volcanoes.
Snowfall and strong winds brought chaos to Spain’s holiday island of Mallorca on February 28, 2023, as Storm Juliette ravaged large parts of the country.
A strong and deep earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.5 hit under the Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea at 05:36 UTC on March 1, 2023. The agency is reporting a depth of 598.9 km (372.5 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.5 at a depth of 610 km (380 miles).
Category 3 – Severe Tropical Cyclone “Judy” is expected to bring destructive winds and heavy rainfalls to Vanuatu’s central and southern islands.
A moderately strong solar flare measuring M8.6 erupted from Active Region 3234 at 17:50 UTC on February 18, 2023. The event started at 17:35 and ended at 17:56 UTC.
Tropical Cyclone “Judy” formed on February 26, 2023, over the South Pacific Ocean and is now moving SW over the northern Vanuatu Islands. A Red Alert is in effect for Torba, Sanma, and Penama
Coronal mass ejection (CME) produced by a long-duration M3.7 solar flare at 20:30 UTC on February 24, 2023, reached Earth at 19:25 UTC on February 26. A glancing blow impact from CME produced by M6.3 solar flare on February 25 is expected during the afternoon hours on February 27. The resulting geomagnetic storm activity is expected to be significant, with both CMEs interacting with a negative-polarity coronal hole high-speed stream, potentially producing G3 – Strong or higher levels of geomagnetic storming.
A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2023 DR flew past Earth at a distance of 0.2 LD / 0.00051 AU (76 294 km / 47 407 miles) at 05:47 UTC on February 25, 2023.
