I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.
Spain experienced an exceptionally wet winter between December 2025 and February 2026 as repeated Atlantic storms brought prolonged rainfall across the Iberian Peninsula. AEMET reported 323.2 mm (12.7 inches) of precipitation across peninsular Spain, equal to 171% of the 1991–2020 average, making it the country’s eighth wettest winter since 1961 and third wettest of the 21st century.
Explosive activity at Sheveluch volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, produced a volcanic ash plume rising to approximately 10.4 km (34 000 feet) altitude at 11:20 UTC on March 16, 2026, drifting east across the North Pacific. Satellite imagery from Himawari-9 detected the ash cloud moving east at around 110 km/h (70 mph). The Aviation Color Code remains at Orange.
Flooding and landslides in Ecuador have affected more than 46 000 people across the country since January 1, 2026, leaving 11 people dead and 24 injured, according to the latest update issued on March 13. Authorities report widespread impacts, including hundreds of flood and landslide events, overflowing rivers, and extensive damage to housing and infrastructure across multiple provinces.
An ice jam formed on the Ausable River in the hamlet of Ausable Forks, northern New York, on March 8, 2026, as warming temperatures and snowmelt accelerated the seasonal breakup of river ice across the Adirondack region. Water backed up behind the jam and flooded several low-lying areas in the community, prompting officials in the Town of Jay to declare a local state of emergency.
An EF-3 tornado struck Lake Village, Newton County, Indiana during the evening of March 10, 2026, killing two people and destroying homes as a long-track supercell moved from northern Illinois into northwestern Indiana. A National Weather Service damage survey determined the tornado produced winds of about 240 km/h (150 mph) and tracked approximately 58.9 km (36.6 miles) across the region.
A weak eruption was detected at Whakaari / White Island volcano in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, on the morning of March 12, 2026, prompting authorities to raise the Volcanic Alert Level from 2 to 3 and the Aviation Colour Code from Yellow to Orange. According to GeoNet monitoring data, ash was observed in a low-level plume above the main vent, with ashfall confined to the crater floor.
Episode 43 of the ongoing eruption at Kīlauea began at about 09:17 LT on March 10, 2026, producing lava fountains exceeding 400 m (1 300 feet) from vents inside Halemaʻumaʻu crater, according to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Tephra fallout forced the closure of part of Highway 11 and disrupted flights at Hilo International Airport as an ash plume rose to about 9 km (30 000 feet) above sea level.
Severe flooding affected parts of Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia during the first week of March 2026 after persistent monsoonal rainfall caused multiple rivers to exceed major flood levels. The Katherine River in Northern Territory peaked at 19.2 m (63 feet) before midnight on March 7, its highest level since 1998, while the Burnett River in Bundaberg, Queensland was forecast to reach about 7.6 m (25 feet) between March 10 and March 11, 2026. Evacuations, road closures, infrastructure disruptions, and widespread flood warnings were issued as rainfall totals exceeded 500 mm (20 inches) in parts of northern Australia.
Heavy rainfall and strong winds affected parts of Java, Indonesia, on March 7 and 8, 2026, triggering floods, landslides and wind-related incidents that left at least seven people dead and four missing, according to regional disaster reports. Fatalities were reported in Bekasi Regency, West Java, and in Jember and Pasuruan regencies, East Java, while flooding also affected Banten and Jakarta.
Heavy thunderstorms caused flooding and stream overflows in São Paulo city and the metropolitan area during the afternoon of March 8, 2026, prompting flood alerts in several districts. Authorities reported overflowing streams, flooded streets, and at least 180 flooding-related emergency calls as intense rainfall affected the region. Additional rainfall is forecast through March 11, keeping the risk of flooding and landslides elevated across parts of the state.
