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.
A weak La Niña and signs of a disrupted polar vortex are forecast to shape colder-than-average winter conditions across the northern United States, southern Canada, and parts of Europe during the 2025/26 season. Early seasonal outlooks suggest a higher likelihood of Arctic air intrusions and persistent cold anomalies from December 2025 through February 2026.
A wildfire burning on Langdale Moor near RAF Fylingdales, North Yorkshire, England, has been declared a major incident after spreading across approximately 5 km2 (1.93 mi2) of moorland since igniting at around 18:30 LT on August 11, 2025. The declaration was triggered by the fire’s rapid growth, the presence of unexploded ordnance, and the scale of inter-agency response required.
A new lava vent has opened between Bocca Nuova and Southeast Crater on Mount Etna, Italy, at an elevation of about 2 980 m (9 777 feet), producing a steady lava flow and explosive activity at Southeast Crater.
Tropical Storm Erin is forecast to strengthen into the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season by August 15, 2025, and could reach major hurricane strength early next week as it moves near or just north of the northern Leeward Islands. The system is prompting early emergency preparations in the U.S. Virgin Islands despite no projected landfall, with forecasters warning of dangerous surf and rip currents across the Caribbean and potentially along the U.S. East Coast.
Widespread flash flooding struck Chattanooga, Tennessee, on August 12, 2025, after 160 mm (6.4 inches) of rain fell in a single day, prompting a local state of emergency, multiple rescues, and resulting in three fatalities and one missing person.
A severe dust storm produced near-zero to zero visibility along Interstate 10 between Lordsburg and Deming, New Mexico, at about 17:30 local time (LT) on August 12, 2025, prompting a full closure of the corridor between mile markers 20 and 81, roughly 98 km (61 miles). Conditions improved in the area by 18:30 LT.
Typhoon Podul made landfall near Taitung City, southeastern Taiwan, at around 13:00 LT (05:00 UTC) on August 13, 2025, bringing strong winds and heavy rains. The storm left at least one person missing, injured at least 33 others, and prompted mass evacuation and transport shutdowns.
New research published on August 6, 2025, in JAMA estimates that 440 excess deaths occurred in Los Angeles County, California, from January 5–February 1, 2025, due to the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, compared with 30 direct deaths officially reported.
At least three people have been confirmed dead in Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures, after record-breaking rainfall triggered deadly floods and landslides across southern Japan between August 10 and 11, 2025.
At least 52 all-time high temperature records were broken across France on August 11, 2025, with more than 175 weather stations exceeding 40°C (104°F), as a persistent heat dome intensified extreme heat across southwestern Europe.
