I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

  • Thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and flash flood risk forecast across northern Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, ending late-summer heat

    ByRishav Kothari

    Widespread thunderstorms and locally heavy rainfall are forecast across northern Italy, Slovenia and Croatia on September 9, 2026, with intense rainfall posing a risk of rapid rises in torrential watercourses and localized flash flooding. A marked temperature drop is also forecast behind the system, bringing substantially cooler conditions to northern Italy and parts of the Alpine and northern Adriatic region after the recent late-summer heat.

  • First-ever Tornado Watch reported for Hawaii as Hurricane Lowell passes west of Niʻihau

    ByRishav Kothari

    The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Tornado Watch 1 for Kauaʻi County, including Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, and adjacent coastal waters at 16:13 HST on September 7, 2026 (02:13 UTC on September 8), as Hurricane Lowell approached the western Hawaiian Islands. The watch, an exceptionally rare issuance for Hawaiʻi, remains in effect until 04:00 HST (14:00 UTC) on September 8, with several tornadoes possible near Kauaʻi and Niʻihau and a few possible elsewhere across the state.

  • Level 5 Emergency Warnings for landslides issued for Niijima, record rain lashes Oshima and Toshima, Japan

    ByRishav Kothari

    The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued Level 5 Emergency Warnings for landslides in Niijima Village, Oshima Town and Toshima Village in Tokyo’s Izu Islands on September 7, 2026, after 24-hour rainfall totals broke records at multiple stations. Niijima recorded 485 mm (19.1 inches), while the main Oshima station received 581.5 mm (22.9 inches), its highest September total on record. Separately, Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture issued a citywide Level 4 Evacuation Instruction and listed one death in its final disaster report, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA).

  • Landslides leave 4 dead, 10 missing as slope cracks prompt evacuations in Jiangxi, China

    ByRishav Kothari

    Search operations continued in Suichuan County, Jiangxi Province, China, on September 7, 2026 after landslides left four people dead and 10 missing in Mingkeng and Yangfen villages. Crews reopened approximately 600 m (1 970 feet) of access road to the main disaster site late on September 6, while cracks on another slope prompted the precautionary evacuation of 169 residents from Heping Village.

  • Strong eruption at Anak Krakatau closes 8 airports, disrupts 1 558 flights in Indonesia

    ByRishav Kothari

    Volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau prompted temporary closures at eight airports across western Indonesia on September 6, 2026. As of 17:06 WIB (10:06 UTC), the Ministry of Transportation reported 1 558 delayed flights and approximately 170 000 affected passengers, while the closures were extended through 24:00 WIB (17:00 UTC). The volcano remained at Level III (Siaga), with a 3 km (2 miles) exclusion zone around its center of activity.

  • 21 students hospitalized for heat illnesses after bomb-threat evacuation at Carter Middle School, Tennessee

    ByRishav Kothari

    21 students were transported with heat-related illnesses after Carter Middle School in Knox County, Tennessee, evacuated students to a football field during an NWS Heat Advisory on September 4, 2026. The advisory warned of heat index values reaching 41.1°C (106°F) across the affected area, while three students were classified as critical when transported, according to Rural Metro Fire.

  • Record rainfall brings landslides and infrastructure disruption to Yakushima, Japan

    ByRishav Kothari

    Record rainfall associated with Typhoon No. 24 and an autumn-rain front affected Yakushima Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, from September 4 to September 5, 2026, with 24-hour rainfall at Onoaida reaching 490.5 mm (19.31 inches) by 05:30 JST. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a Level 5 Landslide Disaster Special Warning at 05:10 before replacing it with a Level 4 warning at 11:30, while authorities reported landslides, water outages affecting as many as 289 households, and large amounts of driftwood at Miyanoura Port.

  • Hurricane Lowell weakens to Category 4 after briefly regaining Category 5, Hawaii under State of Emergency

    ByRishav Kothari

    Hurricane Lowell reached Category 5 strength with winds of 260 km/h (160 mph) before weakening slightly to Category 4 south of Hawaii late on September 4. Heavy rainfall, life-threatening surf and possible wind and storm-surge impacts remained forecast for portions of the state through early next week, particularly around Kauaʻi County.

  • High-level eruption at Anak Krakatau ejects ash over 15 km (50 000 feet) a.s.l., Indonesia

    ByRishav Kothari

    A high-level eruption at Anak Krakatau, Indonesia, ejected volcanic ash up to 15 km (50 000 feet) above sea level at 00:50 WIB on September 5, 2026 (17:50 UTC on September 4). Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) later tracked the ash moving west at approximately 74 km/h (46 mph), while a second layer to about 5.5 km (18 000 feet) extended south. SIGMETs were issued for the Jakarta and Melbourne flight information regions.

  • Severe storms damage trees and power lines from Michigan to Pennsylvania, damaging wind risk continues

    ByRishav Kothari

    Severe thunderstorms damaged trees and power infrastructure from Michigan to Pennsylvania on September 2 and 3, 2026 while a gust of 103 km/h (64 mph) was recorded at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport late September 3. DTE Energy reported 145 000 customers restored by early September 4, while the Storm Prediction Center maintained a Slight Risk from the southern Great Lakes into the Mid-Atlantic, with damaging wind gusts the primary hazard