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.
The Northern Tornadoes Project confirmed Saskatchewan’s first tornado of 2026 after an EF0 landspout touched down near Disley, west of Regina, on May 22, while additional surveys in Ontario and Alberta raised Canada’s confirmed tornado count to 11 this year.
At least 28 people were reported dead while 10 others were injured as floods triggered by severe storms swept across 17 provinces of Afghanistan between May 21 and 23, 2026. Over 100 families were displaced as the flooding and other disasters destroyed homes and farms across the country.
Japanese researchers have identified geological traces in eastern Hokkaido linked to the Chicxulub asteroid impact that struck Earth about 66 million years ago, adding new East Asian evidence to the global record of the event widely associated with the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.
Flash floods struck Atlanta, Georgia, on May 20, stranding multiple vehicles along the downtown connector and forcing Waymo to suspend autonomous vehicle operations after two driverless cars drove into flooded streets.
Two men were killed after a 2 m (6.6 feet) high river embankment collapsed near Jeli in western Kelantan at approximately 20:20 local time (LT) on May 20, 2026, burying a group believed to have been illegally mining for gold near the Jerimbong oil palm plantation.
New Jersey declared a State of Emergency on May 20, 2026, and requested a federal Disaster designation after freezing temperatures between April 19 and 22 caused widespread agricultural damage across the state during a critical growing stage. Early estimates place losses at more than USD 300 million.
A damaging tornado impacted the municipalities of San Nicolás Buenos Aires and Tlachichuca in Puebla, Mexico, on May 18, 2026, as severe storms produced flash flooding and hail damage across parts of central Mexico. Floodwaters reached depths of 50 cm (19.7 inches) on some streets, while hail damaged vegetable and potato crops in Quecholac and nearby communities.
Three tornadoes touched down across south-central Nebraska on May 17, 2026, including a high-end EF-3 tornado near St. Libory in Howard County that destroyed multiple homes and damaged power infrastructure, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Hastings.
The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in southwestern Ray County, Missouri, at 21:47 CDT on May 18, 2026, causing tree and property damage before lifting at 22:06 CDT.
The Sandy Fire, discovered at around 10:50 local time (LT) on May 18, 2026, has burned more than 526 ha (1 300 acres) across Simi Valley in Ventura County, California, forcing mandatory evacuations for more than 10 000 homes and triggering warnings for thousands more as firefighters battle rapid fire spread driven by dry and windy conditions.
