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.

  • Long dormant Methana volcano was accumulating magma for over 100 000 years

    A recent study found that the Methana volcano in Greece remained inactive for over 100 000 years while magma continued accumulating beneath the surface, a process the authors describe as “silent” magma reservoir growth. This challenges the traditional idea of volcanic dormancy, in which volcanoes that haven’t erupted in the last 10 000 years are classified as dormant.

  • Massive wildfire burns through Chernobyl exclusion zone following UAV crash in Ukraine

    A massive forest fire broke out in Ukraine’s Chernobyl exclusion zone on May 7, 2026, following the crash of two drones and has spread across approximately 1 200 ha (2 965 acres), according to the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve (CREBR). While the fire situation is under control as of May 9, the threat of landmines in the area coupled with strong winds and dry air continues to complicate suppression efforts.

  • First-of-its-kind deep-Earth conductivity map reveals ancient continental fragments beneath the United States

    A first-of-its-kind continent-scale conductivity map made using over 1 700 magnetotelluric stations deployed across the United States has revealed buried tectonic fragments beneath eastern North America, allowing researchers to reconstruct the continent’s deep electrical structure while exposing conductive regions linked to ancient continental collisions, mineral systems, and geomagnetic storm hazard propagation.

  • Enhanced Risk issued for large hail and severe wind gusts in parts of north and central Texas

    An Enhanced Risk (level 3/5) for severe thunderstorms has been issued across parts of west-central and north-central Texas through May 10, 2026. Supercells capable of producing hailstones larger than 5 cm (2 inches) and wind gusts above 113 km/h (70 mph) are forecast to develop during the afternoon and evening hours. The severe-weather threat extends east-northeastward into the Ark-La-Tex region and parts of the lower Mississippi Valley.

  • NWS confirms long-track EF3 tornado in Mississippi outbreak

    The National Weather Service office in Jackson, Mississippi, determined after additional damage surveys that two EF3 tornado tracks documented during the May 6-7, 2026 severe weather outbreak were part of one continuous long-track tornado. Survey teams also confirmed an EF2 tornado near Purvis in Lamar County as assessments continued across southern Mississippi.