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.
At least one person has been injured by wildfires that have burned over 15 000 ha (37 000 acres) across the Chubut Province since early January 2026. On Sunday, January 11, the governor confirmed that the largest of the fires was set off intentionally, and a reward has been placed for any information on the culprits.
Severe blizzards with heavy snow and strong winds are forecast to hit much of Japan through Monday, January 12, 2026. These conditions will affect areas from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the southwest, especially along the Sea of Japan coast, with snow totals of upto 80 cm (31 inches) being forecast in mountainous regions.
La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pacific show signs of a transition toward ENSO-neutral conditions, with potential for El Niño development later in 2026. Observations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) show subsurface ocean warming and westerly wind anomalies across the central Pacific, indicating the breakdown of the three-year La Niña phase.
Multiple flash flood warnings were issued early on January 10, across southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and central Alabama as thunderstorms produced intense rainfall exceeding 75 mm (3 inches) in several locations.
Strong Santa Ana winds intensified across Southern California on Friday, January 9, 2026, prompting the National Weather Service to issue high wind warnings and advisories for mountain, valley, and coastal regions. Gusts reaching up to 115 km/h (70 mph) were recorded in canyon and foothill areas, raising risks of power outages, tree damage, and hazardous travel conditions through the weekend.
A fast-moving bushfire crisis has prompted the Victorian Government to declare a State of Disaster for the first time since 2020, on January 10, 2026, with over 300 000 ha (741 000 acres) being scorched across the state under extreme heat and high winds. At least 130 structures have been destroyed, and thousands remain under evacuation orders, with conditions forecast to remain dangerous in the coming days.
A powerful tornado ripped through Kalpaki near Ioannina in northwestern Greece late Wednesday, January 7, 2026, killing about 30 000 chickens and damaging military buildings nearby.
Multiple tornadoes touched down in Mississippi on January 9, 2026, as a powerful storm system moved through the Deep South, producing damaging winds and heavy rainfall. The U.S. National Weather Service issued Tornado and Flash Flood Watches for large portions of the state, warning of further severe storms through January 10 as the system continues eastward.
Freeze warnings remain in effect across much of southern Arizona, southeastern California, and southern Nevada through the morning of Saturday, January 10, 2026. Temperatures are forecast to fall below freezing across several valleys and desert regions, including the Tucson and Phoenix metropolitan areas, the Las Vegas Valley, and the Upper Gila River and San Pedro valleys. The National Weather Service warns that these conditions could kill crops, damage sensitive vegetation, and affect exposed plumbing.
Storm Goretti struck the United Kingdom on January 9, 2026, causing at least 2 fatalities in England and Wales. Winds reached 160 km/h (100 mph) as the storm brought heavy snow and significant coastal flooding, leaving nearly half a million customers without power — approximately 1.2 million people. The Met Office issued rare red wind warnings for southwest England as power cuts, flight cancellations, and travel disruption spread across the country.
