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.
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.
A record-breaking wildfire burning on California’s Santa Rosa Island has scorched more than 5 900 ha (14 600 acres) and continues to threaten rare Torrey pine trees, endangered plant species, and historic structures.
At least 25 tornadoes were reported across four states in the central United States on May 17, 2026, with widespread damage being reported in parts of Iowa and Nebraska.
A State of Disaster Emergency has been declared for the state of Colorado due to the rapidly growing Sharpe Fire that has scorched 11 400 ha (28 000 acres). Mandatory evacuations were issued for Campo and surrounding rural areas in southeastern Colorado after the Sharpe Fire crossed from Oklahoma under critical fire weather conditions on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
A new study suggests that Earth’s earliest continental crust may have formed through subduction-related processes more than 3.5 billion years ago. Researchers studying ancient rocks from Western Australia found evidence that magmas became progressively wetter and more oxidized during the Paleoarchean, supporting the idea that deep water recycling was already occurring inside the young Earth.
