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.
A dangerous heat wave continued to intensify across much of the central and eastern United States on Friday, July 3, 2026. Numerous daily temperature records have already broken and more are expected through the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of widespread Major to Extreme HeatRisk and heat index values reaching 46°C (115°F).
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit the Southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan at 04:04 UTC (13:04 LT) on July 3, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6 miles). EMSC is reporting the same depth and magnitude. There is no tsunami threat from this earthquake.
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.2 hit Halmahera, Indonesia, at 02:31 UTC on July 3, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 121 km (75 miles). EMSC is reporting the same depth and magnitude.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed parts of eastern South Dakota, southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa under an Enhanced Risk of severe thunderstorms through Thursday, July 2, 2026. A broader Slight Risk extends from the Dakotas into the western Great Lakes and includes western Kansas, the Tennessee Valley and the southern Appalachians. Damaging wind gusts and large hail are expected to be the primary severe weather hazards across the affected regions.
At least 59 people have died in flooding across the Ivory Coast since the start of the rainy season in mid-May, the government said on Thursday, July 2, 2026. Days of heavy rain triggered deadly flooding and landslides in Abidjan, in Attécoubé claiming 20 lives. Officials said some residents had returned to high-risk sites after previously being relocated.
Tropical Storm Bavi is forecast to undergo rapid intensification from late July 2, 2026, and become a super typhoon as it approaches the Northern Mariana Islands. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) forecast issued at 09:00 UTC calls for 1-minute sustained winds of 250 km/h (155 mph) near the system’s peak intensity around July 5.
Tropical Storm Douglas formed over the eastern North Pacific Ocean at 21:00 UTC on July 1, 2026, and became the fourth named storm of the 2026 eastern Pacific hurricane season. The cyclone is located well west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, and is expected to remain over open waters while weakening into a post-tropical remnant low by July 3.
A rare, exceptionally strong positive phase of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is influencing Australia’s winter weather, enhancing rainfall across parts of eastern Australia while reducing natural snowfall in alpine regions as the Southern Hemisphere’s belt of westerly winds shifts farther south.
Severe thunderstorms will affect portions of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes through Wednesday, July 1, 2026, with damaging wind gusts of up to 130 km/h (80 mph), isolated large to very large hail and a few tornadoes possible. Parts of the region have been put under an Enhanced Risk of severe thunderstorms through Wednesday, while a Slight Risk extends across portions of the central High Plains and the Northeast.
The Aspen Acres Fire destroyed at least 155 structures in Pueblo and Custer counties. This fire, together with Ferris and Gold Mountain fires burned a combined 25 077 ha (61 969 acres) across Colorado by late June 30, 2026. Critical fire weather conditions are forecast to continue supporting rapid fire growth through at least July 3.
