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.

  • State of Emergency declared in Utah as Cottonwood Fire grows to largest active wildfire in U.S.

    ByRishav Kothari

    Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared a State of Emergency and temporarily expanded the state forester’s authority to restrict fireworks through July 5, 2026, after the Cottonwood Fire grew into the largest active wildfire in the United States. The fire had burned about 29 000 ha (71 841 acres) in Beaver County and remained 0% contained as extreme fire weather fueled rapid growth across southern Utah on Friday, June 26.

  • Record-breaking heatwave triggers rare alerts and emergencies across Europe

    ByRishav Kothari

    Multiple countries across Europe established new June temperature records this week as an exceptional heatwave continued to intensify, pushing temperatures above 40°C (104°F) across large parts of the continent. In France, authorities said at least 55 people had drowned while attempting to cool off during the prolonged heatwave, as hospitals, emergency services, and governments struggled to respond to its escalating impacts, while Spain reported at least 212 heat-related fatalities from June 21 to 24.

  • Strong M6.9 earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan

    ByRishav Kothari

    A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.9 struck near the east coast of Honshu, Japan, at 22:30 UTC on June 24, 2026 (07:30 LT on June 25). The agency is reporting a depth of 51 km (32 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.9 at a depth of 53 km (33 miles). According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), there is no tsunami threat from this event.

  • Ground uplift confirms ongoing magma intrusion beneath Mount Kupreanof, Alaska

    ByRishav Kothari

    New satellite measurements showing ground uplift around Mount Kupreanof have confirmed an ongoing magmatic intrusion beneath the volcano, adding a third line of evidence to months of elevated seismic activity and sulfur dioxide emissions. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) said the Aviation Color Code remains at Yellow and Volcano Alert Level at Advisory, with no indications from available data that an eruption is imminent.

  • Extreme heat spreads across Europe as WMO warns of expanding impacts on millions

    ByRishav Kothari

    Extreme heat continued to spread across Europe on June 24, 2026, prompting widespread red alerts and health warnings across Europe. The prolonged heatwave driven by a strong upper-level ridge is affecting much of Western, Central, and Southern Europe, with temperatures forecast to remain 3 to 10°C (5.4 to 18°F) above seasonal averages and locally exceed 40°C (104°F) through the end of June.