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.
Tropical Cyclone Garance made a historic landfall over Réunion Island at approximately 10:00 local time (06:00 UTC) on February 28, 2025, bringing in record winds of over 200 km/h (125 mph) to the region. A Purple Violent Cyclone Alert is in effect for the entire island.
Intense Tropical Cyclone Garance is intensifying and approaching Réunion Island. The cyclone is expected to make landfall on Friday, February 28, with maximum sustained winds of approximately 190 km/h (118 mph) and gusts reaching up to 200 km/h (124 mph). Residents are advised to prepare for severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and potential flooding.
The Frans Xavier Seda Airport was temporarily shut down on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, after an eruption at Lewotobi Laki-Laki.
Two studies published in Nature Communications explore and provide insights into efficient planetary defense strategies. These studies came out during the period when 2024 YR4 made headlines with its potential for impact in 2032. The results provide valuable insights into how to create better planetary defense procedures based on the behavior of asteroid Dimorphos ejecta produced by NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission.
Floods hit Key West, in Florida, after a bout of heavy rains on Monday, February 24, 2025, marked the area’s wettest day February day in 13 years.
Asteroid 2024 YR4’s impact risk has dropped to 0.0017%, placing it a level 0 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale. There remains a 1.7% chance of the asteroid impacting the moon on December 22, 2032.
Significant erosion and large sinkholes are threatening over 1 200 people in the Buriticupu Municipality of Brazil. The town declared a state of emergency on February 11, 2025, due to the growing size of sinkholes in the area.
At least 11 people have died in severe flooding that has affected parts of Madagascar, including the Analamanga region, over the past two weeks. Rising river levels since February 15, 2025, have led to widespread inundation, prompting school closures and emergency rescues in the affected areas.
An atmospheric river that made landfall over the U.S. West Coast on Saturday, February 22, 2025, brought heavy rain and widespread flooding, particularly in Washington and Oregon, where multiple roads have been closed.
Over two dozen buildings have collapsed across the state of New York due to heavy lake effect snow affecting the region from February 14 to 19, 2025. At least 26 homes collapsed in Oswego County, while a Fire Department building collapsed in Oneida County on February 22.
