Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
Following heavy rain over the weekend, major flood warnings have been issued across Victoria, prompting residents of Yea, Seymour, and Rochester to evacuate as authorities and emergency services respond to widespread flooding and record rainfall.
A powerful M7.6 earthquake centered in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, on January 1, 2024, was followed by intense snowfall a week later, creating very hard conditions for survivors and complicating rescue efforts. On January 8, authorities reported 161 fatalities caused by the earthquake and 305 people missing.
A strengthening storm is set to impact the Central and Southern U.S., bringing a mix of heavy snow, strong winds, blizzard conditions in the Plains and Midwest, severe thunderstorms across the Gulf Coast, and widespread flooding this week. In addition, a major winter storm will bring several feet of snow to the Washington and Oregon Cascades through Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
A tornado between Sint-Katelijne-Waver and Putte in Belgium caused catastrophic damage Wednesday afternoon, January 3, 2024, with one horticultural company, Paulanco, losing 40 years of work as greenhouses were demolished and glass shattered.
A party boat sank on the River Thames in London, U.K. due to severe weather conditions affecting the country on Thursday, January 4, 2024.
Following severe rainfall, Pas-de-Calais faces its second major flood in recent months, affecting hundreds of residents and leading to significant emergency responses, including 710 rescues since December 30.
The United States is bracing for a widespread cold air outbreak, anticipated to affect much of the lower 48 states through mid-January due to a strong mid-level high pressure over Greenland and the negative Arctic Oscillation phase. Expected severe conditions include sub-zero temperatures and wind chills, widespread wintry precipitation, and potential flooding along the Eastern Seaboard.
The United States braces for a powerful winter storm, forecasted to strengthen rapidly over the Central region early next week, affecting areas from the West to the East Coast. According to NWS predictions on January 4, 2024, the storm may bring heavy snow, blizzard conditions, destructive winds exceeding 80 km/h (50 mph), and heightened flooding risks.
A team of researchers utilizing data provided by NASA’s InSight mission has confirmed two new seismic events caused by meteoroid impacts on Mars, bringing the total number to 8. The study, employing a combination of seismic data and orbital imagery, has successfully pinpointed fresh impact craters, enhancing our understanding of Martian surface and atmospheric interactions.
New activity/unrest was reported for 2 volcanoes from December 27, 2023, to January 2, 2024. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 23 volcanoes.
