I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.

  • Enhanced Risk of severe storms with supercells capable of strong tornadoes across southern Illinois and Indiana

    ByTeo Blašković

    Severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts are forecast across parts of the Midwest and lower Ohio Valley on February 19, 2026, with an Enhanced Risk in place for southern Illinois and southern Indiana. The Storm Prediction Center warns that a few tornadoes may be strong, particularly near and south of the I-70 corridor during the afternoon and early evening.

  • Ranger Road Fire doubles in size in one day, reaching over 114 650 ha (283 000 acres) in Kansas-Oklahoma

    ByTeo Blašković

    The Ranger Road Fire nearly doubled in size from 58 700 ha (145 000 acres) to over 114 650 ha (283 000 acres) within roughly 24 hours after ignition at 11:40 LT on February 17, 2026, when it crossed the Kansas–Oklahoma border. As of February 18, containment stood at 15% following rapid expansion driven by dry fuels and high winds. Authorities closed sections of Kansas highways 283, 160, and 183.

  • Atmospheric river forecast to bring another round of heavy precipitation to California

    ByTeo Blašković

    Atmospheric river associated with a slow-moving low-pressure system is forecast to impact California between February 21 and 26, 2026, bringing another round of heavy precipitation to the state. The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) indicates very high confidence (>90%) in atmospheric river conditions along northern California through February 23, with moderate-to-high confidence of the AR conditions shifting south along the coast by February 24.

  • Rapid overnight growth pushes Ranger Road Fire across Oklahoma–Kansas border, 4 firefighters injured

    ByTeo Blašković

    A fast-moving Ranger Road Fire ignited on February 17, 2026, in Beaver County, Oklahoma, and expanded into southern Kansas by February 18, burning approximately 58 700 ha (145 000 acres) within hours. The wildfire prompted mandatory evacuations in Clark County, Kansas, and injured at least four firefighters during suppression efforts.

  • Satellite data show continued expansion of Home Reef volcano in Tonga

    ByTeo Blašković

    Satellite monitoring confirms that Home Reef volcano in Tonga remains active nearly two months after its latest eruption began on December 17, 2025. The eruption has expanded the island’s surface area by nearly 8 ha (20 acres) as lava flows extended its margins east, south, northwest, and north.

  • France records highest soil moisture since 1959 amid nationwide flood alerts

    ByTeo Blašković

    France’s national flood monitoring service reports that soil moisture in the country has reached its highest level since records began in 1959. The prolonged rainfall of the past two months, intensified by Storm Nils, left soils fully saturated and reduced infiltration capacity, sustaining elevated flood risk nationwide. Evacuations, infrastructure closures, and power outages were reported in several regions.

  • New swarm of hybrid seismic events beneath Teide volcano, Tenerife

    ByTeo Blašković

    A new swarm of hybrid seismic events began beneath Teide volcano on Tenerife at 20:00 LT (21:00 UTC) on February 16, 2026, according to the Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN). More than 300 very low-magnitude earthquakes have been detected so far by the Canary Seismic Network, marking the eighth swarm of this type recorded on the island since 2016. INVOLCAN attributes the activity to magmatic-fluid injection into Tenerife’s hydrothermal system and states that the likelihood of an eruption remains unchanged.