The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips!
With an average of just 2 mm (0.079 inches) of precipitation, the Swiss lowlands (from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance) experienced their driest December since records began in 1864. In the region's west, there was no precipitation at all. "In the long-term…
Tens of thousands of people have lost power as severe weather rolled through the southern United States and turned deadly on Monday, January 2, 2017. As of early January 3 (UTC), at least 5 people have lost their lives. Authorities fear the death toll will rise and…
Heavy rains which started last week have caused massive flooding and mudslides in Bolivia over the past couple of days, killing at least 8 people by January 2, 2017. The worst affected are remote communities in the west of the country. A state of emergency has been…
A new scientific paper suggests that lightning on Earth may be vastly more powerful than conventional science has ever suggested. Investigators sought to answer how much energy is in a terrestrial bolt of lightning through the study of fulgurites, which are hollow…
The Quadrantid meteor shower, one of the best annual meteor showers and well known for producing spectacular fireballs, will peak around 14:00 UTC on January 3, 2016. The Moon will be 6 days old at the time of peak activity, presenting minimal interference. This is…
A swarm of shallow earthquakes is being registered under the city of Brawley, California since December 31, 2016. Mayor Sam Couchman said the quakes have placed the city of 26 000 on edge. By 15:25 UTC on January 2, 2017, more than 260 small to moderate earthquakes…
A strong and deep earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit south of Fiji at 13:14 UTC on January 2, 2017. The agency is reporting a depth of 549.2 km (341.2 miles). Geoscience Australia is reporting M6.4 at a depth of 600 km (372.8 miles). The epicenter was…
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.9 hit northern Peru at 13:13 UTC on January 2, 2017. The agency is reporting a depth of 111.8 km (69.4 miles). EMSC is reporting M5.8 at a depth of 100 km (62 miles). According to the USGS, the epicenter was located…
China's environmental authorities have placed 24 cities on red pollution alert, strengthening inspections and enforcements to fight air pollution violations. According to the China.org.cn, the smog prompted 24 cities including Shijiazhuang and Baoding in Hebei…
January 2017 hosts one of the most intense annual meteor showers – the Quadrantids, known for producing spectacular fireballs. The timing favors western parts of North America and islands across the Pacific. The peak of Quadrantids is brief, typically lasting no…
