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!
A significant explosive eruption began at Bogoslof volcano at about 16:24 UTC on February 13, 2017. The eruption is indicated in seismic data, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said. Although at this time there has been no lightning detected, nor satellite images…
Another hydrothermal eruption, the fourth since November 2016, took place at New Zealand's Lake Rotorua between 04:00 and 04:30 local time on February 12, 2017. The eruption lasted between 5 and 10 seconds. Residents who witnessed the eruption said this one was…
An upper-level trough system over southwestern Australia linked with a tropical low further north has produced heavy unseasonal rain over parts of Western Australia on February 9 and 10, 2017. Heavy rain flooded farms and roads and washed away bridges. At least one…
At least four people have died and five are missing after an avalanche hit popular French Alpine resort of Tignes early February 13, 2017. The avalanche, the worst to hit the Alps this season, was 400 m (1 300 feet) wide. It occurred at 09:35 UTC (10:35 local time)…
Officials have ordered the evacuation of areas near the damaged Oroville Dam in Northern California on Sunday, February 12, 2017, amid concerns the dam's auxiliary spillway might collapse. The spillway is overflowing water since Saturday, February 11 for the…
A series of shallow and damaging earthquakes are shaking the tip of the Biga Peninsula in Western Turkey this month. The sequence includes four damaging M5+ earthquakes in which over 350 buildings sustained extensive damage. The quakes are occurring at the…
More than a dozen people were rescued Friday, February 10, 2017, from flood waters in northern Nevada as authorities brace for what they say could be some of the worst floodings in more than 30 years by the end of the weekend. At the same time, unusually warm…
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.5 hit Mindanao, the Philippines at 14:03 UTC on February 10, 2017. The agency is reporting a depth of 27.9 km (18.4 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.3 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). According to the USGS,…
416 pilot whales were found stranded at Farewell Spit in New Zealand's Golden Bay late Thursday, February 9, 2017. On Saturday, February 11, a new pod of 240 whales stranded on the beach, bringing the total number to 656 and making this the second-largest…
Another large earth fissure appears to have formed after recent heavy rain in Pakistan's Balochistan Province. It is not yet clear when the crack formed but according to Samaa, it is the longest known in Quila Abdullah. The fissure apparently spans several…
