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 bright green meteor streaked across the sky of Alabama and Mississippi around 11:48 UTC (06:48 CDT) on October 12, 2016. The event was seen from Texas to Kentucky. The American Meteor Society (AMS) received over 290 reports by 18:20 UTC. Witnesses described…
Researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute in Germany have discovered a spectacular system consisting of two stars with three rotating planet-forming accretion discs around them. This is a binary star system where each star has its own planet-forming disc and in…
Remnants of Hurricane "Matthew" slammed Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland on October 10, 2016 with high wind and heavy rain. This powerful storm was a result of the remnants of Hurricane "Matthew" meeting up with a system off…
A large sinkhole has opened up on a road near the City of Suffolk, Virginia on the morning of Tuesday, October 11, 2016. The sinkhole is about 4.5 x 6 m (15 x 20 feet) and about 4.5 m (15 feet) deep, officials said. The Virginia Department of Transportation is on…
Record river flooding continues in eastern North Carolina after heavy weekend rain produced by now-dissipated Hurricane "Matthew" fell on already saturated soil. As of early October 11, Matthew's US death toll has climbed to at least 23, with nearly…
Tropical wave Invest 97L, soon to become Hurricane "Matthew," was named on September 25, 2016, when it was located just southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Matthew became the 13th named storm of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season on September 28. By…
Japanese Asosan volcano (Mount Aso; the largest active volcano in Japan) erupted at 16:46 UTC on October 7, 2016, sending a column of ash up to 11 km (36 000 feet) above sea level. JMA issued its third-highest alert (of 5), warning people not to approach the…
Volcanologist Melanie Kelman with the Natural Resources Canada said sulfur smells and volcanic openings known as fumaroles were recently spotted on the long-dormant Meager volcano. Kelman added that it is not uncommon to find fumatoroles on the peak, and it could…
Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Nevada Seismological Laboratory have discovered a new, potentially significant fault in southern California. Now named the Salton trough fault (STF), the newly discovered fault runs parallel to the San…
A potent snowstorm blasted through the Canadian Prairies on October 6, 2016, dumping up to 50 cm (1.6 feet) of October snow on Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Environment Canada has issued winter storm warnings for parts of the states. Early on October 6, 2016, 40 cm…
