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!
This 4K UHD time lapse of some of the most beautiful storms from the 2016 storm season was produced by Pecos Hank. Hank compiled his recordings of incredible supercell structures, explosive storm updrafts, rotating mesocyclones and unbelievably beautiful lightning…
Heavy rain produced by a slow-moving storm started affecting portions of the US Gulf Coast on August 4, 2016. By Friday, August 12, parts of central Gulf Coast were under historic flooding. Florida was first to receive heavy rain, followed by southeastern Louisiana…
With record breaking 7.2 °C (44.96 °F), the capital of Croatia, Zagreb, woke up today to the coldest August 12 since official measurements began in 1949. Some 133 km (93 miles) to the SSW, the city of Rijeka broke another record for this day with 12.6 °C…
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit south of the Fiji Islands at 03:29 UTC on August 12, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 75 km (46.6 miles). The epicenter was located 476.5 km (296.1 miles) SSW of Ohonua (population: 1 241), Tonga, 485.5…
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.2 hit southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia at 01:24 UTC on August 12, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). Geoscience Australia is reporting Mwp7.3 at a depth of 0 km….
Wildfires that started on the Portuguese island of Madeira, off the northwest coast of Africa, on Monday, August 8, 2016, have spread dramatically during the next 24 hours and approached Madeira's capital, home to some 112 000 people, on Tuesday, August 9. By…
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New activity/unrest was observed at 5 volcanoes between August 3 and 9, 2016. During the same period, ongoing activity was observed at 14 volcanoes. New activity/unrest: Brava, Cape Verde | Chikurachki, Paramushir Island (Russia) | Chirpoi, Kuril Islands (Russia) …
A flotilla of 50 CubeSats, miniaturized satellites weighing an average of 2 kg (4.4 lb) each, will be launched from the ground and the International Space Station in the European-led QB50 mission to explore the little-understood region above Earth known as the…
For the first time, retired U.S. Air Force officers involved in forecasting and analyzing the extreme space weather event of May 23, 1967, collectively and publicly describe how great solar and geomagnetic storm at the height of the Cold War almost led to a…
Levels of a widely used class of industrial chemicals linked with cancer and other health problems – polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) – exceed federally recommended safety levels in public drinking water supplies for six million people in the…
